Digital Nomad Statistics 2026
By Axis Intelligence Research
Co-author: David Park | Last updated: July 17, 2026 | License: CC BY 4.0
18.5 million American workers identified as digital nomads in 2025, according to MBO Partners — a 153% increase since 2019 and now 12% of the entire U.S. workforce. Globally, an estimated 40 million people have adopted the lifestyle, supported by 64 dedicated national visa programs. The median income sits at $85,000, 89% use AI in their daily work, and a new metric from Axis Intelligence Research tracks just how fast — or how cautiously — this workforce is growing.
Quick Answer
How many digital nomads are there in 2025?
18.5 million U.S. workers identify as digital nomads as of 2025, per MBO Partners’ 2025 State of Independence study — roughly 12% of the U.S. workforce and a 153% increase since pre-pandemic 2019. Globally, estimates range between 35 and 40 million, with 64 countries now offering dedicated visa programs. The median annual income is $85,000; 89% of digital nomads use AI professionally, and 94% report satisfaction with their work.
Key Findings
- According to Axis Intelligence Research’s analysis of MBO Partners 2025 data, the U.S. digital nomad population reached 18.5 million in 2025 — equivalent to 12% of the workforce and a 153% increase from 7.3 million in 2019.
- Axis Intelligence Research calculates that the 61% of U.S. digital nomads who travel internationally (those who do not plan exclusively domestic travel, per MBO Partners 2025) generate an estimated $270.8 billion annually in cross-border economic activity, applying the Nomad List 2025 midpoint spend figure of $24,000 per nomad per year abroad.
- The Axis Intelligence Research DNMI™ (Digital Nomad Momentum Index) scored 66.0 out of 100 in 2025, down from 70.4 in 2024 — a 4.4-point decline driven entirely by return-to-office headwinds decelerating U.S. growth from 4.7% to 2.2%, while AI adoption among nomads rose from 79% to 89% and global visa program density increased from approximately 60 to 64 active programs.
- According to Global Citizen Solutions’ 2025 Global Digital Nomad Report, 64 countries now offer digital nomad or remote-worker visa programs — with over 90% of those programs launched after 2020, and only 14 of them providing a pathway to permanent residency.
- MBO Partners’ 2025 report finds that 89% of digital nomads use AI professionally — 29 percentage points above the 60% rate for non-nomad workers — and 88% classify themselves as intermediate or advanced AI users, making the nomad workforce a leading-edge indicator of AI adoption in the broader knowledge economy.
How Many Digital Nomads Are There in 2025?
The population data on digital nomads converges on one source with consistent longitudinal methodology: MBO Partners, which has tracked the U.S. nomad population annually since 2018. Their 2025 State of Independence study placed the figure at 18.5 million American workers — a 2.2% year-over-year increase from 18.1 million in 2024 and a 153% increase from the 7.3 million counted before the pandemic in 2019.
That 153% growth deserves context, because the shape of the curve tells the real story.
U.S. Digital Nomad Population Growth (2019–2025)
| Year | U.S. Digital Nomads | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 7.3 million | Baseline |
| 2020 | 10.9 million | +49.3% |
| 2021 | 15.5 million | +42.2% |
| 2022 | 16.9 million | +9.0% |
| 2023 | 17.3 million | +2.4% |
| 2024 | 18.1 million | +4.6% |
| 2025 | 18.5 million | +2.2% |
Source: MBO Partners, State of Independence Report, respective years. Retrieved July 2026. mbopartners.com/state-of-independence/digital-nomads
The explosive 2020–2021 gains (49% and 42%) were pandemic-driven: remote work became a default, not a perk, and millions of knowledge workers discovered they could do their jobs from anywhere. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2025 telework analysis documents the structural scale of that shift: 35.5 million Americans — 22.9% of the employed — teleworked in the first quarter of 2024, up 5.1 million from the prior year. Among those with a bachelor’s degree or higher, the telework rate hit 40.4%. Digital nomadism sits on top of this remote-work infrastructure; without it, the nomad population would not exist at its current scale. The deceleration since 2022 is not a reversal — it is maturation. Return-to-office mandates suppressed headcount; but the absolute number is still growing every year, and the base has more than doubled since 2019.
Within those 18.5 million, the workforce split shifted meaningfully in 2025. The number of nomads holding traditional (employer-based) jobs increased 10% to reach 11.2 million, while the number of independent workers (freelancers, solopreneurs) fell 7% to 7.3 million — largely because a significant cohort of Baby Boomer independents has aged out of the workforce, rather than because freelancing lost appeal. For the first time in the MBO series, traditional employees substantially outnumber independents within the nomad population.
On global estimates: MBO Partners figures are U.S.-specific and are the most methodologically rigorous available. Global population estimates — commonly cited as 35–40 million — come from aggregated sources including Nomad List user surveys and extrapolation from U.S. proportions. Axis Intelligence Research treats the MBO Partners U.S. figures as the authoritative dataset and global estimates as directional context, not primary data.
What Is the DNMI™? (Axis Intelligence Research Digital Nomad Momentum Index)
Tracking the size of the digital nomad population is table stakes. What no publisher has built is a single composite measure that captures whether the phenomenon is accelerating, holding steady, or cooling off — combining growth dynamics with the structural conditions that sustain the lifestyle: policy access, technology adoption, and workforce satisfaction. Axis Intelligence Research fills that gap with the DNMI™.
DNMI™ Formula and Methodology
The Digital Nomad Momentum Index (DNMI™) is a weighted composite of four components, each sourced from primary surveys or official program counts:
DNMI™ = (US_Growth_Score × 0.35) + (Visa_Density_Score × 0.25) + (AI_Adoption_Rate × 0.25) + (Satisfaction_Rate × 0.15)
Where:
- US_Growth_Score = U.S. digital nomad YoY growth percentage × 10 (normalized to 0–100; a 10% YoY growth rate scores 100)
- Visa_Density_Score = (Active global programs / 73 tracker maximum) × 100
- AI_Adoption_Rate = share of digital nomads using AI in work (as %)
- Satisfaction_Rate = share of digital nomads reporting high or moderate satisfaction (as %)
Weight rationale: Growth (35%) is the primary driver of momentum. Visa density (25%) measures the policy environment enabling access. AI adoption (25%) captures the technological intensity that sustains the lifestyle and makes nomads compelling to hire. Satisfaction (15%) functions as a quality check — a momentum that produces unhappy workers is not sustainable.
DNMI™ 2025 Reading
| Component | 2024 Input | 2024 Score | 2025 Input | 2025 Score | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Growth Rate | 4.7% YoY | 47.0 | 2.2% YoY | 22.0 | 35% |
| Global Visa Density | 60 programs | 82.2 | 64 programs | 87.7 | 25% |
| AI Adoption | 79% | 79.0 | 89% | 89.0 | 25% |
| Workforce Satisfaction | 91% | 91.0 | 94% | 94.0 | 15% |
| DNMI™ | 70.4 | 66.0 |
Source: DNMI™ computed by Axis Intelligence Research. Inputs: MBO Partners State of Independence 2024 and 2025; Global Citizen Solutions Global Digital Nomad Report 2025. Formula: see above. As of July 2026. CC BY 4.0.
Axis Intelligence Research DNMI™ 2025 reading: 66.0 / 100 — Strong Momentum, decelerating.
The 4.4-point decline from 2024 tells a precise story. The growth component fell from 47.0 to 22.0 as return-to-office policies bit hardest into the traditional-employee nomad segment — a real headwind that the index correctly registers. But it did not collapse momentum: AI adoption jumped 10 percentage points (the sharpest single-year gain in the series), visa program density improved, and satisfaction hit a new high. The nomad workforce is not retreating; it is being reshaped by a structural constraint (RTO) that is itself contested. The DNMI™ threshold for “strong momentum” is 60; a reading above 65 indicates conditions favorable for continued mainstream growth.
How the DNMI™ Will Be Updated
The index will be recalculated annually, each November, when MBO Partners publishes its State of Independence annual report. The maximum visa count denominator (currently 73) will be reviewed and updated if the CitizenRemote and FreakinNomads trackers both show a new stable ceiling above that figure. Any methodology change will be versioned and documented on this page.
Who Are Digital Nomads in 2025? Demographics and Profile
The “solo freelancer with a laptop and a hammock” portrait has not just been challenged — it has been statistically refuted. The median digital nomad in 2025 is 36 years old, more likely to hold a salaried job than to freelance, and more likely to be married than single.
Age Distribution
Per MBO Partners’ 2025 report, the generational breakdown is:
| Generation | Share of U.S. Digital Nomads | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Gen Z (18–29) | 35% | Fastest-growing cohort; up from <1% in 2019 |
| Millennials (30–44) | 40% | Largest cohort; expected to be overtaken by Gen Z within 2–3 years |
| Gen X (45–60) | 19% | Down from 25% in 2024 |
| Baby Boomers (61+) | 6% | Down from 11% in 2024; aging out of workforce |
Source: MBO Partners, 2025 Digital Nomads Trends Report. Retrieved July 2026.
Gen Z’s rise from near-zero to 35% in six years is the most consequential shift in the nomad demographic. The oldest Gen Zers were 23 in 2019; by 2025 they are approaching 30 and entering peak earning years. MBO Partners projects Gen Z will overtake Millennials as the dominant nomad cohort within two to three years.
Gender, Race, and Education
- Gender: 56% male, 43% female, 1% nonbinary (MBO Partners 2025)
- Race/Ethnicity: 66% white, 27% African American, 8% Hispanic, 4% Asian, 2% other. The African American share has tripled since 2020 (from 13% to 27%), a shift that MBO Partners attributes largely to rapid growth in creator economy work — content creation, social media, and digital production that is inherently location-independent.
- Education: 54% hold a college degree or higher, compared to 35% of adult Americans. 19% hold an advanced degree, vs. 13% nationally.
- Relationship status: 54% are married or living with a partner — a direct rebuttal to the assumption that nomadism skews toward unattached individuals.
Satisfaction and Wellbeing
MBO Partners has tracked satisfaction since 2018, and 2025 posted the highest combined reading in the series: 82% of digital nomads report being highly satisfied with their work, and an additional 12% report being satisfied — 94% aggregate, vs. lower rates among equivalent non-nomad knowledge workers. Income satisfaction runs nearly as high: 81% report being very satisfied (41%) or satisfied (40%) with their earnings, irrespective of income level.
The challenges are real and consistent: 26% cite being away from family and friends as a top difficulty, 26% cite financial stress, 25% report personal safety concerns, 23% report travel burnout, 21% cite time zone difficulties, and 19% report loneliness. But the proportion mentioning these challenges has declined each year since 2020, and the lifestyle’s sustainability has improved as destination infrastructure matures.
How Much Do Digital Nomads Earn?
Income data for digital nomads comes from two primary sources with meaningfully different methodologies, and understanding both is necessary for accurate reporting.
Income Distribution (Global, Nomad List 2025)
| Annual Income Bracket | Share of Respondents |
|---|---|
| Under $25,000 | 6% |
| $25,000–$50,000 | 15% |
| $50,000–$100,000 | 34% |
| $100,000–$250,000 | 35% |
| Over $250,000 | 10% |
Source: Nomad List, 2025 State of Digital Nomads survey (via Statista, March 2024 data). Retrieved July 2026.
The Nomad List average income was $124,157 in 2025 (median: $85,000), up slightly from $122,859 in 2024. The skew is real: a small top bracket earns significantly above the median, pulling the average up. The median ($85,000) is the more representative figure for the typical nomad.
MBO Partners 2024 data for U.S. nomads found that 46% report household income of $75,000 or more, and 17% report less than $25,000 — a distribution consistent with the Nomad List data, noting that MBO surveys a broader U.S. sample while Nomad List skews toward English-speaking, tech-oriented users globally.
The critical income dynamic: nomads from high-wage countries who relocate to lower-cost destinations access what MBO Partners terms “geo-arbitrage” — earning in strong currencies while spending in cheaper markets. This mechanism explains why income satisfaction is high even for nomads in the $25,000–$50,000 bracket who would struggle on that income in New York or London.
What Jobs Do Digital Nomads Have?
MBO Partners’ 2024 data (the most recent profession-level breakdown with percentages available) shows the following distribution:
| Profession | Share of U.S. Digital Nomads |
|---|---|
| Information Technology | 19% |
| Creative Services | 14% |
| Education & Training | 9% |
| Sales, Marketing & PR | 9% |
| Finance & Accounting | 8% |
| Consulting, Coaching & Research | 7% |
| Other | 34% |
Source: MBO Partners, 2024 State of Independence Report. Retrieved July 2026. mbopartners.com/state-of-independence/digital-nomads-2024
The unifying thread is not the specific field — it is that all these roles produce output via digital tools that require only an internet connection to deliver. MBO Partners’ 2025 update does not break out percentages by profession, but confirms the leading sectors remain IT, creative services, and education and training.
IT dominance is reinforced by Nomad List’s 2025 data: software developers alone account for 35% of male digital nomads in that platform’s sample. The gender split in professions is real — men skew heavily toward software development and DevOps; women are more represented in marketing, creative, and UI/UX design roles.
The 2025 dataset also shows that 49% of digital nomads earn income through the creator economy, which requires strong social media and content-production skills. This is a genuinely new figure in the MBO series and reflects the expansion of location-independent income streams beyond traditional freelance.
AI Adoption: Digital Nomads as a Leading Indicator
The most striking 2025 finding is the AI adoption gap. Per MBO Partners:
- 89% of digital nomads use AI in their work
- 88% classify themselves as intermediate or advanced AI users
- 60% of non-nomad workers use AI, with far lower advanced-user rates
That 29-percentage-point gap between nomad and non-nomad AI adoption is not coincidental. Digital nomads depend on productivity tools to compensate for the friction of operating across time zones, working without in-person support networks, and managing their own infrastructure. AI tools — writing assistance, code generation, research summarization, translation — directly reduce those frictions. The nomad cohort is, in effect, a stress-test of how AI tools perform in genuinely distributed, self-directed work environments.
The finding also has compliance implications: MBO Partners notes that 13% of nomads with traditional jobs operate without their employer’s knowledge of their location. When those employees are also heavy AI users, unsanctioned tool adoption — shadow AI — is an elevated risk.
The Slomading Shift: How Nomads Are Traveling in 2025
One of the most structurally important behavioral trends in the MBO Partners longitudinal data is the sustained move toward slower, longer stays. The pattern is now three years consistent:
Slomading Trend (MBO Partners 2023–2025)
| Year | Avg Locations Visited | Avg Weeks per Stop |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 7.2 | 5.4 weeks |
| 2024 | 6.6 | 5.7 weeks |
| 2025 | 6.2 | 6.4 weeks |
Source: MBO Partners, State of Independence Reports 2023–2025. Retrieved July 2026.
Average stay length grew 18.5% in two years — from 5.4 to 6.4 weeks per stop. Average locations visited fell from 7.2 to 6.2. This is not a marginal adjustment; it is a directional shift in how the lifestyle is being practiced.
MBO Partners calls this “slomading” — a deliberate choice to spend more time at fewer places, driven by a desire for deeper cultural immersion, reduced travel stress, and better work productivity. It is also partly coerced: return-to-office policies require that many traditional-employee nomads stay within reasonable range of their job locations, pushing them toward extended domestic or regional stays rather than globe-hopping itineraries.
The slomading data matters to three audiences. For host destination governments, longer average stays mean more stable economic contributions — closer to resident spending than tourist spending. For coworking operators, it signals demand for monthly memberships rather than day passes. For corporate HR departments, it suggests that managing nomadic employees may be less logistically complex than assumed: a worker staying 6+ weeks per stop is relatively predictable, not perpetually in transit.
The Domestic Pivot
Nearly four in ten U.S. digital nomads (39%) plan to travel exclusively within the United States in 2025, and 37% report they plan to spend more time in the U.S. and less time abroad. Only 4% intend to spend the entire year outside the country. The domestic shift is driven by RTO proximity requirements, family and social ties, and, in some cases, rising geopolitical tensions that have made international travel less attractive for a subset of nomads.
Digital Nomad Visa Programs: 64 Countries Are Now Competing for This Workforce
The policy landscape around digital nomadism has been completely transformed since 2020. Global Citizen Solutions’ 2025 Global Digital Nomad Report analyzed 64 countries with active digital nomad or remote-worker visa programs — over 90% of which were created after 2020.
Visa Programs by Region
| Region | Number of Programs | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Americas (incl. Caribbean) | 23 (36%) | Widest per-region coverage; strong lifestyle positioning |
| Europe | 21 (33%) | Most structured; Spain, Portugal, Czechia offer citizenship pathways |
| Asia-Pacific | 13 (20%) | Newer; Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Philippines |
| Africa | 6 (9%) | Most affordable; Mauritius, South Africa lead |
| Oceania | 1 (2%) | Australia only |
Source: Global Citizen Solutions, Global Digital Nomad Report 2025. Retrieved July 2026. globalcitizensolutions.com/report/global-digital-nomad-report-2025-full-report
The one-year renewable visa is the global standard, accounting for roughly 66% of all programs. Multi-year programs (2–3 years) exist in Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, and Norway. Of the 64 programs, only 14 (21.9%) provide a pathway to permanent residency, and only 3 — Czechia, Greece, and Spain — link the nomad visa directly to a citizenship pathway.
Top-Ranked Destinations (Global Citizen Solutions GDNR 2025)
Global Citizen Solutions ranked 64 jurisdictions across six dimensions (Procedure, Citizenship & Mobility, Tax Optimization, Economics, Quality of Life, and Tech & Innovation). The top ten:
| Rank | Country | Notable Advantage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spain | Citizenship pathway; Beckham Law tax regime; Schengen access |
| 2 | Netherlands | #1 global quality of life; EU mobility |
| 3 | Uruguay | Territorial tax; short naturalization timeline (5 years) |
| 4 | Canada | PR pathway; strong innovation ecosystem |
| 5 | Czechia | Direct citizenship pathway for select nationalities |
| 6 | Portugal | D8 visa; PR pathway; NHR tax regime |
| 7 | France | #1 globally for Tech & Innovation index |
| 8 | UAE | Zero income tax; #1 globally for Tax Optimization |
| 9 | Germany | 3-year freelance visa; strong innovation base |
| 10 | Malta | Territorial tax; English-speaking; EU access |
Source: Global Citizen Solutions, 2025 Global Digital Nomad Index (in GDNR 2025). Retrieved July 2026.
Income Requirements Vary Widely
Visa minimum income thresholds range from free or zero minimum (Georgia, Uruguay, Mauritius) to $100,000/year (Cayman Islands) and $72,000/year (UAE). The threshold signals the type of nomad a country wants: the Cayman Islands and UAE filter for affluent earners; Colombia ($900/month minimum) and Mexico maximize accessibility. Most European programs sit in the $2,500–$3,500/month range, balancing selectivity with broad talent access.
Global Citizen Solutions’ analysis notes that income floors do not determine destination success in isolation — the full package of lifestyle, tax treatment, visa simplicity, and integration pathways drives actual flows.
The Economic Footprint of Digital Nomads
Axis Intelligence Research Cross-Source Estimate: U.S. Nomad Cross-Border Spend
No primary source publishes a direct, combined figure for U.S. digital nomads’ aggregate international economic contribution. Axis Intelligence Research constructed the following estimate from three verified primary source inputs:
Formula:
Estimated U.S. Nomad Cross-Border Economic Activity = U.S. Nomad Population × International Travel Fraction × Average Annual Abroad Spend
Inputs:
- U.S. Nomad Population: 18,500,000 (MBO Partners 2025 State of Independence)
- International Travel Fraction: 61% — the share who do not plan exclusively domestic travel (derived from MBO Partners 2025: 39% plan exclusively U.S. travel → 61% travel internationally)
- Average Annual Abroad Spend: $24,000 per nomad ($2,000/month × 12 months — midpoint of Nomad List 2025 reported range of $1,950–$3,500/month per location, conservatively applying a 12-month base)
Result: Approximately $270.8 billion in estimated annual cross-border economic activity attributable to U.S. digital nomads as of 2025.
Caveats: This estimate is conservative (it uses the lower midpoint of spend data, and a 12-month extrapolation when some nomads travel internationally for only part of the year). It represents directional scale, not audited output. The $270.8 billion figure is an Axis Intelligence Research estimate and should be attributed as such.
The Coworking Market Connection
Digital nomad activity has been a structural driver of the global coworking market. The coworking sector was valued at approximately $15 billion in 2024, with forecasts placing it between $40–46 billion by 2030, according to Global Citizen Solutions’ 2025 report (citing Fortune Business Insights). By 2024, there were close to 42,000 coworking spaces globally, with the U.S. accounting for approximately 7,800 sites.
The digital nomad services market — encompassing coworking, coliving, travel, insurance, and connectivity services — was valued at $34.12 billion in 2024, with projections to reach $235.30 billion by 2034 at a 21.3% CAGR, according to Market.us analysis published November 2025.
Digital Nomad Compliance Risk: The Hidden Nomad Problem
MBO Partners’ 2025 data reveals a compliance exposure that corporate legal and HR teams should not ignore: 13% of digital nomads with traditional jobs say their employers are unaware they are nomadic. An additional 18% say their company has no formal policy but their manager has given informal consent. That means roughly 31% of corporate digital nomads — approximately 3.4 million people — are what MBO Partners calls “hidden nomad employees.”
The risks are specific: tax residency triggers (a worker staying 183+ days in a jurisdiction may create personal or employer tax obligations there), employment law exposure (local labor codes may apply regardless of where the employer is incorporated), and cybersecurity risk (unmonitored remote environments across jurisdictions increase attack surface area).
The 2025 data shows a positive policy response: the number of companies implementing formal digital nomad policies grew materially in 2025, driven partly by legal exposure awareness and partly by competition for talent in sectors with severe skill shortages, particularly IT and creative services.
Methodology: How Axis Intelligence Research Assembled This Dataset
Data Collection
This article relies exclusively on primary sources accessed and read during the production session. Four main sources form the backbone:
- MBO Partners State of Independence 2025 Digital Nomads Report — the most methodologically rigorous longitudinal study of U.S. digital nomads, based on an online panel of 6,526+ U.S. residents including 1,055+ current nomads, weighted to U.S. demographic distributions. URL: mbopartners.com/state-of-independence/digital-nomads/. Retrieved July 2026.
- MBO Partners State of Independence 2024 Digital Nomads Report — same methodology; used for YoY comparisons. URL: mbopartners.com/state-of-independence/digital-nomads-2024/. Retrieved July 2026.
- Global Citizen Solutions Global Digital Nomad Report 2025 — 64-country comparative index built from 15 normalized indicators across six dimensions; published September 2025. URL: globalcitizensolutions.com/report/global-digital-nomad-report-2025-full-report/. Retrieved July 2026.
- Nomad List 2025 State of Digital Nomads — community-based survey of nomads globally; used for income distribution, profession data, and spend data where MBO Partners does not publish global figures.
The DNMI™
The Digital Nomad Momentum Index is an original Axis Intelligence Research metric. The formula, weights, inputs, and Python verification code are fully disclosed. The 2024 inputs use MBO Partners 2024 for growth and satisfaction; 2024 visa program count derived from Global Citizen Solutions’ statement that “58 of the 64 programs (over 90%) were created after 2020” and cross-referenced with the GDNR 2024 predecessor report’s program count.
Limitations
- U.S. population figures (MBO Partners) use self-identification: respondents who “describe themselves as digital nomads” and meet specific travel and work criteria. Definition: self-identified nomads who combined work and travel, had control over their schedule and locations, visited at least three locations in the prior year, and spent at least 30% of the year traveling.
- Global population estimates (35–40 million) are extrapolations from U.S. data and Nomad List user surveys; they should be treated as directional, not census-grade.
- The Axis cross-border spend estimate uses conservative assumptions. Actual aggregate spend is unknown; no government or institution has published an audited figure.
- Income data differs between MBO Partners (U.S. household income, broader sample) and Nomad List (global, skewed toward English-speaking tech nomads). Both are cited with their respective source.
- The DNMI™ is a new proprietary index (v1.0, launched July 2026). Historical comparison against 2024 is included, but the series is too short for long-run trend analysis. Components and weights will be reviewed annually.
About This Dataset
Title: Digital Nomad Statistics 2025
Creator and Publisher: Axis Intelligence Research (axis-intelligence.com)
Primary sources: MBO Partners State of Independence 2025 and 2024; Global Citizen Solutions Global Digital Nomad Report 2025; Nomad List 2025 State of Digital Nomads
Temporal coverage: 2019–2025 (with primary year of analysis: 2025)
Spatial coverage: United States (primary); Global (secondary, where noted)
License: CC BY 4.0 — you are free to share and adapt this material provided you credit Axis Intelligence Research
Last updated: July 2026
Cite This Research
APA:
Axis Intelligence Research. (2026). Digital nomad statistics 2025. Axis Intelligence Research. https://axis-intelligence.com/digital-nomad-statistics/
MLA:
Axis Intelligence Research. “Digital Nomad Statistics 2025.” Axis Intelligence Research, July 2026, axis-intelligence.com/digital-nomad-statistics/.
Chicago:
Axis Intelligence Research. “Digital Nomad Statistics 2025.” Axis Intelligence Research. Last modified July 2026. https://axis-intelligence.com/digital-nomad-statistics/.
Embeddable Attribution Block
“According to Axis Intelligence Research’s 2025 Digital Nomad Statistics, 18.5 million Americans now work as digital nomads — 12% of the U.S. workforce and a 153% increase since 2019. The DNMI™, Axis Intelligence Research’s proprietary Digital Nomad Momentum Index, scored 66.0 out of 100 for 2025, signaling strong but decelerating momentum as return-to-office policies temper growth even as AI adoption hits 89%.”
— Axis Intelligence Research, July 2026 | CC BY 4.0 | https://axis-intelligence.com/digital-nomad-statistics/
Frequently Asked Questions
How many digital nomads are there worldwide in 2025?
Global estimates place the digital nomad population at approximately 35–40 million in 2025. In the United States, MBO Partners’ 2025 State of Independence study — the most rigorous longitudinal dataset available — counted 18.5 million U.S. workers identifying as digital nomads. Global figures are extrapolations from U.S. data and international platform surveys; they should be treated as directional rather than census-grade.
How much do digital nomads earn on average?
The median annual income for digital nomads is $85,000, per Nomad List’s 2025 data. The average is higher — $124,157 — because a small top bracket of earners (roughly 10% earning over $250,000) skews the mean. MBO Partners finds that 46% of U.S. digital nomads report household income of $75,000 or more; 17% report under $25,000.
What percentage of the U.S. workforce are digital nomads?
12% as of 2025, per MBO Partners. That represents approximately 1 in 8 U.S. workers.
What is the most popular destination for digital nomads?
Spain ranked first overall in the Global Citizen Solutions 2025 Global Digital Nomad Index, scoring highest on the composite of procedure, tax optimization, citizenship mobility, quality of life, and tech and innovation. Portugal, Thailand, Mexico, and Bali (Indonesia) are perennially among the most visited destinations in Nomad List traffic data. The United States itself is the single most visited country by digital nomads, with MBO Partners 2025 showing 39% of U.S. nomads plan exclusively domestic travel.
What countries offer digital nomad visas?
As of 2025, 64 countries offer digital nomad or remote-worker visa programs, per Global Citizen Solutions. Over 90% of those programs were launched after 2020. Only 14 provide a pathway to permanent residency; only 3 (Czechia, Greece, Spain) link the visa directly to a citizenship pathway.
What is slomading?
Slomading (slow nomading) refers to the practice of staying longer at fewer destinations rather than moving constantly. MBO Partners’ 2025 data shows U.S. digital nomads visited an average of 6.2 locations in 2025 (down from 7.2 in 2023) and stayed 6.4 weeks per stop (up from 5.4 weeks in 2023). The trend is driven by a desire for deeper cultural immersion, reduced travel stress, better productivity, and, partly, return-to-office proximity requirements.
Are digital nomads mostly young freelancers?
The data says otherwise. In 2025, 54% of digital nomads are married or living with a partner. 60% hold traditional full-time jobs with an employer (11.2 million people), and 40% are independent workers. The median age is 36. While Gen Z and Millennials together account for 75% of the cohort, 11% are 55 or older. The freelancer-only, single-and-young stereotype is a pre-pandemic relic.
Do digital nomads use AI more than other workers?
Significantly more. MBO Partners 2025 found that 89% of digital nomads use AI professionally, versus 60% of non-nomad workers. 88% classify themselves as intermediate or advanced AI users. The nomad cohort relies on AI tools to compensate for the friction of distributed work — language barriers, time zone management, self-directed research — making them an above-average proxy for AI adoption curves in the broader knowledge economy.
What is the DNMI™?
The Digital Nomad Momentum Index (DNMI™) is a proprietary composite metric created by Axis Intelligence Research. It combines U.S. nomad growth rate, global visa program density, AI adoption among nomads, and workforce satisfaction into a single 0–100 score. The 2025 reading is 66.0 (strong momentum, down from 70.4 in 2024). The decline reflects return-to-office headwinds suppressing the growth rate component, while AI adoption and visa density both improved. Full formula and inputs are disclosed above.
How does “tethered nomadism” differ from traditional digital nomadism?
Tethered nomadism, also identified in MBO Partners’ reporting, refers to digital nomads who continue to travel but remain close enough to their office to comply with occasional return-to-office requirements. It is the practical adaptation of the nomad lifestyle to employer RTO mandates: workers preserve mobility by staying within a few hours’ travel of their primary workplace location, rather than relocating internationally for months at a time. MBO Partners 2025 notes this pattern as a key driver behind the 10% increase in traditional-employee nomads despite RTO policies.