15 cities where Uber and Lyft drivers make the most money

Uber

San Francisco pays Uber drivers the most.

• San Francisco drivers earn the most monthly income, according to a new JPMorgan Chase report.
• While more people have joined ride-sharing services since 2013, the monthly revenue that drivers earn was cut in half.
• Here are the 15 cities where Uber and Lyft drivers earn the most income.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Three of the country's most expensive cities - San Francisco, New York City, and San Jose - pay Uber and Lyft drivers the most, according to a new report.

JPMorgan Chase analyzed banking records to find which cities pay gig workers who are drivers the most. The bank found that while more people are using ride-sharing apps to generate income, the average monthly pay from these apps declined by half since 2013.

The report suggests the pay, on average, is not enough for drivers working full-time: "As occasional engagement becomes more common in the transportation sector, important policy questions arise around what should be or can be done for would-be full-time drivers," the report states.

While the pay may be reasonable in some cities, Uber drivers work as independent contractors, meaning they are not salaried employees and don't get company benefits like healthcare. While Uber argues contract work allows drivers to craft their own schedule, drivers themselves say they deserve more pay and better working conditions.

Read more: Gig-economy workers like Uber and Lyft drivers may be skewing low unemployment numbers

Despite drivers' calls for better pay, the Trump administration stated Uber is right to treat drivers like contract workers. The US Department of Labor recently stated that gig workers should be classified as independent contractors, not employees - a change from the Obama administration's viewpoint that Uber should reconsider how it classifies workers.

Contract workers may also be skewing unemployment numbers. A recent report from the Fed said growing numbers of independent contractors may be inaccurately reporting themselves as "employed," even if they do not work full-time. A previous report from JPMorgan found most gig workers work on and off during the month.

"New technologies that encourage contingent or just-in-time labor lower the bargaining power of workers," the report said. "This, in turn, lowers the natural rate of unemployment and real equilibrium wages."

Here are the 15 metro areas where Uber drivers earn the most money, according to JPMorgan:

Andy Kiersz/Business Insider