As more and more Americans turn to side hustles to help offset everyday costs, a surprising trend is growing in Milwaukee.
Home Rental site, Airbnb reports teachers in the Badger State are leading the nation in the side hustle. More than a quarter of the hosts in Wisconsin are educators.
In 2017, they earned $1.4 million outside of the classroom and through the site.
"It's a nice source of income," said Deborah Lindberg, a 27-year teacher who rents out a room in her Riverwest home.
The trend is spreading across the Midwest where teachers in Ohio, Minnesota, Michigan and Indiana are also renting out their homes in large numbers.
Why so many in Wisconsin? Some say, it could be salary.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the state average pay is about $57,000. Which is slightly lower than the national average, but lands Wisconsin teachers right in the middle nationwide.
For Deborah, the flexibility of renting a room allows her to make about an extra $7,000 a year.
"It's helping me make improvements. When you own a house, you have additional repairs," said Lindberg.
