In America’s best city for remote work, the median household income is $71,000; rent is about $1,400 per month; homes are valued at approximately $412,000; and 58% of residents are university graduates.
Welcome to Portland, Maine. Population: 68,424 inhabitants.
The River City is the top-ranked U.S. city for remote workers, according to a new analysis from Remote.com, a global HR platform for distributed teams.
The ranking considers the top 100 cities in the world based on factors such as quality of life, safety, internet infrastructure and travel, as well as current economic factors, such as inflation and whether they offer financial incentives to new arrivals.
While most major cities are spread across Europe and Asia, Portland is the only American city to make the top 10.
Here are the top 10 ranked U.S. cities for remote work, according to Remote.com:
- Portland, Maine (7th overall)
- Honolulu, Hawaii (19th overall)
- Des Moines, Iowa (20th overall)
- New York, New York (21st overall)
- Concord, New Hampshire (23rd overall)
- Minneapolis, Minnesota (26th overall)
- Hamilton, Ohio (27th overall)
- Topeka, Kansas (29th overall)
- Louisville, Kentucky (30th overall)
- Montpelier, Vermont (32nd overall)
“Portland’s distinction as the top U.S. city for remote work in our report is a testament to the city’s robust infrastructure, welcoming community, and overall quality of life it offers remote workers,” says Job van der Voort, co-founder and CEO of Remote.com.
Housing is relatively affordable compared to many parts of the country, he says, and as for economic incentives, the state’s student loan repayment program offers eligible residents up to $2,500 in credits refundable taxes per year to pay off their college debts, up to $25,000 in total.
And although Maine traditionally lacks racial diversity, its growing immigrant population is changing its communities and economy, which could signal its openness to new residents.
The best cities are “walkable, green and well-designed for residents”
Other major cities are “walkable, green and well-designed for residents” to “provide a better quality of life for remote workers who value the flexibility and dynamism of their immediate surroundings,” says van der Voort .
Some usual suspects are at the top of the list. Honolulu #2 is a large vacation destination and generally popular among visitors, while New York is the nation’s largest city with an outsized job market and impact on American culture.
But other little-known cities also show great promise.
“Midwest cities like Des Moines, Topeka and Hamilton all received high rankings, in part due to the pro-distancing incentive programs these cities are putting in place,” says van der Voort. Hamilton and Topeka, for example, offer financial incentives to remote workers, such as student loan repayment credits and moving expense coverage.
They also score very well in terms of quality of life and affordable cost of living, adds van der Voort.
Overall, the three best cities in the world for remote workers are Madrid, Spain; Madeira, Portugal; and Toronto, Canada.
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