30 Best US Cities For Remote Workers [2024]
My wife and I have worked remotely together for almost a decade. Each time we choose a new place to visit/work, we balance several factors like Airbnb options, flight prices, cafes, cost of living, and more.
It sparked an idea. Remote workers need an unbiased list of the best US cities for remote work (based on real data). That’s what you’ll find below. After hours of research, I settled on nine positive criteria (flight prices, short-term rentals, popularity, quality of life–including safety, walkability, public transit, internet scores, coworking spaces, and cafes), two negative criteria (cost to visit and cost to live), and weightings for each criterion. You can read more about the methodology and sources here, or continue to see the full list. Let me know if you have any ideas or feedback in the comments below.
Table of Contents
- Top 10
- All 30 (with descriptions)
- Takeaways
- Methodology & sources
- Spreadsheet tool: adjust the weights yourself
👉 10 Best Cities To Work Remotely In The US 👈
Here are the 10 best cities for remote work in the United States. In the table below, you’ll see the ranking, city, the city’s best attribute (out of 9 criteria), and the weighted score.
Rank | City | Best Attribute | Points |
1 | Miami, Florida |
| 747 |
2 | Atlanta, Georgia |
| 689 |
3 | Fort Lauderdale, Florida |
| 670 |
4 | Washington D.C. |
| 640 |
5 | Tampa, Florida |
| 619 |
6 | Fort Collins, Colorado |
| 578 |
7 | Portland, Oregon |
| 558 |
8 | Nashville, Tennessee |
| 520 |
9 | Austin, Texas |
| 513 |
10 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| 485 |
Short-Term Rentals
Internet
Quality of Life
Cafes
Popularity👉 30 Best Cities For Remote Work In The US 👈
Here’s the full list of our 30 winning cities with more information about each.
1. Miami, Florida
Score: 747 Points | Best Attribute: Short-Term Rentals
Miami, Florida is a vibrant city known for its short-term rentals. It boasts a high score in our rankings due to its excellent short-term rentals (40.8), cafes (14.0), and coworking spaces (11.5). With a total point score of 74.7, Miami, Florida stands out as a clear choice for remote workers.
- Short-term rental points: 408
- Quality of life points: 0
- Cafe points: 140
- Walkability points: 98
- Public transit points: 78
- Flight price points: 90
- Coworking space points: 115
- Popularity space points: 68
- Internet points: 72
- Cost to visit (negative points): -14
- Cost to live (negative points): -308
2. Atlanta, Georgia
Score: 689 Points | Best Attribute: Internet
Atlanta is a bustling hub known for its pivotal role in the civil rights movement and vibrant cultural scene.
- Short-term rental points: 374
- Quality of life points: 0
- Cafe points: 112
- Walkability points: 77
- Public transit points: 0
- Flight price points: 0
- Coworking space points: 110
- Popularity space points: 32
- Internet points: 96
- Cost to visit (negative points): -112
- Cost to live (negative points): 0
3. Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Score: 670 Points | Best Attribute: Short-Term Rentals
Fort Lauderdale is celebrated for its expansive beaches, boating canals, and a lively arts scene.
- Short-term rental points: 425
- Quality of life points: 0
- Cafe points: 0
- Walkability points: 0
- Public transit points: 0
- Flight price points: 120
- Coworking space points: 125
- Popularity space points: 0
- Internet points: 0
- Cost to visit (negative points): 0
- Cost to live (negative points): 0
4. Washington D.C.
Score: 640 Points | Best Attribute: Coworking Spaces
The capital city of the United States, Washington D.C. houses iconic monuments, museums, and the federal government’s nexus. DC has great short-term rental options, a high walkability score, and lots of coworking spaces. Careful though: it is a top-25 most expensive city to visit and live in the US.
- Short-term rental points: 289
- Quality of life points: 238
- Cafe points: 0
- Walkability points: 161
- Public transit points: 0
- Flight price points: 15
- Coworking space points: 105
- Popularity space points: 0
- Internet points: 0
- Cost to visit (negative points): -56
- Cost to live (negative points): -112
5. Tampa, Florida
Score: 619 Points | Best Attribute: Internet
Tampa offers a rich blend of cultural heritage, modern attractions, and major sports teams.
- Short-term rental points: 306
- Quality of life points: 0
- Cafe points: 105
- Walkability points: 0
- Public transit points: 0
- Flight price points: 80
- Coworking space points: 0
- Popularity space points: 44
- Internet points: 84
- Cost to visit (negative points): 0
- Cost to live (negative points): 0
6. Fort Collins, Colorado
Score: 578 Points | Best Attribute: Short-Term Rentals
Fort Collins is renowned for its craft breweries and vibrant local music scene set against a Rocky Mountain backdrop. Fort Collins ranks very high across the US in our top two weighted factors: short-term rentals per capita and quality of life.
- Short-term rental points: 391
- Quality of life points: 187
- Cafe points: 0
- Walkability points: 0
- Public transit points: 0
- Flight price points: 0
- Coworking space points: 0
- Popularity space points: 0
- Internet points: 0
- Cost to visit (negative points): 0
- Cost to live (negative points): 0
7. Portland, Oregon
Score: 558 Points | Best Attribute: Cafes
Portland is famous for its progressive values, abundant parks, and a thriving arts and crafts community.
- Short-term rental points: 0
- Quality of life points: 357
- Cafe points: 168
- Walkability points: 147
- Public transit points: 54
- Flight price points: 0
- Coworking space points: 0
- Popularity space points: 0
- Internet points: 56
- Cost to visit (negative points): -154
- Cost to live (negative points): -70
8. Nashville, Tennessee
Score: 520 Points | Best Attribute: Popularity
Nashville, the heart of country music, boasts a vibrant music scene and rich historical attractions.
- Short-term rental points: 357
- Quality of life points: 0
- Cafe points: 0
- Walkability points: 0
- Public transit points: 0
- Flight price points: 60
- Coworking space points: 95
- Popularity space points: 100
- Internet points: 48
- Cost to visit (negative points): -140
- Cost to live (negative points): 0
9. Austin, Texas
Score: 513 Points | Best Attribute: Short-Term Rentals
Austin is known as a live music capital with a unique blend of Texan tradition and a booming tech industry.
- Short-term rental points: 340
- Quality of life points: 0
- Cafe points: 0
- Walkability points: 84
- Public transit points: 0
- Flight price points: 45
- Coworking space points: 70
- Popularity space points: 40
- Internet points: 4
- Cost to visit (negative points): -70
- Cost to live (negative points): 0
10. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Score: 485 Points | Best Attribute: Cafes
Pittsburgh features a strong industrial history, a burgeoning tech scene, and picturesque riverfront views.
- Short-term rental points: 221
- Quality of life points: 0
- Cafe points: 133
- Walkability points: 119
- Public transit points: 12
- Flight price points: 0
- Coworking space points: 0
- Popularity space points: 0
- Internet points: 0
- Cost to visit (negative points): 0
- Cost to live (negative points): 0
11. Boston, Massachusetts
Score: 456 Points | Best Attribute: Quality of Life
Boston is steeped in U.S. history, home to prestigious universities, and a driving force in biotechnology.
- Short-term rental points: 136
- Quality of life points: 340
- Cafe points: 0
- Walkability points: 168
- Public transit points: 138
- Flight price points: 0
- Coworking space points: 100
- Popularity space points: 64
- Internet points: 0
- Cost to visit (negative points): -294
- Cost to live (negative points): -196
12. Ann Arbor, Michigan
Score: 425 Points | Best Attribute: Quality of Life
Known for its vibrant arts scene and the prestigious University of Michigan, Ann Arbor is a hub of innovation and education.
- Short-term rental points: 0
- Quality of life points: 425
- Cafe points: 0
- Walkability points: 0
- Public transit points: 0
- Flight price points: 0
- Coworking space points: 0
- Popularity space points: 0
- Internet points: 0
- Cost to visit (negative points): 0
- Cost to live (negative points): 0
13. Las Vegas, Nevada
Score: 421 Points | Best Attribute: Flight Prices
Las Vegas is globally famous for its vibrant nightlife, sprawling casinos, and entertainment options. Vegas has cheap inbound flights, it’s a popular place to visit, and it has plenty of cafes to work from.
- Short-term rental points: 34
- Quality of life points: 0
- Cafe points: 98
- Walkability points: 0
- Public transit points: 0
- Flight price points: 125
- Coworking space points: 0
- Popularity space points: 96
- Internet points: 68
- Cost to visit (negative points): 0
- Cost to live (negative points): 0
14. Madison, Wisconsin
Score: 391 Points | Best Attribute: Quality of Life
As the capital of Wisconsin, Madison offers a lively cultural scene nestled between two lakes and is renowned for its progressive community.
- Short-term rental points: 0
- Quality of life points: 391
- Cafe points: 0
- Walkability points: 0
- Public transit points: 0
- Flight price points: 0
- Coworking space points: 0
- Popularity space points: 0
- Internet points: 0
- Cost to visit (negative points): 0
- Cost to live (negative points): 0
15. Jacksonville, Florida
Score: 371 Points | Best Attribute: Short-Term Rentals
Jacksonville is known for its vast urban park system, bustling riverfront downtown, and cultural festivals.
- Short-term rental points: 323
- Quality of life points: 0
- Cafe points: 0
- Walkability points: 0
- Public transit points: 0
- Flight price points: 0
- Coworking space points: 0
- Popularity space points: 16
- Internet points: 32
- Cost to visit (negative points): 0
- Cost to live (negative points): 0
16. Colorado Springs, Colorado
Score: 368 Points | Best Attribute: Internet
Colorado Springs is set at the foot of the Rockies, known for its breathtaking landscapes and military installations.
- Short-term rental points: 204
- Quality of life points: 0
- Cafe points: 0
- Walkability points: 0
- Public transit points: 0
- Flight price points: 0
- Coworking space points: 0
- Popularity space points: 72
- Internet points: 92
- Cost to visit (negative points): 0
- Cost to live (negative points): 0
17. Boulder, Colorado
Score: 366 Points | Best Attribute: Quality of Life
Boulder is a picturesque city that combines outdoor recreational activities with a vibrant cultural scene.
- Short-term rental points: 0
- Quality of life points: 408
- Cafe points: 0
- Walkability points: 0
- Public transit points: 0
- Flight price points: 0
- Coworking space points: 0
- Popularity space points: 0
- Internet points: 0
- Cost to visit (negative points): 0
- Cost to live (negative points): -42
18. Raleigh – Durham, North Carolina
Score: 356 Points | Best Attribute: Coworking Spaces
- Short-term rental points: 0
- Quality of life points: 221
- Cafe points: 0
- Walkability points: 0
- Public transit points: 0
- Flight price points: 10
- Coworking space points: 85
- Popularity space points: 0
- Internet points: 40
- Cost to visit (negative points): 0
- Cost to live (negative points): 0
19. San Jose, California
Score: 343 Points | Best Attribute: Quality of Life
San Jose stands as a major technology hub within Silicon Valley, characterized by its high innovation rate and affluence.
- Short-term rental points: 0
- Quality of life points: 374
- Cafe points: 0
- Walkability points: 0
- Public transit points: 0
- Flight price points: 85
- Coworking space points: 0
- Popularity space points: 0
- Internet points: 52
- Cost to visit (negative points): 0
- Cost to live (negative points): -168
20. Green Bay, Wisconsin
Score: 323 Points | Best Attribute: Quality of Life
Green Bay is famous for its die-hard football culture, historical landmarks, and strong community spirit.
- Short-term rental points: 0
- Quality of life points: 323
- Cafe points: 0
- Walkability points: 0
- Public transit points: 0
- Flight price points: 0
- Coworking space points: 0
- Popularity space points: 0
- Internet points: 0
- Cost to visit (negative points): 0
- Cost to live (negative points): 0
21. Dallas, Texas
Score: 318 Points | Best Attribute: Flight Prices
Dallas offers a mix of modern attractions, extensive shopping centers, and significant historical sites.
- Short-term rental points: 153
- Quality of life points: 0
- Cafe points: 0
- Walkability points: 0
- Public transit points: 0
- Flight price points: 75
- Coworking space points: 30
- Popularity space points: 60
- Internet points: 0
- Cost to visit (negative points): 0
- Cost to live (negative points): 0
22. New Orleans, Louisiana
Score: 313 Points | Best Attribute: Popularity
New Orleans is renowned for its distinct French and Spanish Creole architecture, vibrant music scene, and culinary excellence.
- Short-term rental points: 0
- Quality of life points: 0
- Cafe points: 126
- Walkability points: 0
- Public transit points: 0
- Flight price points: 95
- Coworking space points: 0
- Popularity space points: 92
- Internet points: 0
- Cost to visit (negative points): 0
- Cost to live (negative points): 0
23. Hartford, Connecticut
Score: 306 Points | Best Attribute: Quality of Life
Hartford, one of the oldest cities in the United States, serves as Connecticut’s capital and a major center for the insurance industry.
- Short-term rental points: 0
- Quality of life points: 306
- Cafe points: 0
- Walkability points: 0
- Public transit points: 0
- Flight price points: 0
- Coworking space points: 0
- Popularity space points: 0
- Internet points: 0
- Cost to visit (negative points): 0
- Cost to live (negative points): 0
24. Oakland, California
Score: 305 Points | Best Attribute: Flight Prices
Oakland features a diverse arts scene, significant historical movements, and stunning waterfronts.
- Short-term rental points: 0
- Quality of life points: 0
- Cafe points: 91
- Walkability points: 0
- Public transit points: 60
- Flight price points: 110
- Coworking space points: 0
- Popularity space points: 0
- Internet points: 44
- Cost to visit (negative points): 0
- Cost to live (negative points): 0
25. Seattle, Washington
Score: 302 Points | Best Attribute: Cafes
Seattle is known for its tech industry, vibrant coffee culture, and iconic Space Needle. Seattle has a lot to offer–it ranks in the top 25 US cities across seven of the nine positive factors. But it’s also one of the most expensive places to visit and live.
- Short-term rental points: 272
- Quality of life points: 0
- Cafe points: 154
- Walkability points: 154
- Public transit points: 18
- Flight price points: 0
- Coworking space points: 90
- Popularity space points: 56
- Internet points: 76
- Cost to visit (negative points): -336
- Cost to live (negative points): -182
26. Houston, Texas
Score: 289 Points | Best Attribute: Short-Term Rentals
Houston thrives as a diverse metropolis with a robust economy in energy, aeronautics, and healthcare sectors.
- Short-term rental points: 170
- Quality of life points: 0
- Cafe points: 0
- Walkability points: 56
- Public transit points: 0
- Flight price points: 0
- Coworking space points: 35
- Popularity space points: 0
- Internet points: 28
- Cost to visit (negative points): 0
- Cost to live (negative points): 0
26. Rochester, New York
Score: 289 Points | Best Attribute: Quality of Life
Rochester, a city in upstate New York on Lake Ontario, is recognized for its rich history in music, art and theatre scene, and expansive parks. Rochester ranks in the top 10 of all US cities for quality of life, which solely propels it into the top 30.
- Short-term rental points: 0
- Quality of life points: 289
- Cafe points: 0
- Walkability points: 0
- Public transit points: 0
- Flight price points: 0
- Coworking space points: 0
- Popularity space points: 0
- Internet points: 0
- Cost to visit (negative points): 0
- Cost to live (negative points): 0
28. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Score: 256 Points | Best Attribute: Coworking Spaces
Philadelphia, rich in American history, is home to iconic Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and vibrant arts.
- Short-term rental points: 68
- Quality of life points: 0
- Cafe points: 0
- Walkability points: 112
- Public transit points: 114
- Flight price points: 0
- Coworking space points: 60
- Popularity space points: 28
- Internet points: 0
- Cost to visit (negative points): -126
- Cost to live (negative points): 0
29. Kansas City, Missouri
Score: 255 Points | Best Attribute: Short-Term Rentals
Kansas City is famous for its distinctive jazz heritage, luxurious fountains, and mouth-watering barbecue.
- Short-term rental points: 255
- Quality of life points: 0
- Cafe points: 0
- Walkability points: 0
- Public transit points: 0
- Flight price points: 0
- Coworking space points: 0
- Popularity space points: 0
- Internet points: 0
- Cost to visit (negative points): 0
- Cost to live (negative points): 0
29. Boise, Idaho
Score: 255 Points | Best Attribute: Quality of Life
Boise stands out with its vibrant arts community, numerous parks and access to outdoor adventures.
- Short-term rental points: 0
- Quality of life points: 255
- Cafe points: 0
- Walkability points: 0
- Public transit points: 0
- Flight price points: 0
- Coworking space points: 0
- Popularity space points: 0
- Internet points: 0
- Cost to visit (negative points): 0
- Cost to live (negative points): 0
👉 Takeaways: Best US Cities For Remote Workers 👈
If you’re looking for some trends in the data, here’s what we noticed during our research about the best US cities for remote workers:
- 3 of the top 5 cities for remote workers are in Florida (and 4 of the top 30).
- Colorado took 3 of the top 20 cities (Fort Collins, Colorado Springs, Boulder).
- The South Atlantic took the top 5 spots:
- Miami, FL
- Atlanta, GA
- Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Washington D.C.
- Tampa, GA
- 0 California cities made the top 15 (and only 2 made the top 30)
- Most California cities get knocked down significantly because they are expensive places to visit and expensive places to live
- Some smaller, less well-known cities made the top 20 (if that’s more your style):
- Fort Collins, Colorado
- Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Madison, Wisconsin
- Raleigh – Durham, North Carolina
- Green Bay, Wisconsin
- Miami, FL, Washington D.C, and Portland, OR were the only cities in the top 10 to overcome a high-cost of living (in other words, it they have a lot to offer if you’re willing to put up with the expense)
👉 Methodology & Sources 👈
This report on the “Best US Cities For Remote Workers” includes 11 weighted criteria. You can see the criteria and weights for each in the table below.
Criteria | Weight | Description | Why We Chose It |
Short-Term Rentals Per Capita | 17% | The 25 cities with the highest number of short-term rental listings (Airbnb + others) per capita (listings/population). | This shows how many options you might have to book a place to stay and work. |
Quality of Life | 17% | The 25 cities with the best 'quality of life' based on several factors: crime rates, educational quality, general well-being, commuter indices, healthcare availability, air quality, and more. | This indicates how much value you'll get for your stay, access to things you need, and safety. |
Cafes per Capita | 7% | You'll need a place to work remotely. Cafes are one of the most common options while traveling. | |
Walkability | 7% | The top 20 US cities for 'walkability' according to Conde Nast. The rankings factor in data from two places: EPA’s Smart Location data and the American Enterprise Institute's Walkable Oriented Development data. | As a digital nomad, we assume you won't have a car. The ability to get things done on foot is a big factor. |
Public Transit | 6% | The top 25 US cities for "Transit Connectivity Index (TMI)" according to AllTransit. The study factors several public transit metrics into one. | As a digital nomad, we assume you won't have a car. Public transit is a great way to get around town. |
Flight Prices | 5% | FinanceBuzz analyzed the average domestic fares from the 45 busiest airports in the US and then ranked them. We mapped the 25 least expensive average airfares to the closest city. | You don't want to break the bank if you fly. Cities with the highest point values here will be the cheapest to fly to. |
Coworking Spaces per Capita | 5% | At the end of 2023, Coworking Cafe ranked the 20 US cities with the most coworking square footage. Buildremote divided it by the city's population to get per capita. | You'll need a place to work remotely. Coworking spaces are a great option (and indicate the city's friendliness to remote workers). |
Popularity | 4% | The 25 US cities with the highest percentage of people who have a positive opinion of the city (according to YouGov Ratings). | You probably want to go to a place lots of people like. However, this criterion mostly quantifies tourism so it is weighted lower than 'Quality of Life' (which skews toward living). |
Internet | 4% | The 25 cities with the best internet across multiple factors ranging from average internet costs and download speeds to free hotspots’ availability and gigabit coverage. | Strong internet will be very important for your work. However, most cities in the US have good enough internet, so it gets a lower rating. |
Cost To Visit (Negative) | 14% | The 25 cities that are the most expensive to visit for a three-day stay (factors in food, drink, nightly hotel rates, airfare). | This factor tells you how expensive it is to vacation somewhere. |
Cost To Live (Negative) | 14% | These are the 25 most expensive places to live in the US based on factors like median gross rent and annual housing costs. | This factor tells you how expensive it is to live somewhere. |
For each criterion, we picked a recent study that best ranks US cities for that factor alone. Within each study, we cut off the list at 25 cities. In a few of the studies, we had just 15 or 20 total ranked so we used those.
Here’s an example of how it works for the “Quality of Life” criterion:
- Forbes ranked the cities from #1 to #25 (best quality of life at the top)
- We assigned point values in the reverse order:
- #1 received 25 points, #2 received 24 points, etc. down to #25 which received 1 point
- Cities that were not in the top 25 received 0 points
- When totaling points across all 11 factors, we multiply point values by weight:
- “Quality of Life” gets a weight of 17/100
- Ann Arbor (ranked #1) gets 25 points * 17 (weight) = 425 points for “Quality of Life”
Two of the factors – “Cost to Visit” and “Cost to Live” are negative. Here’s an example of how it works for “Cost to Visit:
- GoBankingRates ranked the most expensive US cities to visit for a weekend (#1 being most costly)
- We assigned negative point values to offset the other positive criteria with cost:
- #1 received -25 points, #2 received -24 points, etc. down to #25 which received -1 point
- Cities that were not in the top 25 received 0 points
- When totaling points across all 11 factors, we multiply point values by weight:
- “Cost to Visit” gets a weight of 14/100
- Aspen (ranked #1 most expensive) gets -25 points * 14 weight = -350
- Without any other positive attributes to offset costliness, this pushes Aspen out of our rankings
After collecting point values for all cities across all 11 criteria, we add up points to get the city’s final score. The city with the most points is the best US city for remote workers.
👉 Spreadsheet Tool: Build Your List Of Best Cities 👈
Want a copy of the spreadsheet we used to build this report? You can adjust the weights to fit your preferences.
Contact us here and we’ll send it your way.
