2021’s Best Cities for WFH Value

Family Sharing Spacious Room as Work and Play Space

If you need more space to work from home (WFH) while cutting your living costs, then it pays to know 2021’s Best Cities for WFH Value.

LawnStarter ranked the 120 biggest U.S. housing markets based on 20 key metrics to find out where the “untethered class” can get the most bang for their buck.

We factored in home and yard sizes, fluctuations in sale and rent prices, and telework-friendliness. We also considered which cities offer incentives to remote workers to move there.

Check out our ranking below, with separate comparisons of the best cities for WFH buyers and WFH renters. You’ll also find some highlights, lowlights, and expert tips.

After you learn which roomy cities will stretch your dollars the furthest, you can finally spend your savings on that Peloton or 65-inch TV you put off buying.

City Rankings
WFH Buyer Rankings
WFH Renter Rankings
Highlights and Lowlights
Ask the Experts
Methodology
Why This Study Matters

City Rankings

See how each city fared in our ranking:

OVERALL RANK	City	Overall Score	Space Rank	Buyer-Friendliness Rank	Renter-Friendliness Rank	WFH-Friendliness Rank	Incentives Rank
1	Rochester, NY	64.15	39	1	27	64	5
2	Tulsa, OK	61.59	64	15	5	32	1
3	Cincinnati, OH	61.03	63	5	9	30	5
4	Shreveport, LA	60.81	19	8	2	44	5
5	Orlando, FL	57.97	70	3	59	10	5
6	Baton Rouge, LA	57.95	2	29	3	70	5
7	Little Rock, AR	57.05	48	27	1	80	5
8	Pittsburgh, PA	57.04	102	4	54	15	5
9	Las Vegas, NV	56.84	73	9	42	77	1
10	Houston, TX	55.83	67	26	13	26	5
11	Fort Lauderdale, FL	54.87	97	7	72	18	5
12	Overland Park, KS	54.71	3	30	67	14	5
13	Fort Worth, TX	54.68	49	57	11	8	5
14	Knoxville, TN	54.51	13	14	58	19	5
15	Miami, FL	54.50	91	2	94	25	5
16	Baltimore, MD	54.21	92	16	52	71	1
17	Oklahoma City, OK	54.17	82	22	15	42	5
18	Memphis, TN	54.14	65	20	12	66	5
19	Tallahassee, FL	54.10	41	6	38	100	5
20	El Paso, TX	53.99	78	48	6	35	5
21	McKinney, TX	53.52	4	63	47	1	5
22	Birmingham, AL	53.44	76	25	7	72	5
23	Frisco, TX	53.20	1	66	73	2	5
24	Huntsville, AL	53.17	9	60	29	29	5
25	San Antonio, TX	53.12	52	54	26	20	5
26	Yonkers, NY	52.97	71	17	66	6	5
27	Newport News, VA	52.73	53	53	18	36	5
28	Cleveland, OH	52.67	108	32	10	51	5
29	Detroit, MI	52.51	114	10	25	73	5
30	Atlanta, GA	52.50	60	35	39	24	5
31	Newark, NJ	52.07	10	52	14	82	5
32	Dallas, TX	51.79	66	64	32	9	5
33	Arlington, TX	51.68	45	86	20	13	5
34	Greensboro, NC	51.60	21	71	8	61	5
35	Jacksonville, FL	51.54	75	19	45	54	5
36	Louisville, KY	51.53	74	23	24	87	5
37	Richmond, VA	51.43	26	11	55	69	5
38	Chesapeake, VA	51.14	11	42	71	28	5
39	Lincoln, NE	51.13	20	56	33	49	5
40	Milwaukee, WI	51.08	103	40	17	60	5
41	Tampa, FL	50.81	89	13	85	12	5
42	Omaha, NE	50.54	43	58	16	68	5
43	Durham, NC	50.29	15	59	48	41	5
44	Winston-Salem, NC	50.28	18	67	4	91	5
44	Garland, TX	50.28	83	75	36	5	5
46	Philadelphia, PA	50.15	115	18	53	37	5
47	Plano, TX	50.02	5	93	60	3	5
48	Raleigh, NC	49.79	17	74	56	16	5
49	Des Moines, IA	49.77	100	38	23	84	5
50	Vancouver, WA	49.66	40	31	83	21	5
51	Grand Rapids, MI	49.45	46	51	57	40	5
52	Kansas City, MO	49.43	93	21	35	83	5
53	St. Louis, MO	49.39	99	69	22	50	5
54	Charlotte, NC	49.29	23	81	50	23	5
54	Columbus, OH	49.29	110	46	37	43	5
56	Henderson, NV	49.20	28	49	76	34	5
57	Scottsdale, AZ	48.92	6	44	75	65	5
58	Tucson, AZ	48.89	34	37	31	107	5
59	Norfolk, VA	48.85	85	34	34	85	5
60	Indianapolis, IN	48.71	72	45	21	109	5
61	Minneapolis, MN	48.61	87	24	78	45	5
62	Anchorage, AK	48.42	14	50	30	118	5
63	New Orleans, LA	48.34	117	33	19	95	5
64	Reno, NV	48.14	12	70	79	17	5
65	Irving, TX	48.00	59	98	49	4	5
66	Salem, OR	47.99	37	41	40	99	5
67	Nashville, TN	47.79	33	43	46	97	5
68	Aurora, IL	47.41	35	78	44	62	5
69	Fresno, CA	47.36	68	12	74	105	5
70	Providence, RI	47.33	56	68	28	92	5
71	St. Petersburg, FL	47.32	106	39	68	59	5
72	Austin, TX	47.21	24	85	80	7	5
73	Madison, WI	46.74	30	84	62	46	5
74	Gilbert, AZ	46.59	8	88	89	22	5
75	Virginia Beach, VA	46.48	27	55	95	38	5
76	Lexington, KY	46.40	7	65	43	117	5
77	St. Paul, MN	46.29	94	77	51	55	5
78	Aurora, CO	45.56	61	82	81	27	5
79	Portland, OR	45.53	81	73	69	57	5
80	Grand Prairie, TX	45.22	31	94	61	58	5
81	Honolulu, HI	44.94	113	36	96	120	1
82	Chicago, IL	44.43	116	61	84	33	5
83	North Las Vegas, NV	44.33	55	76	41	113	5
84	Phoenix, AZ	44.18	69	80	64	81	5
85	Tempe, AZ	43.93	62	92	77	48	5
86	Spokane, WA	43.78	36	47	99	78	5
87	Mesa, AZ	43.47	51	79	70	94	5
88	Salt Lake City, UT	43.14	29	110	63	39	5
89	Chandler, AZ	43.05	22	96	88	56	5
90	Glendale, AZ	42.84	38	95	65	90	5
91	Denver, CO	42.51	101	90	93	31	5
92	Tacoma, WA	42.49	77	72	90	74	5
93	Worcester, MA	42.24	58	101	87	52	5
94	Jersey City, NJ	42.11	118	62	108	11	5
95	Washington, DC	40.03	111	102	82	67	5
96	Boise, ID	39.86	16	87	97	112	5
97	Sacramento, CA	39.40	95	91	91	89	5
98	Riverside, CA	39.24	50	99	86	110	5
99	Santa Rosa, CA	38.61	57	83	101	111	5
100	Oxnard, CA	38.40	79	89	92	115	5
101	Huntington Beach, CA	36.56	47	106	111	53	5
102	Anaheim, CA	36.18	84	108	107	63	5
103	Moreno Valley, CA	36.11	54	100	103	119	5
104	Santa Ana, CA	35.96	104	97	104	108	5
105	Chula Vista, CA	35.80	44	107	100	102	5
106	Long Beach, CA	35.79	109	103	98	88	5
107	New York, NY	34.72	119	28	118	106	5
108	Seattle, WA	34.29	107	105	113	47	5
109	San Diego, CA	33.61	90	111	110	79	5
110	Los Angeles, CA	33.57	96	115	105	86	5
111	Santa Clarita, CA	33.33	25	104	114	93	5
112	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	32.99	42	109	115	75	5
113	Glendale, CA	32.38	88	116	106	96	5
114	Irvine, CA	31.96	32	113	116	76	5
115	Ontario, CA	30.55	98	112	112	116	5
116	Oakland, CA	28.30	105	117	102	104	5
117	San Jose, CA	24.43	86	119	109	98	5
118	Boston, MA	23.34	120	114	119	114	5
119	Fremont, CA	21.92	80	118	117	101	5
120	San Francisco, CA	14.36	112	120	120	103	5

Infographic showing the best cities for WFH value based on median home square footage, average yard size, and sale and rent prices

WFH Buyer Rankings

See which cities are best for WFH buyers:

OVERALL RANK	City	Overall Score	Space Rank	Buyer-Friendliness Rank	WFH-Friendliness Rank	Incentives Rank
1	Rochester, NY	60.95	39	1	64	5
2	Orlando, FL	56.45	70	3	10	5
3	Miami, FL	56.07	91	2	25	5
4	Tulsa, OK	55.07	64	15	32	1
5	Cincinnati, OH	54.84	63	5	30	5
6	Pittsburgh, PA	54.83	102	4	15	5
7	Las Vegas, NV	53.57	73	9	77	1
8	Fort Lauderdale, FL	53.40	97	7	18	5
9	Shreveport, LA	52.62	19	8	44	5
10	Overland Park, KS	52.48	3	30	14	5
11	Knoxville, TN	51.86	13	14	19	5
12	Frisco, TX	51.24	1	66	2	5
13	Baltimore, MD	50.87	92	16	71	1
14	Yonkers, NY	50.46	71	17	6	5
15	Tampa, FL	50.03	89	13	12	5
16	McKinney, TX	49.55	4	63	1	5
17	Tallahassee, FL	49.43	41	6	100	5
18	Baton Rouge, LA	49.33	2	29	70	5
19	Houston, TX	48.45	67	26	26	5
20	Chesapeake, VA	48.31	11	42	28	5
21	Vancouver, WA	48.24	40	31	21	5
22	Richmond, VA	47.56	26	11	69	5
23	Atlanta, GA	47.52	60	35	24	5
24	Oklahoma City, OK	47.00	82	22	42	5
25	Fort Worth, TX	46.83	49	57	8	5
26	Jacksonville, FL	46.80	75	19	54	5
27	Huntsville, AL	46.70	9	60	29	5
28	Minneapolis, MN	46.55	87	24	45	5
29	Henderson, NV	46.43	28	49	34	5
30	San Antonio, TX	46.34	52	54	20	5
31	Memphis, TN	46.13	65	20	66	5
31	Reno, NV	46.13	12	70	17	5
33	Plano, TX	46.01	5	93	3	5
33	Scottsdale, AZ	46.01	6	44	65	5
35	Virginia Beach, VA	45.60	27	55	38	5
36	Dallas, TX	45.53	66	64	9	5
36	Philadelphia, PA	45.53	115	18	37	5
38	Raleigh, NC	45.43	17	74	16	5
39	Detroit, MI	45.33	114	10	73	5
40	Durham, NC	45.28	15	59	41	5
41	Newport News, VA	45.14	53	53	36	5
42	Grand Rapids, MI	45.12	46	51	40	5
43	El Paso, TX	45.08	78	48	35	5
44	Austin, TX	44.91	24	85	7	5
45	Lincoln, NE	44.89	20	56	49	5
46	Gilbert, AZ	44.69	8	88	22	5
47	Birmingham, AL	44.63	76	25	72	5
48	Little Rock, AR	44.41	48	27	80	5
49	Garland, TX	44.30	83	75	5	5
50	Charlotte, NC	44.11	23	81	23	5
51	Cleveland, OH	43.99	108	32	51	5
52	Fresno, CA	43.95	68	12	105	5
53	Honolulu, HI	43.83	113	36	120	1
54	Louisville, KY	43.80	74	23	87	5
55	Arlington, TX	43.78	45	86	13	5
56	Newark, NJ	43.49	10	52	82	5
57	St. Petersburg, FL	43.22	106	39	59	5
58	Columbus, OH	43.05	110	46	43	5
59	Milwaukee, WI	42.95	103	40	60	5
60	Spokane, WA	42.94	36	47	78	5
61	Aurora, CO	42.78	61	82	27	5
62	Jersey City, NJ	42.57	118	62	11	5
63	Irving, TX	42.36	59	98	4	5
64	Norfolk, VA	42.28	85	34	85	5
65	Greensboro, NC	42.26	21	71	61	5
66	Omaha, NE	42.23	43	58	68	5
67	Kansas City, MO	41.98	93	21	83	5
67	Madison, WI	41.98	30	84	46	5
69	Nashville, TN	41.87	33	43	97	5
70	Salem, OR	41.80	37	41	99	5
71	Tucson, AZ	41.60	34	37	107	5
72	Des Moines, IA	41.42	100	38	84	5
73	Chicago, IL	41.40	116	61	33	5
74	Aurora, IL	41.13	35	78	62	5
75	Portland, OR	40.85	81	73	57	5
76	St. Louis, MO	40.80	99	69	50	5
77	Anchorage, AK	40.64	14	50	118	5
78	Denver, CO	40.17	101	90	31	5
79	St. Paul, MN	40.16	94	77	55	5
80	Winston-Salem, NC	40.09	18	67	91	5
81	Tempe, AZ	40.02	62	92	48	5
82	Chandler, AZ	39.97	22	96	56	5
83	Indianapolis, IN	39.89	72	45	109	5
84	Lexington, KY	39.77	7	65	117	5
85	Grand Prairie, TX	39.71	31	94	58	5
86	Tacoma, WA	39.51	77	72	74	5
87	New Orleans, LA	39.33	117	33	95	5
88	Providence, RI	38.94	56	68	92	5
88	New York, NY	38.94	119	28	106	5
90	Worcester, MA	38.83	58	101	52	5
91	Phoenix, AZ	38.63	69	80	81	5
92	Mesa, AZ	38.15	51	79	94	5
93	Boise, ID	37.29	16	87	112	5
94	Salt Lake City, UT	37.23	29	110	39	5
95	North Las Vegas, NV	36.98	55	76	113	5
96	Glendale, AZ	36.87	38	95	90	5
97	Santa Rosa, CA	36.56	57	83	111	5
98	Huntington Beach, CA	36.49	47	106	53	5
99	Sacramento, CA	35.90	95	91	89	5
100	Washington, DC	35.50	111	102	67	5
101	Seattle, WA	35.05	107	105	47	5
102	Riverside, CA	34.80	50	99	110	5
103	Anaheim, CA	34.60	84	108	63	5
104	Oxnard, CA	34.57	79	89	115	5
105	Santa Clarita, CA	34.18	25	104	93	5
105	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	34.18	42	109	75	5
107	Moreno Valley, CA	33.77	54	100	119	5
108	Santa Ana, CA	33.57	104	97	108	5
109	Irvine, CA	33.40	32	113	76	5
110	Chula Vista, CA	32.75	44	107	102	5
111	San Diego, CA	32.30	90	111	79	5
112	Long Beach, CA	32.22	109	103	88	5
113	Los Angeles, CA	30.55	96	115	86	5
114	Glendale, CA	29.41	88	116	96	5
115	Ontario, CA	28.93	98	112	116	5
116	Boston, MA	26.31	120	114	114	5
117	Oakland, CA	22.92	105	117	104	5
118	Fremont, CA	20.35	80	118	101	5
119	San Jose, CA	19.89	86	119	98	5
120	San Francisco, CA	16.43	112	120	103	5

WFH Renter Rankings

See which cities are best for WFH renters:

OVERALL RANK	City	Overall Score	Space Rank	Renter-Friendliness Rank	WFH-Friendliness Rank	Incentives Rank
1	Tulsa, OK	70.43	64	5	32	1
2	Baton Rouge, LA	65.57	2	3	70	5
3	Shreveport, LA	63.30	19	2	44	5
4	Little Rock, AR	62.91	48	1	80	5
5	Fort Worth, TX	62.45	49	11	8	5
6	McKinney, TX	61.17	4	47	1	5
7	Frisco, TX	61.16	1	73	2	5
8	Arlington, TX	60.53	45	20	13	5
9	Cincinnati, OH	60.26	63	9	30	5
10	Huntsville, AL	59.99	9	29	29	5
11	Houston, TX	59.61	67	13	26	5
12	El Paso, TX	59.48	78	6	35	5
13	Plano, TX	58.86	5	60	3	5
14	Greensboro, NC	58.40	21	8	61	5
15	San Antonio, TX	58.35	52	26	20	5
16	Overland Park, KS	58.01	3	67	14	5
17	Dallas, TX	57.60	66	32	9	5
18	Newport News, VA	57.51	53	18	36	5
19	Las Vegas, NV	56.39	73	42	77	1
20	Garland, TX	55.99	83	36	5	5
21	Newark, NJ	55.98	10	14	82	5
22	Oklahoma City, OK	55.72	82	15	42	5
23	Irving, TX	55.38	59	49	4	5
24	Winston-Salem, NC	55.31	18	4	91	5
25	Memphis, TN	55.09	65	12	66	5
26	Knoxville, TN	54.91	13	58	19	5
27	Raleigh, NC	54.83	17	56	16	5
28	Charlotte, NC	54.74	23	50	23	5
29	Baltimore, MD	54.72	92	52	71	1
30	Cleveland, OH	54.67	108	10	51	5
31	Lincoln, NE	54.47	20	33	49	5
32	Birmingham, AL	54.46	76	7	72	5
33	Atlanta, GA	54.44	60	39	24	5
34	Omaha, NE	53.93	43	16	68	5
35	Rochester, NY	53.59	39	27	64	5
36	St. Louis, MO	53.53	99	22	50	5
37	Durham, NC	53.51	15	48	41	5
38	Orlando, FL	52.89	70	59	10	5
39	Chesapeake, VA	52.80	11	71	28	5
40	Milwaukee, WI	52.51	103	17	60	5
41	Yonkers, NY	52.22	71	66	6	5
42	Pittsburgh, PA	51.27	102	54	15	5
43	Reno, NV	50.86	12	79	17	5
44	Austin, TX	50.64	24	80	7	5
45	Salt Lake City, UT	50.45	29	63	39	5
46	Grand Rapids, MI	50.29	46	57	40	5
47	Aurora, IL	50.25	35	44	62	5
48	Louisville, KY	50.10	74	24	87	5
49	Gilbert, AZ	49.82	8	89	22	5
50	Madison, WI	49.58	30	62	46	5
51	Jacksonville, FL	49.49	75	45	54	5
52	Henderson, NV	49.35	28	76	34	5
53	Columbus, OH	49.21	110	37	43	5
54	Des Moines, IA	49.11	100	23	84	5
55	Providence, RI	49.10	56	28	92	5
56	Fort Lauderdale, FL	48.85	97	72	18	5
57	Grand Prairie, TX	48.65	31	61	58	5
58	Scottsdale, AZ	48.32	6	75	65	5
59	Vancouver, WA	48.10	40	83	21	5
60	Indianapolis, IN	47.91	72	21	109	5
61	St. Paul, MN	47.80	94	51	55	5
62	Richmond, VA	47.76	26	55	69	5
63	Anchorage, AK	47.71	14	30	118	5
64	Detroit, MI	47.69	114	25	73	5
65	Tucson, AZ	47.18	34	31	107	5
66	Aurora, CO	46.95	61	81	27	5
67	Tampa, FL	46.71	89	85	12	5
68	Norfolk, VA	46.62	85	34	85	5
69	Philadelphia, PA	46.43	115	53	37	5
70	Tallahassee, FL	46.39	41	38	100	5
71	Kansas City, MO	46.28	93	35	83	5
72	Lexington, KY	46.22	7	43	117	5
73	Salem, OR	45.93	37	40	99	5
74	Nashville, TN	45.74	33	46	97	5
75	Portland, OR	45.55	81	69	57	5
76	New Orleans, LA	45.45	117	19	95	5
77	Tempe, AZ	45.34	62	77	48	5
78	Chandler, AZ	44.26	22	88	56	5
79	Virginia Beach, VA	44.21	27	95	38	5
80	Minneapolis, MN	43.99	87	78	45	5
81	St. Petersburg, FL	43.95	106	68	59	5
82	Phoenix, AZ	43.73	69	64	81	5
83	Glendale, AZ	43.66	38	65	90	5
84	Worcester, MA	43.32	58	87	52	5
85	Miami, FL	43.31	91	94	25	5
86	North Las Vegas, NV	43.30	55	41	113	5
87	Mesa, AZ	42.17	51	70	94	5
88	Denver, CO	42.16	101	93	31	5
89	Chicago, IL	41.49	116	84	33	5
90	Fresno, CA	39.12	68	74	105	5
91	Tacoma, WA	39.03	77	90	74	5
92	Washington, DC	38.67	111	82	67	5
93	Honolulu, HI	38.32	113	96	120	1
94	Spokane, WA	37.40	36	99	78	5
95	Riverside, CA	36.65	50	86	110	5
96	Jersey City, NJ	36.60	118	108	11	5
97	Sacramento, CA	35.55	95	91	89	5
98	Huntington Beach, CA	35.28	47	111	53	5
99	Boise City, ID	35.20	16	97	112	5
100	Anaheim, CA	34.76	84	107	63	5
101	Chula Vista, CA	33.85	44	100	102	5
102	Oxnard, CA	33.26	79	92	115	5
103	Long Beach, CA	32.33	109	98	88	5
104	Los Angeles, CA	32.06	96	105	86	5
105	Santa Rosa, CA	32.05	57	101	111	5
106	Glendale, CA	30.79	88	106	96	5
107	Oakland, CA	30.52	105	102	104	5
108	San Diego, CA	30.43	90	110	79	5
109	Seattle, WA	30.30	107	113	47	5
110	Moreno Valley, CA	30.03	54	103	119	5
111	Santa Ana, CA	29.13	104	104	108	5
112	San Jose, CA	29.09	86	109	98	5
113	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	28.49	42	115	75	5
114	Irvine, CA	27.93	32	116	76	5
115	Santa Clarita, CA	27.85	25	114	93	5
116	Ontario, CA	24.22	98	112	116	5
117	Fremont, CA	22.89	80	117	101	5
118	New York, NY	15.11	119	118	106	5
119	San Francisco, CA	10.20	112	120	103	5
120	Boston, MA	10.09	120	119	114	5

Highlights and Lowlights

Rochester: The Right Choice

America’s first “Boom Town” appears to be poised for a second economic explosion: Rochester, New York, lands at the top spot in our ranking of the Best Cities for WFH (Work from Home) Value.

How did Rochester get it right for remote workers? The city boasts the coolest real estate market — as in it ranks No. 1 for Buyer-Friendliness. On closer inspection, it has the fifth highest change in new listings over three months, and its inventory has sat on the market the longest. While these could be construed as signs of unattractive homes, they also could be interpreted as less competition and more room to negotiate.

It’s only natural, then, that Rochester also would clock in at No. 1 among the Best Cities for WFH Buyers. So head on over with your wallet and all your puffy furniture.

Suburban Persuasion

Consistent with pandemic trends, suburbs still hold the cure to claustrophobia and high costs. Except for Houston and Las Vegas, all the cities in our top 10 are small to midsize cities and suburbs. Among them are Rochester, New York, at No. 1; Tulsa, Oklahoma, at No. 2; Orlando, Florida, at No. 5; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at No. 8.

These cities are a mixed bag when it comes to square footage and teleworker-friendliness, but they’re among the best markets for both buyers and renters. Two, including Tulsa and Las Vegas, also are among the few U.S. cities in our ranking with baiting schemes to attract remote workers from out of town.

Move to one of these cities to stretch your legs and your budget.

California: Not for the Cheap and Claustrophobic

It’s not hard to guess why California’s biggest cities land at the bottom of our ranking: They’re crowded and expensive. Fresno is tops at No. 69, while the rest are in the bottom third, with Sacramento in 97th place, Santa Ana in 104th, Irvine in 114th, and San Francisco dead last.

How did Fresno upstage the rest of the California cities in our ranking? Well, Fresno isn’t just an outlier in the state when it comes to the share of homes being sold above asking price — it’s a national anomaly. It ranks No. 1 for this metric — with just over 5.5% of homes selling higher than the asking price — despite recently being reported as the hottest housing market in the U.S.

Meanwhile, San Francisco finishes last overall and in our separate rankings for WFH buyers and WFH renters. The Bay City is hands-down the priciest housing market in the U.S. and among the only three cities in our ranking — all in the Golden State — with median sale prices in the seven figures.

The bottom line: California is great for short-term, high-budget summer vaxcations, bad for long-term, cheap living for digital workers.

Texas: The Temporary Tenant State

While Tulsa, Oklahoma, steals the No. 1 spot in our standalone ranking of the Best Cities for WFH Renters, Texas cities are the real standout acts of this show.

The Lone Star State sends four cities to the top 10: Fort Worth, McKinney, Frisco, and Arlington in fifth through eighth places, respectively. More impressive, it claims half of the top 20, including Houston, El Paso, and Plano in 11th to 13th places, San Antonio in 15th, Dallas in 17th, and Garland at No. 20.

What’s so special about Texas? For one, several cities are in the top 10 of our ranking of the Best Cities for Remote Workers (McKinney claims first place). But overall, multiple Texas cities earn high marks in the Space category — everything’s bigger in Texas, as they say — and Renter-Friendliness. Sadly, none offers a bribe for incoming remote workers, but the savings on rent is a good tradeoff.

Ask The Experts

If you weren’t claustrophobic before the pandemic, chances are you were after isolating and working from home for months.

But before you pack your bags and put down roots in Pleasantville, it’s important to understand the pre- and post-pandemic trends in the world of telework that could affect your decision to move. Our panel of experts give their two cents below.

Remote work brought on by the pandemic has spurred a mass exodus out of big cities and into the suburbs. With the country opening back up, how will this trend evolve?
Besides impacting local housing prices, how else will mass migration of remote workers affect the new cities they call home and the cities they leave behind?
A number of cities and states offer incentives aimed at attracting remote workers to revitalize their economies. What other innovative ways can beleaguered governments recruit remote workers?
More companies are adopting “geographic” pay policies (adjusting employees’ compensation to reflect those employees’ current location). Will this deter more remote workers from relocating? Should it? Why or why not?
What are some less obvious tradeoffs to moving into smaller cities and towns from big cities?
What qualities do people fleeing the big city look for in a home in a smaller city? Are there some things home buyers and renters seek more than others?
What are your top three tips for remote workers considering moving to a new city for more space and lower cost of living?

Patrick Button

Associate Professor

Henry H. Perritt, Jr.

Professor, Chicago-Kent College of Law

Miren Ivankovic

Adjunct Professor

David Slusky

De-Min and Chin-Sha Wu Associate Professor, Department of Economics

Anthony B. Sindone

Clinical Assistant Professor of Finance and Economic Development

Kevin Lang

Professor of Economics, Department of Economics

Patrick Button

Associate Professor

Tulane University

Patrick Button

Associate Professor

Tulane University

Remote work brought on by the pandemic has spurred a mass exodus out of big cities and into the suburbs. With the country opening back up, how will this trend to evolve?

Likely, we will see this change gradually revert, but not entirely. Some businesses will shift to being entirely remote, some will go back to everyone being in person, but many will keep some remote options.

For the businesses that keep some remote options, this could be workers only coming in to the office on certain days or certain workers being able to continue working remotely almost entirely.

So, some of the remote work will “stick” but primarily for occupations that require less face-to-face contact. These tend to disproportionately be occupations with higher education or skill levels.

A number of cities and states offer incentives aimed at attracting remote workers to revitalize their economies. What other innovative ways can beleaguered governments recruit remote workers?

As an expert in economic development incentives, I am very skeptical that these are a good idea. The broader research on incentives generally finds minimal impacts of incentives on business location or economic development.

Usually with incentives, the benefits are low, but the costs are high. In this case, I worry that the incentives will just pay remote workers who were planning to locate there anyway.

What matters more for personal and business location, according to research, is local amenities: public and transportation infrastructure and urban amenities like parks, cultural institutions, etc. Regional governments should invest in these to make their cities more attractive.

More companies are adopting “geographic” pay policies (adjusting employees’ compensation to reflect those employees’ current location). Will this deter more remote workers from relocating? Should it? Why or why not?

This will create less of an incentive for remote workers to move to cheaper locations. Remote workers then pocket less of the benefit of relocating somewhere cheaper.

This will definitely deter remote workers to some extent, but I don’t think we know by how much yet. It depends on how large the adjustment is.

If, for example, the adjustment is strong, such that relocating would not impact income net of cost of living, then the only incentive to relocate would be personal preferences to live in a more rural or suburban location. In this case, I expect much less relocation.

But we don’t know much about this yet, as we often can’t study these events immediately with data. What remains to be seen is how strict these geographic pay policies are and also how sensitive remote workers are to changes in their income net of cost of living.

What are some less obvious tradeoffs to moving into smaller cities and towns from big cities?

I am not sure what classifies as “obvious” or not, but relocating far from an urban center could require you to get a car, as sometimes you may have to go into work or the city.

Relocating to a smaller city or town also means a large change in urban amenities and lifestyle. There is less to do in smaller cities but less congestion, etc. Those considering relocating have to think about how this sort of move would affect their daily lives.

What qualities do people fleeing the big city look for in a home in a smaller city? Are there some things home buyers and renters seek more than others?

The ability to work remotely frees people from having to pick housing that they can reasonably commute to. This allows remote workers to select a location and style of housing that better fits their diverse personal needs. This could be selecting a particular location that is more scenic or has better weather (for longer moves), a cheaper location, or finding housing that has certain amenities (e.g., a backyard, more space).

What are your top three tips for remote workers considering moving to a new city for more space and lower cost of living?

Try to determine what expectations your employer has about remote work. Do you know if this will be permanent? Do you need to get approval to work remotely? How often do you need to be there in person (e.g., once a week, quarterly events)?
Does you employer have any policies where they adjust pay based on where you live? Do they plan to have any of these policies? How would these policies affect your choice of where you should move to and if you should move?
Moving to a more suburban or rural location can lead to a drastic change in lifestyle, for better or for worse. Do some research so you know what to expect. It might be good to spend some time in the area you want to move to before you move there.

Henry H. Perritt, Jr.

Professor, Chicago-Kent College of Law

Illinois Institute of Technology

Henry H. Perritt, Jr.

Professor, Chicago-Kent College of Law

Illinois Institute of Technology

Remote work brought on by the pandemic has spurred a mass exodus out of big cities and into the suburbs. With the country opening back up, how will this trend to evolve?

People are not going to be in a hurry to move back to the cities. Burgeoning crime is a disincentive, and they have put roots down in new places.

Besides impacting local housing prices, how else will mass migration of remote workers affect the new cities they call home and the cities they leave behind?

The new cities will experience a boost in demand for services like restaurants and retail establishments. The old cities will experience reduced demand, causing distress for many of those businesses.

A number of cities and states offer incentives aimed at attracting remote workers to revitalize their economies. What other innovative ways can beleaguered governments recruit remote workers?

Governments generally do a bad job trying to influence labor markets with various kinds of subsidies and incentives. Governments should concentrate on ensuring safe streets and providing good public services and education.

Geographic pay policies are not a new thing. Geographic differentials long have been a feature of compensation systems. It makes sense for wages to reflect local labor-market conditions.

What are some less obvious tradeoffs to moving into smaller cities and towns from big cities?

Smaller cities usually have worse internet and cellular connectivity. Some have less responsive public services (but some do better). There is less choice in retailers and service establishments in smaller cities, too.

What qualities do people fleeing the big city look for in a home in a smaller city? Are there some things home buyers and renters seek more than others?

More space
Safe streets
Better education systems

What are your top three tips for remote workers considering moving to a new city for more space and lower cost of living?

Find out what level of internet connectivity is available. D
Determine if multiple sources of internet connectivity are available.
Look at the crime rates, and determine the philosophy of police and prosecutors toward street crime.

Miren Ivankovic

Adjunct Professor

Clemson University

Miren Ivankovic

Adjunct Professor

Clemson University

Remote work brought on by the pandemic has spurred a mass exodus out of big cities and into the suburbs. With the country opening back up, how will this trend to evolve?

In my opinion, these are mainly office-type jobs, where people sit around their computers and work. The same can be done from another location, and meetings can be conducted via Zoom-like software. It will depend on the corporate culture of a particular business.

Many banks in New York City want their employees back. Perhaps it is easier to manage their productivity this way or have quick, unannounced office meetings. It is also true that office space in inner cities is expensive, and if the firms can lower that cost by “outsourcing” the workplace, many will pursue that option. Thus, for now, the trend can go either way.

Besides impacting local housing prices, how else will mass migration of remote workers affect the new cities they call home and the cities they leave behind?

That is a good question. Not just new cities in the U.S., but new countries might be affected by this trend. For example, many “work from home,” mainly young and mobile adults are moving to new countries like Italy and Croatia, where they earn their income in dollars, but local cost is lower, and their standard of living has improved. Those countries will have to figure out how to tax that income since it is earned abroad while residing in that country.

Cities that lose occupancy will have to figure out how to fill up those empty office spaces. It would be hard to imagine Wall Street occupied by a nonfinancial sector, but throughout history, different businesses move in and out, as the demand changes for their services. This is where local chambers of commerce will have to work hard to replace outgoing employees.

Many southern towns, upon a collapse of the textile industries, became “ghost towns,” and some still are. Having a good city council and a good mayor will play a pivotal role in minimizing the transition.

A number of cities and states offer incentives aimed at attracting remote workers to revitalize their economies. What other innovative ways can beleaguered governments recruit remote workers?

As I mentioned above, in many cases, individuals are moving to another place simply because the other place offers a better standard of living and its natural beauties. For example, some Americans are moving to cities of Zagreb and Dubrovnik, in Croatia, simply because those are beautiful places to stay and work and also the cost of living is lower than in the U.S.

A local town in South Carolina, Greenville, attracts newcomers with its natural advantages like lakes and mountains but also with its vibrant city lifestyle, great infrastructure, and other activities that please new people.

The question is, what is really happening to employees’ real income, not their nominal income?

If one’s purchasing power decreases, they will be hard-pressed to move or to work as hard. So, firms will have to be very careful when they are estimating that number.

What qualities do people fleeing the big city look for in a home in a smaller city? Are there some things home buyers and renters seek more than others?

I am sure, assuming similar income levels, they will seek probably larger homes (space), good schools for their children (if they have any), low levels of crime and nature — many do love the city lifestyle, but being close to rivers, lakes, and mountains, will have major advantages.

What are your top three tips for remote workers considering moving to a new city for more space and lower cost of living?

Learn as much as you can about the new place (if a new country, learn that country’s language).
Join local clubs (social, sports, etc.), which will allow you to meet many new people at once.
Be open-minded; a new place might be much different than the old place, so be ready for it and embrace it.

David Slusky

De-Min and Chin-Sha Wu Associate Professor, Department of Economics

University of Kansas

David Slusky

De-Min and Chin-Sha Wu Associate Professor, Department of Economics

University of Kansas

Remote work brought on by the pandemic has spurred a mass exodus out of big cities and into the suburbs. With the country opening back up, how will this trend to evolve?

Many individuals previously lived in big cities because of convenient, walkable access to amenities. As the country opens back up and vaccination makes those amenities become safe again — find out where to get your vaccine here — I expect we will see some of the individuals who left cities returning to them.

Besides impacting local housing prices, how else will mass migration of remote workers affect the new cities they call home and the cities they leave behind?

More remote-work options will also enable couples to live in one city where one individual has an in-person job and the other has a remote job.

Previously, when both individuals had in-person jobs but in different cities, the couple may have lived in the suburbs equidistant to both cities to share the commuting burden.

A number of cities and states offer incentives aimed at attracting remote workers to revitalize their economies. What other innovative ways can beleaguered governments recruit remote workers?

Government could create more tax treaties where individuals only have to file and pay taxes to the state that they live in and not to the state that they work in. For example, Pennsylvania, where I’m from, has reciprocal tax agreements with many nearby states (i.e., Indiana, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia) but not all (i.e., New York and Delaware).

A state that wanted to attract remote workers from other states could pass a law that these workers did not have to file taxes in the state that the employer was based in. (The employer still would.)

It all depends on how large the adjustments are relative to moving costs and local cost of living. In general, I think differential pay will make it more likely to attract a remote worker who is already in a high-cost city (and may not want to move for spousal or family reasons) rather than entice a worker to relocate.

What are some less obvious tradeoffs to moving into smaller cities and towns from big cities?

One large tradeoff, especially as one gets older, is the distance to the nearest major hospital. An additional half an hour driving time to the nearest hospital may have drastic consequences for an individual. Even for individuals near a community hospital, being near a smaller hospital and farther from a large hospital may also have negative consequences.

Even in an outpatient setting, there may only be one of a particular specialist in town, which makes it difficult to find the right match or get a second opinion.

Another tradeoff may be a lack of public transit, making driving the only transportation option.

What qualities do people fleeing the big city look for in a home in a smaller city? Are there some things home buyers and renters seek more than others?

I see individuals are looking for lower housing costs, less traffic, and better-funded public schools. I don’t see a larger difference in these items between buyers and renters.

What are your top three tips for remote workers considering moving to a new city for more space and lower cost of living?

Move to a metropolitan area within an hour drive of a major airport. Having to take two flights everywhere will make both business and personal travel substantially worse.For me, living within an hour drive of the Kansas City airport has made it very easy for me to travel in the cases where a remote interaction is insufficient.
Ensure that wherever you are moving has excellent broadband.
Consider the political environment of the state government and whether you are on the same side or the opposite of the issues and policies it has recently implemented.

Anthony B. Sindone

Clinical Assistant Professor of Finance and Economic Development

Purdue University Northwest

Anthony B. Sindone

Clinical Assistant Professor of Finance and Economic Development

Purdue University Northwest

Remote work brought on by the pandemic has spurred a mass exodus out of big cities and into the suburbs. With the country opening back up, how will this trend to evolve?

What we are seeing is not only an out-migration from urban areas to less congested, so-called, suburban areas, we are also seeing lower fertility rates along with higher mortality rates across the country.

This trend began before the start of the pandemic. The pandemic amplified this trend. Even though the country is beginning to open, I expect this trend to continue but at perhaps a slower pace.

The net result will continue to be birth rates lower than the historical averages coupled with death rates higher than what they were prior to the beginning of COVID-19. Birth rates are declining at approximately 4% per year, while death rates rose by over 15% during the pandemic year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Thus, I expect to see a slight decline in the general population for at least the next 5–7 years. The death rates will fall but will remain at higher levels than the historical levels due to the lack of herd immunity. As more of the population gets vaccinated, these rates will fall closer in line with historical levels.

Besides impacting local housing prices, how else will mass migration of remote workers affect the new cities they call home and the cities they leave behind?

Of course, migration of the workers from cities to less congested areas will affect the labor market outcomes. The demand for workers of all types, both remote and not-so-remote workers, is increasing while the supply of such workers is in flux. This is resulting in labor disequilibrium throughout the country.

What I am seeing are employers adjusting wages and working conditions to induce workers to seek employment in those industries where worker demand is high. Almost all industries are affected by this. But I am observing these adjustments more in the retail and hospitality industries than some other industries.

With the growth of remote workers, we will see an uptick in the demand for technological support for these workers.

Housing price trends are beginning to level off as I write this. I expect this to continue especially if and when the Federal Reserve engages in policy to raise interest rates to offset inflationary pressures.

A number of cities and states offer incentives aimed at attracting remote workers to revitalize their economies. What other innovative ways can beleaguered governments recruit remote workers?

Besides paying direct subsidies to incentivize populations to live in a particular city — “We will give you $10,000 to move here!” — we are seeing and will continue to see other incentives as well.

Some of these might include educational subsidies for home-owner residents of a city, meaning the city might pay all or part of a resident’s state college tuition.

Another incentive might be subsidies to fix up houses: sidewalks, paint, façade repair and upgrades, etc.

As I said above, wage and perk incentives are being used by employers to induce workers to join or remain in their organizations. Any compensation paid to an employee would be viewed in total. We refer to this as the total wage bill.

What does it cost us to recruit and retain the employee? That bill includes everything that the employer pays to the employee.

Will this deter remote workers from moving out? Well, that depends on all the factors that are considered by the employee when they make their decisions to seek employment at any company.

Raw wages, perks, working conditions, geography, family, demographics all play a role in that decision. I do not see these incentives affecting remote-worker decisions any more than nonremote-worker decisions.

What are some less obvious tradeoffs to moving into smaller cities and towns from big cities?

Well, the obvious tradeoff will be the different amenities that the people would be able to enjoy. Larger cities, generally, have more cultural centers than smaller cities. There are usually a greater variety of entertainment and dining choices in the larger city. Again, people make decisions understanding these tradeoffs.

Some less obvious tradeoff might be loneliness resulting from moving to a less congested location. If one sits in front of a computer nearly all day in a less populated area than they were used to, along with fewer amenities, we can imagine how that might result in a sense of loneliness along with the mental health issues that may result.

What qualities do people fleeing the big city look for in a home in a smaller city? Are there some things home buyers and renters seek more than others?

I see that many people expect to have more space, more square footage, in a home in a smaller city than they were able to afford in the larger city.

They expect less noise, such as street noise if they live in a smaller city. They might expect people to be more sociable in the smaller city, like a case where “everyone knows everybody.”

People should keep in mind that some of these expectations might be met while others might not be.

What are your top three tips for remote workers considering moving to a new city for more space and lower cost of living?

Look at your whole life. How does the move fit in with your whole life plan? Life is more than a salary. Life is much more about everything that has nothing to do with salary or income directly.

“You make a living by what you get; you make a life by what you give.” -Winston Churchill

Neither one’s living nor one’s life would exist without the other.

Kevin Lang

Professor of Economics, Department of Economics

Boston University

Kevin Lang

Professor of Economics, Department of Economics

Boston University

What are your top three tips for remote workers considering moving to a new city for more space and lower cost of living?

Think about how promotions are determined where you work. Will working remotely and being more physically distant interfere with the roles you can take on and/or informal interactions that will help you move up the ladder?
Think about the effect on your personal labor market if you decide you want to move to a new job. Do your alternatives primarily include remote jobs, or will many of them want you to work in person? Are those in-person jobs available in the labor market to which you are moving, or would you have to move again?
Think about how your move will affect your networking opportunities outside your job.

Methodology

We ranked the 120 largest U.S. cities from best (No. 1) to worst (No. 120) based on their overall scores (out of 100 possible points), averaged across all the weighted metrics listed below.

Metric Name	Weighting	Min. Value	Max. Value	Best
Space
Median Home Square Footage	3	850	3,048 sq. ft.	Max. Value
Average Yard Size	2	2,744 sq. ft.	23,951 sq. ft.	Max. Value
Buyer-Friendliness
New Listings per 100,000 Residents	3	55	567	Max. Value
3-Month Difference in New Listings per 100,000 Residents	2	-45.00	182.66	Max. Value
Median Days on the Market	3	4	115	Max. Value
3-Month Difference in Median Days on the Market	2	-115	103	Max. Value
Median Sale Price	3	$72,000	$1,450,000	Min. Value
3-Month Difference in Median Sale Price	2	-$38,000	$206,500	Min. Value
Share of Homes Sold Above Asking Price	3	5.51%	87.98%	Min. Value
3-Month Difference in Share of Homes Sold Above Asking Price	2	-18.84%	30.88%	Min. Value
Median Sale Price per Sq. Ft.	2	$57.07	$1,067.52	Min. Value
3-Month Difference in Median Sale Price per Sq. Ft.	1	-$13.87	$110.51	Min. Value
Projected 1-Year Change in Home Value	1	4.38	13.70	Max. Value
Renter-Friendliness
Rental Vacancy Rate	3	2.10	14.00	Max. Value
Median Rent Price	3	$812	$2,997	Min. Value
3-Month Difference in Median Rent Price	2	$15	$271	Min. Value
Median Rent Price per Sq. Ft.	2	$0.46	$2.19	Min. Value
3-Month Difference in Median Rent Price per Sq. Ft.	1	$0.01	$0.27	Min. Value
WFH-Friendliness
Rank in LawnStarter's "Best Cities for Remote Workers" Study	3	1	150	Min. Value
Incentives
Availability of City, County, or State Incentive(s) for Incoming Remote Workers (Yes = 1, No = 0)	2	0	1	Max. Value

Sources: Bankrate, Homes.com, LawnStarter, MakeMyMove, Redfin, U.S. Census Bureau, Zillow

Why This Study Matters

Working from your kitchen table and Zooming with your team from your bed isn’t ideal — or sustainable. Neither is paying thousands in rent for the 500-square-foot one bedroom you share with your partner and two dogs.

Unfortunately, that’s the reality for millions of remote workers these days. The good news: Many cities offer extra wiggle room — including an actual yard and other natural amenities — for a much smaller price tag. Some cities will even pay you to move there.

Many newly minted remote workers already seized this opportunity during the pandemic and fled big cities for quieter, more affordable towns. That led to overheated suburban real estate markets, bidding wars, and empty apartment buildings in urban cores.

But local housing markets show signs of cooling, while rental markets have begun stabilizing, which suggests demand is starting to taper off.

So if you’re asking yourself when to take the leap, the answer is now. This study highlights the cities where remote workers face the least competition for space and will save the most cash.

Happy house or apartment hunting!

Main Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Richie Bernardo

Richie Bernardo is a managing editor who previously wrote about personal finance and immigration. Philippine-born, Kansas City-bred, and barbecue-fed, Richie enjoys baking, deal hunting, and binging “Ancient Aliens.”

Posts by Richie Bernardo

2021’s Best Cities for WFH Value

Table of Contents

City Rankings

WFH Buyer Rankings

WFH Renter Rankings

Highlights and Lowlights

Rochester: The Right Choice

Suburban Persuasion

California: Not for the Cheap and Claustrophobic

Texas: The Temporary Tenant State

Ask The Experts

Methodology

Why This Study Matters

Related Posts

Richie Bernardo