Small U.S. cities offer cash, perks to lure remote workers
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES — Small cities and towns across the United States are offering thousands of dollars to attract remote workers, a strategy that began as a pandemic-era experiment and has now gone mainstream.
These programs sweeten cash incentives with perks such as concert tickets, golf memberships, coworking spaces, and more, aiming to reverse population decline and attract talent.
Brandon Speece, a 30-year-old data engineer, moved back to Noblesville, Indiana, in 2023 after being enticed by a $5,000 relocation offer, along with access to concert tickets, a golf course, and a shared workspace.
“The biggest benefit was the cash, which we just turned around and used to hire movers,” Speece said. “The co-working space was great, and the golfing didn’t hurt.”
He and his fiancée were also able to buy a house there, a feat that would have been difficult in Austin’s expensive market.
Remote work’s role and growing programs
Remote jobs, which surged during the pandemic and now represent about 10% of the workforce, have made these relocation schemes possible.
Platforms like MakeMyMove have expanded rapidly, listing over 178 programs nationwide, up from just 20 in 2020. These include incentives for remote workers in Neodesha, Kansas; West Memphis, Arkansas; and Columbus, Georgia.
Cities compete to attract the pool of 17 million fully remote workers with incentives ranging from $5,000 to $10,000, plus extras like gym memberships and coffee with mayors.
Tulsa Remote, one of the most successful programs launched in 2018, has attracted more than 3,600 remote workers to Tulsa, Oklahoma, with a $10,000 relocation incentive. The program boasts a 70% retention rate for participants since 2019.
A study found that Tulsa Remote returns over $4 in local economic benefits for every dollar spent, mainly through tax revenue and jobs.
Challenges and economic impact
Despite successes in places like Tulsa and Noblesville, where 253 new residents joined since 2022 and 90% still live there, many smaller or isolated programs struggle to gain traction.
“This needs a lot of hand-holding,” said Prithwiraj Choudhury, a management professor at the London School of Economics. “It’s not just putting an incentive on paper and then people will come and stay.”
In Kentucky’s Eastern region, where coal’s decline hurt population growth, EKY Remote has relocated 51 households bringing $7.4 million in wages since 2024.
Manager LaTasha Friend hopes the program can shift local stigma about success needing to come from leaving the area.
Noblesville Mayor Chris Jensen stressed the importance of growing population for city survival: “In Indiana … you’re either growing or dying as a community.”
He sees these programs as complementing traditional business incentives: “If we don’t have the workforce for it, it’s for naught.”
With remote work here to stay, these creative offers could become crucial tools for small cities seeking economic revival.
