2023’s Best Cities for Remote Workers
If you could work from anywhere, where would you choose to live? More importantly, which U.S. cities would set you up for success? With over 60% of job seekers today preferring remote work, LawnStarter ranked 2023’s Best Cities for Remote Workers.
They compared the 200 biggest U.S. cities based on 20 remote worker-friendliness factors, such as internet quality, cost of living, and access to coworking spaces. They even considered financial bonuses that local and state governments offer prospective telecommuting incomers.
Check out the 10 best (and 10 worst) cities for remote workers below, followed by some highlights and lowlights from our report. (See where your city ranks here.)
Best Cities for Remote Workers
| Rank | City |
| 1 | Plano, TX |
| 2 | Frisco, TX |
| 3 | Tampa, FL |
| 4 | Atlanta, GA |
| 5 | Seattle, WA |
| 6 | Durham, NC |
| 7 | Austin, TX |
| 8 | Kansas City, MO |
| 9 | Jacksonville, FL |
| 10 | Charlotte, NC |
I wasn’t surprised at all that Durham, NC, made the list. I have several friends who actually work remotely who live in and around there.
Worst Cities for Remote Workers
| Rank | City |
| 1 | Santa Ana, CA |
| 2 | Salinas, CA |
| 3 | Glendale, CA |
| 4 | Garden Grove, CA |
| 5 | Escondido, CA |
| 6 | Lancaster, CA |
| 7 | Chula Vista, CA |
| 8 | Palmdale, CA |
| 9 | Palmdale, CA |
| 10 | Oceanside, CA |
I was kind of shocked that all the cities on this particular part of the list were all cities found in California. Wow, just wow, is all I can say.
Highlights and Lowlights:
- Remote Paradise: Live your best remote life in Plano, Texas, our 2023 gold medalist. What gave Plano the edge over the other 199 big cities this time? Spacious homes, the highest broadband coverage, and low crime boosted the city’s score. However, Plano really stands out in financial metrics. The city has the 10th most affordable rent, no state income tax (like all other Texas cities), and the 19th highest average household income.
- California Pipe Dreaming: Unless you have a California-sized salary to match the state’s generally high-dollar lifestyle, you might look for greener remote pastures elsewhere. Not only are all 10 of our bottom cities in California, but also only two rank (just slightly) above average overall, Roseville (No. 90) and Oakland (No. 95). What the Golden State lacks: generous square footage and affordable goods and services. There are exceptions in each category, but they’re few and far between.
- Eco Boost: Of the 200 big cities they ranked, only six offer financial aid to attract remote workers looking for a new place to put down roots. Rochester, New York, takes the No. 1 spot in this metric, offering a whopping $19,000 bonus. Savannah, Georgia, claims sixth place, luring potential incomers with a $2,000 bait. Sadly, none of the six cities landed in their top 25, but that’s to be expected. The whole reason for offering cash is to draw in more professionals who otherwise might not consider those cities their next home and to help revitalize their struggling economies.
