Check out the best cities for remote work to ensure all of your lifestyle needs are met when living and working remotely.
Since 2020, work-from-home (WFH) has become the new normal in the workplace. While some companies are pushing for a return to office, others are embracing remote work indefinitely. When the world is your oyster, where should you go to live and work remotely?
Well, the team at Rent. did our research to put together a list of the best cities for remote work. So, if you’re ready to explore the country while working remotely, consider any one of these top best cities for remote work.
The 10 best cities for remote work
As a remote worker, your physical location hardly matters. As long as you have a productive workspace and a strong internet connection, you can pretty much work wherever your heart desires. Do you enjoy sitting on a patio while you take your Zoom calls? Well, as long as your connection is strong you’re good to go!
We looked at a few things to make our recommendations:
- Median rent and rent change year-over-year
- Access to the internet and average internet speeds
- WFH population and number of coworking spaces
If you’re a digital nomad who wants to fully embrace WFH, consider these top 10 locations across the country that have been named the best cities for remote work.
1. Orlando, FL
- Median rent: $2,075
- Average Mbps: 83.46
- Number of coworking spaces: 68
- % of population WFH: 19 percent
Orlando is the number one best city for remote work based on our ranking methodology. With a population of 309,154 people, it’s a perfect mid-sized city in the sunny state of Florida.
You’ve got well-known amusement parks. You’ve got crystal blue beaches and sunny skies. And, you’ve got a solid environment for remote work. Retirees and young professionals alike are flocking to Orlando and it’s easy to figure out why. Consider this city if you want to be a remote worker.
2. Austin
- Median rent: $1,528
- Average Mbps: 117.89
- Number of coworking spaces: 78
- % of population WFH: 38 percent
Austin is the second-best city for remote workers. It’s a hopping metro with a young millennial crowd. The rent is reasonably priced and there is no state income tax, which is a bonus for remote workers and residents alike. Austin is particularly appealing to the IT sector and is commonly called “Silicon Hills.”
So, if you’re a remote IT worker, this city is even better for you! But if IT isn’t your field of work, don’t fret: You can still live in Austin and enjoy the benefits of remote work in your chosen industry.
3. North Charleston, SC
- Median rent: $1,339
- Average Mbps: 80.71
- Number of coworking spaces: 11
- % of population WFH: 13.2 percent
Ranking third on our list is the city of North Charleston in South Carolina. With a smaller population just shy of 120,000 people, this city is the perfect place to settle down to get a mix of big-city life with small-town charm.
People rave about the dining scene, so you can work remotely from a coffee shop or restaurant! This city is full of history and has a diverse cultural scene and stunning scenery. If you’re looking for a place that seemingly has it all, check out North Charleston.
4. Grand Rapids, MI
- Median rent: $1,338
- Average Mbps: 76.26
- Number of coworking spaces: 23
- % of population WFH: 15.7 percent
Grand Rapids is a great city for outdoor recreation and beer scene. If you’re a digital nomad who wants to flex the Midwestern value of “work hard, play hard,” this is the city for you.
The city alone has over 40 breweries. You’ll be able to go on a nice trail walk and cool down with a beer. Additionally, it’s one of the largest office furniture-making cities in the U.S. So, you can definitely find yourself a sweet office set up for your remote work office here.
5. Columbus, GA
- Median rent: $977
- Average Mbps: 129.12
- Number of coworking spaces: 7
- % of population WFH: 12 percent
Columbus, GA, is the fifth city on our list of best cities for remote work. If you’re looking for a family-friendly place to live, consider Columbus. This city is rising in popularity as it’s an easy-going town with friendly people.
There are lots of parks, restaurants and bars so you’ll have a good mix of outdoor and indoor activities when you’re not working. One thing to note is that you may experience severe weather in this pocket of the country.
6. Atlanta
- Median rent: $2,220
- Average Mbps: 92.68
- Number of coworking spaces: 92
- % of population WFH: 38 percent
A large metro city, Atlanta is a great place to live and work remotely — or to look for an in-office job if you tire of the WFH life. You also have several large corporations headquartered here, such as Delta and Coca-Cola, so job options are plentiful and rent reasonable compared to similar-sized metros.
7. Green Bay, WI
- Median rent: $1,183
- Average Mbps: 55.53
- Number of coworking spaces: 15
- % of population WFH: 12 percent
You don’t have to be a Packers fan to live in Green Bay (although it wouldn’t hurt!) People love this family-friendly city and rave about the small-town community traditions and vibe you experience living here.
Ranking seventh on our list of best places for remote workers, Green Bay has affordable living and is recently experiencing an influx of people moving here. Enjoy football games or farmer’s markets when you’re not working from home.
8. Houston
- Median rent: $1,444
- Average Mbps: 94.95
- Number of coworking spaces: 128
- % of population WFH: 15.6 percent
Houston is another Texas city that made our list of the best places for remote workers. Houston is a larger city, compared to Austin, so if you’re looking for a big metro area in Texas, consider the nation’s fourth-largest city.
Houston is known for its diverse food and entertainment scene. Since it’s a larger city, you pretty much have a good mix of everything to do. Plus, rent is fairly inexpensive, making the cost of living affordable.
9. Raleigh, NC
- Median rent: $1,613
- Average Mbps: 119.41
- Number of coworking spaces: 26
- % of population WFH: 33.1 percent
Another southern city makes our list of the top 10 best places to work remotely. Raleigh has great weather, so if you’re looking for a beautiful and mild place to live, this is for you.
Additionally, it’s known to be a great city for small businesses and entrepreneurs, which is good news for remote workers hoping to branch out on their own and network. It’s also been ranked as the most climate-resilient city, the best for work/life balance and one of the best places for college students to live.
10. Appleton, WI
- Median rent: $1,041
- Average Mbps: 82.95
- Number of coworking spaces: 9
- % of population WFH: 16.7 percent
Last but not least is Appleton, WI. With a population just shy of 75,000 people, Appleton is the smallest town on our top 10 list. So, if you’re looking for a quiet, small city to live and work remotely, this is the place for you.
Residents like the mix of outdoor activities and in-town activities. It’s also been named one of the best places to raise children. Check out Appleton if you’re wanting a great city to be a remote worker and raise a family.
Other cities to consider when working remotely
We’ve listed the cities that rank in the top 10 best places for remote work, but there are several other places across the U.S. that made our list, as well. Check out the top 100 cities in the nation that remote workers can call home.
- Daytona Beach, FL
- Savannah, GA
- Rapid City, SD
- Greenville, SC
- San Fransisco
- Chicago
- Pittsburgh, PA
- South Bend, IN
- Dallas
- Waukesha, WI
- Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Chattanooga, TN
- Greensboro, NC
- San Antonio
- Shreveport, LA
[Insert 26-100 in a chart below]
Interesting findings from the top 25 best cities for remote work
While looking at the data, we found some interesting highlights that are worth calling out.
- 24 of the 25 best cities for remote work are in the South or Midwestern United States.
- Only one of the top 25 best cities for remote work is on the West Coast. San Francisco is the only West Coast city to make our list.
- Florida, Georgia and South Carolina all rank well for remote workers with three cities in each state making the top 25 best cities for remote work.
- The majority of the best cities for remote work have populations under 250,000 residents. While there are a few outliers, the best cities to WFH are generally smaller cities compared to large metro areas.
Things to consider when working remotely
Regardless of where you choose to live to work remotely, there are a few common things you must consider to be a successful WFH employee. Here are a few considerations and questions to ask yourself when choosing a city for remote work.
- How much internet speed do you need? Depending on your location — rural, suburban, or urban — your internet needs will vary. Having a strong internet connection and the right internet speed is crucial for success as a remote worker.
- Do you have the right office set up? Relaxing poolside while responding to emails is appealing, but there are times when you’ll need a physical office or desk set up. Make sure you have the right desk, chair and computer equipment
- How long do you plan to stay in your location? Some people choose to settle down in one place and others move frequently. Your choice will determine the length of your lease. You’ll want to consider if a fixed lease or month-to-month is better for your lifestyle.
- Is your job remote-first indefinitely? Before you pack up and hit the road, ensure that your job is going to be WFH long-term. You don’t want to make a cross-country move only for your company to demand a return-to-office six months later.
These are just some of the top questions to ask yourself before moving to a new city to live and work remotely.
Find the right city for you
With so many WFH options available, you really can go anywhere in the U.S. or the world, for that matter. We hope our data and insights on the best cities for remote work help you as you decide where to move and pursue a WFH lifestyle.
Remember, these are the best cities for remote work according to our methodology; however, there are several places in the country that may work for you. Do your research before moving and you are bound to find an apartment and place to live that fits all of your lifestyle needs.
Methodology
Cities were ranked and scored based on the following:
- Rents: 30 points
- Median Rent: 20 points
- Rent Change YoY: 10 points
- Internet Speed and Access: 40 points
- Num. Int, Providers, 100mbps: 10 points
- Avg. Mbps.: 20 points
- Lowest Cost Int. Plan: 10 points
- WFH Population and Coworking Spaces: 30 points
- %Population WFH: 10 points
- Coworking per 1,000 WFH: 20 points
Our rent prices and changes are from Rent.com’s Rent Report. Internet speed and access numbers are from Broadband Now.
The number of coworking spaces is from FourSquare. Population numbers and proportion of people working from home is from the Census’ American Community Survey (ACS).
Cities with insufficient data were excluded.
The rent information included in this article is used for illustrative purposes only. The data contained herein do not constitute financial advice or a pricing guarantee for any apartment.
