The pandemic opened the floodgates for remote work. Now that workers are accustomed to the flexibility that telework provides and the fact that one-in-three jobs can be done remotely, it’s hard to see companies turning back to the pre-pandemic days. In April, three of four workers said they expect to continue working remotely.
With this newfound freedom, 42% percent of workers say they plan to move in the next 12 months, according to Apartment List. But some cities will prove to be better destinations for them than others.
By looking at housing affordability, access to natural amenities, access to urban amenities and “remote friendliness” (a blend of resident satisfaction and the city’s historical ability to attract and retain remote workers), Apartment List identified the 10 best cities for remote workers.
Coming in at the top spot was Provo, Utah. It was followed by Ft. Collins, Col., Boise Id., Raleigh, NC, Tempe, Arizona, Austin, Texas, Beaverton, Oregon, Denver, Asheville, NC and Ann Arbor, Michigan
The top 10 includes three cities with populations of over 250,000—Raleigh, Austin and Denver. Apartment List says these cities were among the fastest risers before the pandemic because their tech economies offered cost-of-living advantages over San Francisco, Seattle, New York City and Boston.
However, as more people move to Raleigh, Austin and Denver, their cost-of-living advantage is deteriorating. But they still provide better value than the most expensive cities. For example, Apartment List says Denver is the only city in the top 10 where the median-earning remote worker would have to spend more than 30% of their gross income to afford median housing costs. And it barely clears that threshold. The median worker would need to pay 31% of their gross income to afford housing in The Mile High City.
With the gap between the cost of living in these cities and large cities continuing to endure, it looks like they have more growth potential.
“These cities have already established themselves as popular destinations for workers in remote-friendly occupations, and are likely to maintain that momentum as remote work becomes increasingly common,” according to Apartment List.
Other research has been released showing where remote workers have migrated to during the pandemic. Allied Van Lines issued its annual Magnet States Report early this year, highlighting consumer and corporate moves in 2020 in this emerging migration puzzle.
The top five destination states for consumer moves was led by Florida, followed by Texas, California, Arizona and North Carolina. These five continue to be the highest volume destination states in line with trends from 2019.