The best US cities for remote workers

Working in pajamas, hanging out with my puppy all day, and making a fresh lunch every day are just a few of the things I love about being a remote worker. Another luxury is the flexibility to work from wherever I want. But, as I’ve learned, some cities are better set up for remote workers than others. (Once, in West Hollywood, I went to a cafe to work and accidentally paid $16 for a latte and got a parking ticket.)

Luckily, Reviews.org recently came out with a study that ranks the most remote work-friendly cities in the United States. 

How did Reviews.org determine the rankings? 

The seven factors they considered were:

• The number of free Wi-Fi hotspots
• The average download speed
• The percentage of available remote work-friendly jobs
• Average monthly rent per square foot 
• Miles from the nearest airport 
• Miles from the nearest national park
• Average annual temperature
• The number of state recreation areas

The winners’ circle

Coming in at #1 is Atlanta. Hot ‘Lanta took the top spot thanks to its below-average rent prices, high-speed Wi-Fi, more than 140 public hotspots, and, mainly, the availability of remote jobs. The ATL is also fair-weathered, making it an easy transition for remote workers. It sounds pretty appealing if you ask me. 

The West Coast was best in show with Portland, Seattle, and San Francisco all landing in the top 10 with each city coming in at 2nd, 4th, and 10th place, respectively. Portland and Seattle were standouts due to their access to the great outdoors. Portland alone has 234 state recreational activities. San Francisco slipped into the top 10 despite having the highest monthly rent on the list, coming in at $4.53 per square foot. In comparison, the lowest rent on the top 10 list was $1.50 in Houston, Texas.

Who was left out?

Even though Atlanta took the top spot, the rest of the south, the midwest, and the east coast were noticeably absent from the list. It’s likely due to the temperature and soaring rent prices like that of New York. 

The only other southern state to dominate the list was Texas, which has three of its cities land in the top 10. Austin was ranked #3, Houston #6, and Dallas #7. 

Click here to see the rest of the winners.