The COVID-19 pandemic transformed many aspects of American life, from work and the economy to social interactions to entertainment and much more. For consumers, one significant change has been the accelerated adoption of delivery services as a part of commerce. I usually get some sort of package delivered every week. And I have to say I also have strong opinions about which service I prefer. It seems like at the apartment complex I live in, there is always at least one delivery truck out. And there might be a reason for that. Charlotte actually does have a lot of delivery drivers compared to other cities of the same general size.
The Delivery Driver Industry
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects continued growth in the delivery driver profession over the years ahead. Between Light Truck Drivers and Driver/Sales Workers there are expected to be an additional 182,900 jobs for delivery drivers between now and 2030. This would be a 12% increase, which is faster than the average for other professions.
As it stands now, some locations have higher concentrations of delivery drivers available than others. The concentration of delivery drivers also varies at the local level. One of the major factors affecting delivery driver concentrations at the metro level is whether a location has a significant shipping and logistics industry. For example, leading cities Memphis and Louisville are home to FedEx and UPS, respectively. While other cities like Cincinnati, Columbus, and Chicago also serve as significant shipping and distribution hubs.
Methodology
The data used in this analysis is from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. To determine the locations with the most delivery drivers per capita, researchers at Porch calculated the number of delivery drivers per thousand residents. In the event of a tie, the location with the higher percentage of delivery drivers as a share of total employment was ranked higher. To improve relevance, only metropolitan areas with at least 100,000 residents were included. Read on to see just where Charlotte ranked when it comes to delivery drivers.
15. Kansas City, MO-KS
- Number of delivery drivers per thousand: 4.8
- Delivery drivers as a share of total employment: 1.02%
- Total number of delivery drivers: 10,490
- Average hourly wage for delivery drivers: $16.97
14. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
- Number of delivery drivers per thousand: 4.8
- Delivery drivers as a share of total employment: 1.10%
- Total number of delivery drivers: 28,980
- Average hourly wage for delivery drivers: $17.38
13. Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Number of delivery drivers per thousand: 4.9
- Delivery drivers as a share of total employment: 0.96%
- Total number of delivery drivers: 7,670
- Average hourly wage for delivery drivers: $16.28
12. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Number of delivery drivers per thousand: 5.0
- Delivery drivers as a share of total employment: 1.07%
- Total number of delivery drivers: 38,370
- Average hourly wage for delivery drivers: $19.21
11. Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
- Number of delivery drivers per thousand: 5.0
- Delivery drivers as a share of total employment: 1.11%
- Total number of delivery drivers: 13,430
- Average hourly wage for delivery drivers: $15.59
10. Oklahoma City, OK
- Number of delivery drivers per thousand: 5.0
- Delivery drivers as a share of total employment: 1.17%
- Total number of delivery drivers: 7,160
- Average hourly wage for delivery drivers: $17.17
Downtown OKC at sunset
9. Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
- Number of delivery drivers per thousand: 5.1
- Delivery drivers as a share of total employment: 1.04%
- Total number of delivery drivers: 10,000
- Average hourly wage for delivery drivers: $16.75
NASHVILLE, TN – APRIL 28: General view of the Nashville Downtown skyline during the St. Jude Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Nashville on April 28, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images for Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon)
8. Raleigh, NC
- Number of delivery drivers per thousand: 5.3
Delivery drivers as a share of total employment: 1.21%
Total number of delivery drivers: 7,520
Average hourly wage for delivery drivers: $14.89
- Number of delivery drivers per thousand: 5.3
7. Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT
- Number of delivery drivers per thousand: 5.4
- Delivery drivers as a share of total employment: 1.18%
- Total number of delivery drivers: 6,470
- Average hourly wage for delivery drivers: $18.30
Hartford, Connecticut, USA downtown skyline at dusk in early autumn.
6. Salt Lake City, UT
- Number of delivery drivers per thousand: 5.5
- Delivery drivers as a share of total employment: 0.95%
- Total number of delivery drivers: 6,870
- Average hourly wage for delivery drivers: $19.51
5. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
- Number of delivery drivers per thousand: 5.8
- Delivery drivers as a share of total employment: 1.25%
- Total number of delivery drivers: 54,310
- Average hourly wage for delivery drivers: $22.22
4. Columbus, OH
- Number of delivery drivers per thousand: 5.9
- Delivery drivers as a share of total employment: 1.23%
- Total number of delivery drivers: 12,610
- Average hourly wage for delivery drivers: $15.96
Columbus, Ohio, USA skyline on the river at dusk.
3. Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
- Number of delivery drivers per thousand: 5.9
- Delivery drivers as a share of total employment: 1.27%
- Total number of delivery drivers: 13,110
- Average hourly wage for delivery drivers: $16.44
2. Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN
- Number of delivery drivers per thousand: 6.4
- Delivery drivers as a share of total employment: 1.32%
- Total number of delivery drivers: 8,100
- Average hourly wage for delivery drivers: $18.51
1. Memphis, TN-MS-AR
- Number of delivery drivers per thousand: 7.7
- Delivery drivers as a share of total employment: 1.71%
- Total number of delivery drivers: 10,390
- Average hourly wage for delivery drivers: $18.41
