Best markets for a podcast business: where to start

What to take away

This article is general business information, not tax, contract, or legal advice. Advertising disclosure, music licensing, and platform terms differ by market and change; confirm current requirements with the FTC, a media attorney, and your state revenue authority before you sign anything.

Rank markets by what they pay, not by what sounds exciting

Three inputs decide whether a market works for a podcast business.

You can check all three. The Bureau of Labor Statistics wage tables give audio and broadcast technician pay by metro, which tells you what an editor costs you there. The SBA business guide covers registration, permits, and startup costs for a new location. Neither tells you whether clients exist. That takes a search of podcast directories filtered by city.

The 2027 shortlist, ranked by ad rate and studio cost

Ten markets, ordered by what local clients pay. Eight are in the United States or Canada. London and Mexico City are non-core markets outside the site's US and Canada focus, included for comparison. Figures are typical 2027 ranges, not quotes. Audience size, niche, and season move them.

Method note: CPM and day-rate ranges come from published ad network rate cards and public studio booking prices.

1. Los Angeles. The largest concentration of studios, networks, and production companies in the country. Buyers are agencies, entertainment firms, and creators with existing budgets. Local ad CPMs typically run $30 to $50 per thousand downloads, and studio days $1,000 to $2,500. Best for editors and mixers selling to professional clients.

2. New York. Finance, media, and publishing companies that commission podcasts as marketing. Rates and costs sit close to Los Angeles. Expect corporate review cycles. Best for producers who can handle them.

3. London (non-core market). Europe's biggest podcast advertising market, with strong agency demand and rates typically £25 to £45 per thousand. Studio days run £400 to £900. Compliance overhead is higher, and music licensing runs through bodies such as PRS for Music and PPL. Best for a business already serving international clients.

4. Toronto. Canada's largest English-language audio market, with agencies and broadcasters. Rates typically land at CAD 18 to 35 per thousand and studio days at CAD 400 to 900. Currency and tax rules differ, so confirm registration with the Canada Revenue Agency before opening a location.

5. Seattle. Technology and outdoor brands with in-house audio teams that outsource overflow. Day rates sit between Austin and Los Angeles, around $700 to $1,400. Best for editors with corporate clients.

6. Chicago. Agencies and mid-size brands, plus a strong public media presence that trains local talent. Ad rates typically run $20 to $35 per thousand and studio days $500 to $1,000. Best for a service business that wants steady retainer work.

7. Nashville. Music, healthcare, and a growing agency scene. Studio space costs a fraction of the coastal cities and local ad rates are climbing, typically $15 to $30 per thousand. Best for a first studio outside a major metro.

8. Austin. Technology, real estate, and a dense independent creator population. Lower overhead, with studio days at $350 to $700. Demand for launch production and coaching is steady. Best for a one-person shop that wants volume over rate.

9. Atlanta. Film, music, and logistics companies producing branded shows. Growing fast, still cheaper than the coasts, with rates typically $15 to $30 per thousand. Best for video-first podcast production.

10. Mexico City (non-core market). The largest Spanish-language podcast market in North America, with lower production costs. Studio days typically run $150 to $450, and rates translate to roughly $8 to $20 per thousand. Best for bilingual producers.

That is ten. The United States and Canada entries run from Los Angeles to Atlanta. London and Mexico City are non-core. If none fits, the checkable criteria are the three inputs above, applied to any city you are considering.

What changes when you work remotely

Editing, mixing, and show notes travel over the internet. A client in Nashville does not care whether you are in Austin.

Studio time, in-person coaching, and local sponsorship do not travel. Those are the services that make a market matter.

So split your business. Sell remote editing everywhere and price it the same everywhere. Open a physical presence only where local clients will pay for the room.

Costs beyond the studio day rate

A studio day rate covers the room, not the business. Add insurance, gear replacement, software subscriptions, and the hours you spend quoting.

Set your floor price as: studio day rate plus gear depreciation plus your target hourly rate times hours, divided by episodes delivered. Substitute your own figures. If the result is below the local editing rate, the studio is a hobby.

Common questions

Do I need to live in a top market?

No. Live in a cheap city and sell to clients in expensive ones. Only open a local studio if local clients will pay for the room.

Which market is best for a first podcast business?

The one where you already have ten potential clients. If you have none, Austin, Nashville, and Chicago have the lowest entry costs and steady demand. Studio days in those three typically run $350 to $1,000.

How do I check a market before committing?

Search podcast directories for shows produced in that city. Count how many are active. That number is your buyer list, and it is public.

Does advertising disclosure change by market?

The rule is federal in the United States. The FTC endorsement guides require clear disclosure of material connections. Other countries set their own rules, so confirm locally.