Do you want to make extra money while living in a rural area? I hear this question a lot – What rural side hustles can someone do when they don’t live in a very populated area? Whether you live in the countryside, a small town, or an off-the-grid location, there are many great rural side…
Do you want to make extra money while living in a rural area?
I hear this question a lot – What rural side hustles can someone do when they don’t live in a very populated area?
Whether you live in the countryside, a small town, or an off-the-grid location, there are many great rural side gigs that can help you make extra income.
I’ve traveled to and lived in many rural areas over the years (and I currently live in a small town), so I know that making money can look a little different when you don’t have a large population or big businesses around.
But, there are still many great options!
Best Rural Side Hustles
Below are the best rural side hustles to make extra money.
1. Start a small farm or sell backyard produce
If you have space at your home (like in your backyard) and are interested, then having a small farm or garden can be a great idea!
You don’t need a huge farm to start making money. It can be a side hustle or a full-time income – it all depends on how much effort you put into it.
You may be able to sell things like:
- Eggs, honey, flowers, microgreens, mushrooms, fruit, or vegetables at a local farmers market or roadside stand
- Homemade jams, fresh herbs, or goat milk soap – all are doable to make and sell
Some small-scale farmers make $500 to $2,000+ per month selling homegrown products.
I personally have friends and family who sell many different types of products from their homes, such as honey, eggs, mangos (and other fruit), jams, and more.
2. Firewood cutting and delivery
If you live in a rural area with lots of trees, firewood is a great side hustle. Many homeowners rely on wood for heating, and you can sell pre-cut firewood for around $200 to $500 per cord (it depends on where you live, the type of wood, and when the wood was cut – how long it’s been “seasoned”).
All you need is a chainsaw, a truck (or a vehicle that can pull a trailer), trees, and some time!
We recently bought some firewood from a local in our town. He told me that he does it as a side hustle, and he makes several thousand dollars from it in the fall months (when people are typically stocking up for their wood pile). I found him in a local Facebook group, so that can be one easy way to advertise your services!
3. Blogging
If you live in a rural area, then I think finding ways to make extra money online is a great idea. This is because remote and online jobs are available anywhere, as long as you have internet.
If you like writing, you can start a blog. You can even write about homesteading, rural living, or farming if those are topics you are interested in. Or, you can write about anything else, such as family, travel, finance, life, pets, health, and more.
For me, I have been able to blog and make money in the most rural and empty places around the world, so I know that this is very possible!
I have earned over $5,000,000 from my blog over the years, and I really enjoy it. I get to work from home (or while traveling), I can make my own schedule, and I get to be my own boss.
Recommended reading: How To Monetize A Blog: How I Grew A $5 Million Blog.
Also, you can join my How To Start A Blog FREE Course. In this free course, I teach you how to start a blog, from the technical side to earning your first income and attracting readers. Over 80,000 people have taken this!
4. Start an Airbnb on your property
If you have a cabin, guesthouse, or an interesting camping space (even if it’s just a camper), you may want to try renting it out on Airbnb or Vrbo.
Rural stays are in high demand for peaceful getaways and stargazing experiences, and I don’t see this slowing down anytime soon.
Many Airbnb rentals make $500 to $2,500+ per month, depending on location.
Recommended reading: How We Reached Financial Independence Using Airbnb & Real Estate
5. Proofreading
If you have a good eye for detail, proofreading is a good online side hustle. Many businesses, bloggers, and authors need help checking their content for errors.
I have a proofreader for my website that you’re reading right now, and she is very much needed for my business.
Proofreaders can earn anywhere from around $20 to $50 per hour, and they can work from anywhere (such as at home!).
Recommended reading: 20 Best Online Proofreading Jobs For Beginners (Earn $40,000+ A Year).
6. Sell handmade goods on Etsy
There are many different types of items that you can make and sell, such as home decor, soap, candles, pottery, quilts, paintings, and more.
Many Etsy sellers make $500 to $5,000 per month selling unique, handmade goods.
7. Sell printables on Etsy
Printables are digital products like wall art, daily planners, logs, kids’ activity sheets, invites, and more.
And the best part is that you only create the file once and sell it over and over. Some Etsy printable sellers can make $500 to $1,000+ per month.
This is a great rural side hustle from home as you just need wifi!
Recommended reading: How I Make Money Selling Printables On Etsy
8. Pet sitting and dog walking
Many rural pet owners need sitters when they travel!
You can sell services like:
- Overnight pet sitting at your home
- Drop-in pet care for farm animals
- Dog walking services
Sites like Rover and Wag can help you find clients, and pet sitters usually make $15 to $50 per night per pet.
9. Become a photographer
Photography is a great business to get into if you live in a rural area. People everywhere need pictures of their families and weddings, their farms or ranches, real estate photos, and more.
Photographers can earn $500 to $3,000+ per session depending on experience.
Here’s one great story to learn more – How I Make $20,000 A Month As A Family, Maternity, and Newborn Photographer.
10. Flip farm equipment, trucks, or used items
Rural areas usually have old tractors, trailers, and tools that people want to sell.
You can make good money by:
- Buying used farm equipment, fixing it up, and reselling it
- Finding deals at farm auctions, estate sales, or Facebook Marketplace
Some flippers make $1,000 to $10,000 per month, depending on the items they resell!
11. Bookkeeping
Bookkeeping is another online job that you can do from anywhere, so you can definitely live in a rural area for it.
Bookkeepers record income and expenses, pay bills, send invoices, and organize a company’s financial records. They don’t usually do big things like taxes or financial planning.
Companies need bookkeepers to manage their finances part-time, which means you can do this from home on your own time.
And, you don’t need a degree to do this – this is a skill that you can learn at home.
I actually have a friend who lives in a rural area, and she has many side hustles – from selling vegetables and handmade goods like knitted items to the latest one she has started, which is a bookkeeping business!
Recommended reading: How To Find Online Bookkeeping Jobs As A Beginner
12. School bus driving
Rural schools usually need bus drivers (kids have to take the bus to school and can come from farther distances). This is a great job for people who want a side income, like by working early mornings and afternoons and still having summers off.
Most school bus drivers make $15 to $30 per hour, depending on the location.
13. Childcare
If your town doesn’t have a lot of daycare options, this can be a great way to make money if you like spending your time with children.
You can provide babysitting services, daycare, or after-school care (such as for elementary school kids) in your home or at the family’s home.
Depending on where you live, you may be able to earn around $100 to $500 each week with this side gig.
14. Snowplowing
If you live in a snowy area, plowing driveways or clearing sidewalks can be a great seasonal side hustle. Many rural homeowners have long driveways (or driveways that they simply can’t manage the snow with) and rely on someone with the right equipment to clear them after a storm.
You may be able to make $50 to $200+ per driveway, depending on where you live, the type of driveway (is it flat or very steep?), and the amount of snow.
There is another rural side hustle idea related to this that you may be interested in as well – snow roof raking – which is where you remove the snow from a homeowner’s roof. In snowy areas, this can be dangerous, so homeowners need it done.
15. Start a mobile repair business
Mobile repair businesses are great to run because many small towns and rural communities don’t have enough repair shops, which means that locals usually have to travel a long way to get their equipment, cars, boats, and small engines (like chainsaws or lawn mowers) fixed.
Another option would be to create an RV repair business, as RVs break down all over the place. As someone who has RVed for around 10 years, it always happens to be in rural areas where it’s hard to find help (I don’t know why, but this has ALWAYS been the case for us).
Mobile repair businesses are exactly what the name implies – you will typically keep your tools in your vehicle and travel to the customer to help them with their issue.
I have seen mobile repair businesses advertised in many places, such as bulletin boards at grocery stores, Facebook groups, campground brochures, Google Maps, word-of-mouth, and more.
16. Rent out your barn or land for events
If you own a barn, a pretty property, or farmland, you may be able to make money renting it out for weddings, parties, or community events.
Barn weddings are popular, and many couples lately are wanting a scenic location over a more traditional indoor venue. Even if you don’t have a finished barn, many people will rent open fields or wooded areas for weddings, reunions, and other gatherings.
To make this work you will need a well-maintained and accessible space. For example, if you already have a barn, you may need to clean it up, add some lighting, and make sure that there’s space for tables, guests, and parking. If you’re renting out land, you’ll want to make sure that you have basic amenities like a parking area, portable restrooms (or, give them a number to call so they can rent it from someone else), etc.
Depending on your location and what you have, you may be able to charge $2,000 to $10,000+ per event. Some barn venues even bring in six figures per year by hosting just a few events each month!
You can start by listing your space on event rental websites, marketing in local Facebook groups, and even working with wedding planners in your area.
Even if you don’t want to rent out your barn for large weddings, smaller events – like birthday parties, company retreats, or farm-to-table dinners (or wedding rehearsal dinners!) – can still bring in a good income.
I personally have a friend who has a small farm and makes money with it. She sells vegetables and homemade goods during most of the months, and in the fall she opens it up for fall weddings as a wedding venue.
17. Hunting or fishing trip guide
If you love hunting, fishing, or spending time outdoors, you can turn that love into a profitable side hustle by selling guided trips for tourists, visitors, and locals who want a great outdoor experience.
As a local guide, you can sell:
- Hunting trips for deer, turkey, ducks, or big game
- Fishing charters
Many hunting guides charge $200 to $1,500 per day, depending on the game, location, and whether lodging is included. Fishing guides can usually make $200 to $800 per day (it can depend on things like the location, whether you provide the boat and equipment, etc.).
Of course, you will need things like knowledge of local hunting and fishing laws, a boat (for fishing charters) or hunting land (for guided hunts), and quality gear, permits, and insurance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are answers to common questions about making money with rural side hustles.
How do I make money in a rural area?
There are many ways to make money in a rural area, such as by selling homegrown or handmade items, renting out land (such as for weddings), doing yard work, hauling junk, helping with home improvements as a handyman, helping with livestock, or starting an online business like freelance writing or blogging.
What jobs can you get in rural areas?
Rural jobs that you can get include farm work, small business jobs (such as at a local mom-and-pop store), trades, and remote work like virtual assisting or bookkeeping.
What are the best rural side hustles from home?
The best rural side hustles from home include selling digital products like printables, freelance bookkeeping, blogging, and pet sitting.
How to make money in a small town as a kid?
Kids can make money in a small town by mowing lawns, shoveling sidewalks, babysitting, selling baked goods, or helping with farm chores.
How To Make Money With Rural Side Hustles
I hope you enjoyed my article on the best rural side hustles.
Living in a rural area doesn’t mean you have limited ways to make money. In fact, there are plenty of great side hustles that fit perfectly with rural or small-town life, from selling homegrown goods to starting an online business.
I live in a rural area and I work online, and I personally know people who live in a rural area and do each of the side hustles above – so I know they are real and can work!
Do you live in a rural area? What do you think are the best small-town side hustles?
Recommended reading: