Top 10 Cities for Remote Work in 2021

Virtual Vocations names the Top 10 Cities for Remote Work in 2021. This report outlines which U.S. cities provide the best opportunities to not only work remotely but also enjoy a flexible, well-rounded personal lifestyle.

CEO’s Statement on the Top 10 Cities for Remote Work

“2021 is a unique year for remote work. After the events of 2020, employers and employees alike have come to value the flexibility and viability of remote work as a way to keep employees engaged and productive as well as businesses running, no matter what unforeseen challenges arise.

Although the universality of remote work makes it friendly to practically every industry, we wondered if some locations in the U.S. are more amenable to remote work than others. After creating a list of “The 4 Best Remote Work States for Virtual Employees and Freelancers,” we were inspired to investigate which cities are most conducive to remote jobs and telecommuting lifestyles.

As employees push to continue working remotely, it has become apparent that many also want the freedom to relocate to more family-friendly or economically feasible areas of the country. Highlighting optimal remote work locations throughout the U.S. for current jobseekers and remote workers is an important part of Virtual Vocations’ mission of bringing continued awareness to data and the benefits of remote work.”

—Laura Spawn, Virtual Vocations CEO & Co-Founder

Methodology: Best Cities for Remote Work Ranking

To create our Top 10 Cities for Remote Work in 2021 list, we utilized a weighted importance scoring model format to rank locations based on nine evaluation points we determined to be factors that remote workers and remote jobseekers would find favorable to city living. These factors include elements like the prevalence of remote jobs in the area, access to high-speed internet, and the total tax burden for the state in which each city is located. Below is a detailed list of our Top 10 Cities for Remote Work in 2021 criteria including each factor’s weighted percentage of importance for evaluation and its corresponding source report.

1.) Availability of In-State Remote Jobs (20%)

A city cannot be labeled a best-of location for remote work without a high degree of access to remote jobs. In 2020, most virtual and home-based jobs were available nationwide. However, depending on state laws, tax requirements, and business needs, some remote jobs are required to be performed by a candidate living in a specific area. Therefore, we rated access to in-state remote jobs as one of the most important factors for our best cities for remote work list. Data for this factor was tabulated based on internal Virtual Vocations company data, much of which is reported in our annual statistical report.

Virtual Vocations – 2020 Year-End Report and Remote Jobs Statistics

2.) Quality of High-Speed Internet Coverage (20%)

Stable high-speed internet is a core tenet of any remote work arrangement. But, as Tyler Cooper and Julia Tanberk of BROADBANDNOW Research reported in their nationwide study, “Internet infrastructure, competition and coverage varies widely across the United States.” We utilized Cooper and Tanberk’s data on U.S. internet speeds, pricing, and coverage to evaluate which cities would provide the best internet service for remote employees and freelancers.

BROADBANDNOW Research – Best and Worst States for Internet Coverage, Prices and Speeds, 2020 

3.) Total Tax Burden (15%)

Taxes are important to remote workers, especially those who are self-employed and responsible for withholding and paying their own taxes. In addition to paying individual income taxes, remote workers are also commonly responsible for paying property taxes and sales and excise taxes. The total combined tax burden for these financial measures was calculated for each state and reported by Adam McCann for WalletHub. We used this data as a key factor in determining the best cities for remote work this year; the lower the total tax burden for that location, the higher the raw score.

WalletHub – Tax Burden by State

4.) Real Estate Affordability (10%)

Every city on our list of the Top 10 Cities for Remote Work in 2021 has been named one of the cheapest places to live in the U.S. through U.S. News & World Report’s analysis of median gross rents and annual housing costs for Americans paying mortgages.

U.S. News & World Report – Most Affordable Places to Live in the U.S. in 2021-2022

5.) Cost of Living (10%)

Taking a step beyond real estate, MERIC analyzed the composite cost of living in the U.S. during the first quarter of 2021. These composite metrics look at the price of housing as well as groceries, utilities, transportation, health, and miscellaneous expenses.

MERIC – Cost of Living Data Series (2021 Quarter 1)

6.) Best for Business (10%)

When a state is considered a top location for business in the U.S., the cities within it have a better chance to attract motivated entrepreneurs and innovative employees who will promote the industries and economies of their cities of residence. CNBC’s research into the best locations to do business contributed to our remote work city rankings. This best for business report scored states on elements like the cost of doing business, available infrastructure, life, health and inclusion, workforce, local economy, business friendliness, and access to capital.

CNBC – America’s Top States for Business 2021

7.) Access to Green Spaces (5%)

MPH Online, an online authority for Master’s of Public Health degrees, prepared a multivariate public health report to determine which American spots are most green. Within the context of its study, MPH Online ranked U.S. states based on the following criteria:

• Open Spaces and Natural Beauty (25%)
• Waste Diversion and Recycling (25%)
• Green Energy Prevalence (25%)
• Social Justice and Access to Clean Outdoors (25%)

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, city dwellers, especially those working from home, were reminded of the importance of green spaces “And that supporting sustainability and access to green spaces is part of supporting public health,” according to MPH Online.

MPH Online – The Greenest States in America

8.) Ability to Pursue Outdoor Adventure (5%)

Written by Carl Borg, the Outforia “2021 Adventure Index” ranks U.S. locations based on the number of opportunities residents and travelers have to seek adventure. Per Outforia’s list, adventure activities include everything from hiking trails and surfing spots to ski resorts and zip lines. Since the majority of remote workers telecommute to have more control over their schedules—freeing up additional time to pursue passions and hobbies— it is important for remote workers living in cities to be able to access a variety of new experiences based on their interests, skills, and abilities.

Outforia – 2021 Adventure Index

9.) Proximity to Restaurants and Bars (5%)

The National Restaurant Association logs statistics on the prevalence of restaurants and bars in the U.S. Although the National Restaurant Association was clear to state, “The statistics in the state profiles are based on pre-pandemic data,” we felt the statistics were important to establish a baseline of accessibility to this traditional element of a city lifestyle that would be attractive to remote workers and remote jobseekers.

Restaurant.org – The size and scope of the restaurant industry by state

Best Cities for Remote Work in 2021: The Top 10 List

The populations of our top cities for remote work range in size from just under 40,000 to slightly over 265,000. While these cities’ populations vary, one region remains dominant: the Midwest. In fact, 60% of the best cities for remote work are located in this region. For each city named below, we provided a list of coworking facilities to maximize remote work flexibility as well as a list of trending remote jobs in and around the best cities for remote work this year.

Syracuse Coworking Centers and Shared Office Spaces

Remote Job Title Suggestions for Syracuse

South Bend Coworking Centers and Shared Office Spaces

Remote Job Title Suggestions for South Bend

Fort Wayne Coworking Centers and Shared Office Spaces

Remote Job Title Suggestions for Fort Wayne

Buffalo Coworking Centers and Shared Office Spaces

Remote Job Title Suggestions for Buffalo

Peoria Coworking Centers and Shared Office Spaces

Remote Job Title Suggestions for Peoria

Kalamazoo Coworking Centers and Shared Office Spaces

Remote Job Title Suggestions for Kalamazoo

Pittsburgh Coworking Centers and Shared Office Spaces

Remote Job Title Suggestions for Pittsburgh

Moline/Rock Island Coworking Centers and Shared Office Spaces

Remote Job Title Suggestions for Moline/Rock Island

Grand Rapids Coworking Centers and Shared Office Spaces

Remote Job Title Suggestions for Grand Rapids

Hickory Coworking Centers and Shared Office Spaces

Remote Job Title Suggestions for Hickory

Contact Information for the Top 10 Cities for Remote Work in 2021 Report

Inquiries about the Top 10 Cities for Remote Work in 2021 can be made to Michelle Rawlings, Public Relations Specialist. Contact Michelle at michelle (at) virtualvocations (dot) com or via phone at 1-800-379-5092 EXT. 703.

Please visit Virtual Vocations on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest for additional remote work content and conversations.

Image credits: Kimberly Back; Canva