Ana M. López
Research expert covering travel, tourism and hospitality
Digital nomads - statistics & facts
Digital nomads typically combine remote work and travel. Usually passionate about new adventures, they make the most of new technologies, using an internet connection to work from anywhere in the world. If this community of worker-travelers has existed for a long time, technologies and the global pandemic accelerated this practice. In the United States alone, it was estimated that there were over 18 million digital nomads in 2024, a rise of 148 percent versus 2019.
As of June 2025, the United States was the most visited country by the digital nomad population. Thailand and Spain both came second, with five percent of this traveling community having already stayed there. Looking at the most visited cities by digital nomads, the top three included London, Bangkok, and New York City.
Who are the digital nomads?
Looking at the nationality of digital nomads, they were mostly from the United States in mid-2025. Given their connectedness, their thirst for discovery, and their increased mobility, it is not surprising that U.S. digital nomads were mostly represented in 2024 by the generation of millennials - also known as the generation of digital natives or generation Y – which is precisely characterized by these personality traits. Finally, a global survey revealed that digital nomads were primarily self-employed as of 2023, of whom more than half were business owners and around 42 percent were freelancers or gig workers.Where do the digital nomads travel?
Digital nomads choose their travel location depending on specific factors, such as safety, the price of accommodation, internet speed, or the co-working spaces on offer. A global 2022 online survey found that the main factors in choosing a destination for digital nomads were the cost of living and a fast, accessible internet connection to work in the best conditions. Safety was cited as the most significant component in the decision-making process of around 15 percent of digital nomads when looking for a destination.As of June 2025, the United States was the most visited country by the digital nomad population. Thailand and Spain both came second, with five percent of this traveling community having already stayed there. Looking at the most visited cities by digital nomads, the top three included London, Bangkok, and New York City.
