Best Cities to Work From Home in 2021

Posted on February 6, 2021 by Kathryn Perkins

Image shows a person's hands at the keyboard of their laptop; their laptop screen shows a grid of faces in a video conference call. SmartAsset analyzed data to find the best cities to work from home in 2021.

Since the onset of COVID-19, remote work has become the norm for many Americans, allowing them to continue to meet some of their expenses while saving where possible. In the late spring of 2020, about half of American workers were working from home, according to two surveys conducted by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Many researchers believe that increased work flexibility and work-from-home opportunities may continue even after the pandemic is over. With that in mind, SmartAsset looked at the best cities to work from home in 2021.

To determine our rankings, we compared 100 of the largest U.S. cities across seven metrics. They span work-from-home flexibility prior to and during COVID-19, along with employment opportunities, poverty rates and housing affordability. For details on our data sources and how we put all the information together to create our final rankings, check out the Data and Methodology section below.

This is SmartAssetâs third annual study on the best cities to work from home. Our 2020 edition can be found here. Note: This yearâs methodology was adjusted to account for COVID-19 and its impact.

Key Findings

A strong showing from North Carolina. Three cities in North Carolina rank in our top 10: Raleigh, Durham and Charlotte, taking second, sixth and seventh place, respectively. In all three cities, the percentage of people working from home grew by more than 3% between 2014 and 2019, so that even prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 7% of all three citiesâ workforces worked remotely.
Mid-sized cities also rank well. With the exceptions of Charlotte, North Carolina and Austin, Texas, all other cities in our top 10 have populations between 240,000 and 500,000. These cities potentially offer residents larger homes and apartments better suited to working from home. In all eight cities, more than 80% of residences have two or more bedrooms and workforces of which more than 7% were remote in 2019.

1. Scottsdale, AZ

Scottsdale, Arizona ranks in the top five cities for four of the seven metrics we considered. Census Bureau data shows that in 2019 about 17.9% of workers did work from home, a 6.7% increase from 2014. Additionally, Scottsdale has the fourth-highest estimated percentage of the workforce who can work from home â at about 37% â and third-lowest 2019 poverty rate â at 6.0%.

2. Raleigh, NC

Like Scottsdale, a high proportion of the workforce in Raleigh, North Carolina worked from home prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. In total, 10.5% of the workforce worked remotely in 2019 â the fourth-highest rate for this metric in our study. Raleigh also ranks in the top quartile of our study for four other metrics: It has the 21^st-highest estimated percentage of the workforce that can work from home (31.79%), fourth-largest five-year change in workers working from home (4.3%), 18^th-lowest October 2020 unemployment rate (5.3%) and 21^st-lowest poverty rate (10.9%).

3. Plano, TX

North of Dallas, Plano, Texas ranks as the No. 3 city to work from home in 2021. It ranks in the top 10% of the study for three metrics: percentage of the workforce who did work from home in 2019 (9.6%), estimated percentage of the workforce who are able to work from home (35.44%) and 2019 poverty rate (7.5%). Additionally, Plano has the 14^th-lowest October 2020 unemployment rate, at 5.2%.

4. Gilbert, AZ

Working from home often requires more space, whether thatâs a dedicated room or section of a room where one sets up shop. Gilbert, Arizona â one of our best cities to buy an affordable home â has the potential for just that, with a high percentage of residences that have two or more bedrooms. Census Bureau data shows that 96.3% of Gilbert apartments and homes have two or more bedrooms, the highest percentage for this metric in our study. Gilbert also ranks well in our study due to its high percentage of the workforce that worked from home in 2019 (9.5%) and relatively low poverty rate (4.6%).

5. St. Petersburg, FL

With particularly strong low unemployment numbers, St. Petersburg, Florida takes the No. 5 spot. As of October 2020, the greater Pinellas County unemployment rate was just 5.2%, which is 1.5 percentage points below the national average. Remote work has also grown more popular here over the years: The percentage of the workforce working from home grew by 4.6% in St. Petersburg from 2014 to 2019, the third-highest increase in the study.

6. Durham, NC

Durham, North Carolina ranks in the top third of cities across six of the seven metrics we considered, only falling behind for its high poverty rate (15.2%). Durham had the 10^th-highest 2014-2019 increase in the study of the percentage of the workforce working from home â and as of 2019, more than 7% of the cityâs workforce worked remotely. Taking into account recent changes during COVID-19, we estimate that an additional roughly 25% of the workforce could have telework flexibility.

The October 2020 employment rate in Durham stood at 5.7%. Furthermore, housing costs make up less than 36% of earnings and 86.3% of residences have two or more bedrooms.

7. Charlotte, NC

Charlotte, North Carolina saw the second-largest 2014-2019 increase in the study of the percentage of its workforce working from home, at 4.8%, such that in 2019, 10.0% of workers were remote. Charlotte ranks 23^rd-lowest out of all 100 cities for its relatively low poverty rate, at 11.2%.

8. Colorado Springs, CO

Though housing costs as a percentage of earnings are high in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the city ranks in the top quartile of cities for four metrics. It saw the seventh-largest 2014-2019 increase in percentage of workers reporting they worked remotely (3.6%), and it had the 13^th-highest percentage of 2019 remote workers (8.5%). Moreover, the cityâs 2019 poverty rate is the 12^th-lowest overall (9.3%), and it has the 17^th-highest percentage of homes and apartments with two or more bedrooms (87.3%).

9. Austin, TX

Working from home was on the rise in Austin, Texas prior to COVID-19. The percentage of workers reporting they worked from home increased by 3.7% over five years, from 7.1% in 2014 to 10.8% in 2019. With that increase, Austin had the third-highest 2019 percentage of the workforce who worked from home across all 100 cities. Employment in Austin has remained strong during COVID-19 relative to other cities. As of October 2020, its unemployment rate was 5.2% â the 14^th-lowest of 100 of the largest cities and 1.5 percentage points lower than the national average.

10. Fremont, CA

Fremont, California rounds out our list of the 10 best cities to work from home in 2021. Based on the occupational breakdown of workers, we found that upwards of 35% of Fremontâs workforce could work from home if necessary â a top-10 rate. Apartments and homes in Fremont also generally have the space for working from home. Census Bureau data shows that 87.7% of residences in Fremont have two or more bedrooms â the 13^th-highest percentage in our study.

Data and Methodology

To find the best cities to work from home in 2021, we examined data for the 100 largest U.S. cities. We compared those cities across seven metrics:

Percentage of the workforce who worked from home in 2019. Data comes from the Census Bureauâs 2019 1-year American Community Survey.
Estimated percentage of the workforce who can work from home. This metric was calculated using data from the Bureau of Labor Statisticsâ 2017-2018 Job Flexibilities and Work Schedules Survey and the Census Bureauâs 2019 1-year American Community Survey.
Five-year change in percentage of the workers reporting they work from home. This is the difference between the percentage of the workforce who worked from home in 2014 and 2019. Data comes from the Census Bureauâs 2014 and 2019 1-year American Community Surveys.
October 2020 unemployment rate. Data comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and is at the county level.
Poverty rate. Data comes from the Census Bureauâs 2019 1-year American Community Survey.
Housing costs as a percentage of earnings. This is median annual housing costs divided by median earnings for workers 16 years and older. Data comes from the Census Bureauâs 2019 1-year American Community Survey.
Percentage of residences with two or more bedrooms. This includes both owned and rented apartments and houses. Data comes from the Census Bureauâs 2019 1-year American Community Survey.

We ranked each city in every metric, giving a double weighting to one metric â the estimated percentage of the workforce who can work from home â and a full weighting to all other metrics. We then found each cityâs average ranking and used that average to determine a final score. The city with the best average ranking received a score of 100. The city with the lowest average ranking received a score of 0.

Deciding Where to Live?

Buy or rent? Even if you have the savings to buy a first home, be sure the switch makes sense. If you are coming to a city and plan to stay for the long haul, buying may be the better option for you. Additionally, a home may offer more space for people who do regularly work from home. However, if your stop in a new city will be a short one, renting may make the most sense. SmartAssetâs rent vs. buy calculator can help you see the cost differential between purchasing a home or apartment and renting.
Mortgage management. It is important when purchasing a home to know what youâll pay each month and for how long. To get a sense of what that might look like, check out SmartAssetâs free mortgage calculator.
Seek out trusted advice. No matter where you live, a financial advisor can help you get your financial life in order. Finding the right financial advisor doesnât have to be hard. SmartAssetâs free tool matches you with financial advisors in your area in five minutes. If youâre ready to be matched with local advisors that will help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.

Questions about our study? Contact us at press@smartasset.com.

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The post Best Cities to Work From Home in 2021 appeared first on SmartAsset Blog.

Source: smartasset.com

Best Places to Live on a $60,000 Salary â 2020 Edition

Posted on January 13, 2021 by Kathryn Perkins

Image shows a person's hands holding a paycheck taken out of an envelope just received in the mail. SmartAsset used various data to conduct its latest study on the best places to live on a $60,000 salary.

According to Census data, more than 17% of American households earn between $50,000 and $74,999, making it the income bracket comprising the highest number of people. This large cohort may not be among the most handsomely paid in the U.S., but strategically living in a place with robust employment opportunities and a lower cost of living can help Americans stretch their dollar further and enable them to sock away ample savings. With that in mind, SmartAsset decided to find the best cities in America for those with an annual income of $60,000, the sweet-spot of this range.

To find the best cities in America to live on a $60,000 salary, we compared 97 cities (all with a population of at least 60,000 and a median household income of between $55,000 and $65,000) across the following nine metrics: median household income, median monthly housing costs, housing costs as a percentage of a $60,000 income, entertainment establishments per 10,000 residents, civic establishments per 10,000 residents, percentage of people without health insurance, average commute time, unemployment rate and poverty rate. For details on our data sources and how we put all the information together to create our final rankings, check out the Data and Methodology section below.

This is SmartAssetâs second annual study on the best places to live on a $60,000 salary. Read the 2019 version here.

Key Findings

Smaller cities â especially in the Midwest â rank highly. It probably comes as no shock that big cities arenât making the cut here. Real estate and cost of living are just too expensive in big cities, and especially on the coasts. For true value, look to places a bit off the beaten path. Eight of our top 10 cities (all except Omaha, Nebraska and Lexington, Kentucky) have fewer than 300,000 people. Additionally, eight of our top 10 cities (all except Billings, Montana and Lexington, Kentucky) are located in the Midwest.
Under one grand. All but one of the top 10 cities in our study (Omaha, Nebraska) have median housing costs of less than $1,000 a month, or $12,000 a year, representing less than 20% a $60,000 income.

1. Sioux Falls, SD

The best city to live in on a $60,000 salary is Sioux Falls, South Dakota, according to the data we analyzed. Sioux Falls comes in sixth overall for two of our nine metrics: average commute time (17.4 minutes) and poverty rate (8.6%). It also comes in eighth for three other metrics: entertainment establishments (8.75 per 10,000 residents), civic establishments (13.00 per 10,000 residents) and July 2020 unemployment rate (5.8%).

2. Billings, MT

Billings, Montana has 13.08 civic institutions per 10,000 residents (the seventh-highest rate for this metric in the study) and 10.48 entertainment establishments per 10,000 residents (the sixth-highest rate in the study). Only 4.4% of the population in Billings is without health insurance â the sixth-lowest rate for this metric across all 97 cities we analyzed.

3. Lincoln, NE

Lincoln, Nebraska had an unemployment rate of just 5.0% in July 2020, the second-lowest ranking overall for this metric. Lincoln has 13.26 civic establishments per 10,000 residents, sixth-highest in the study. The city places 10^th overall for average commute time, with the average person going from home to work in 18.4 minutes.

4. Eau Claire, WI

Eau Claire, Wisconsin has an average commute time of just 15.1 minutes, ranking second-shortest in the study. The city places eighth for two other metrics: median monthly housing costs ($915) and housing costs as a percentage of a $60,000 income (18.30%).

5. Wyoming, MI

Wyoming, Michigan has a poverty rate of just 8.5%, ranking fifth-best across all 97 cities we studied. Wyoming places fourth in two separate metrics related to housing costs: median monthly housing costs ($880) and median housing costs as a percentage of a $60,000 income (17.60%). There are 12.01 civic establishments per 10,000 residents, ninth-highest overall.

6. Appleton, WI

The July 2020 unemployment rate in Appleton, Wisconsin was 6.1%, 10^th-lowest of the 97 cities for which we considered data. Appletonâs median monthly housing costs amount to $920 (an 11^th-best ranking) represent just 18.40% of a $60,000 income (also an 11^th-best ranking). Appletonâs other top-20 ranking is for a relatively low poverty rate of 11.5%.

7. Duluth, MN

Duluth, Minnesota has the highest number of civic establishments of any city we analyzed, at 15.62 per 10,000 residents. The city comes in third in terms of the percentage of residents without health insurance, at just 3.5%, and fifth for average commute time, at 16.8 minutes. While Duluth has a median household income of just $55,819 â ranking 88^th overall for this metric â it ranks ninth overall for both housing cost metrics we considered.

8. Omaha, NE

Omaha, Nebraska had the 11^th-lowest July 2020 unemployment rate in the study, coming in at 6.4%. The city places 20^th for its relatively low poverty rate, with 11.6% of the population living below the poverty line. Omaha is fairly expensive, with median monthly housing costs of $1,044, which represents 20.88% of a $60,000 income â ranking 31^st out of 97 in the study for both housing costs and housing costs as a percentage of income.

9. Cedar Rapids, IA

Cedar Rapids, Iowa has monthly median housing costs of $902, which is 18.04% of a $60,000 income. The city places seventh in our study for both of those metrics. Cedar Rapids has two other top-15 metrics: It ranks 12^th overall for the relatively low percentage of people without health insurance (5.5%) and 13^th overall for average commute time (18.7 minutes).

10. Lexington, KY

Lexington, Kentucky had the seventh-lowest July 2020 unemployment rate of the 97 cities we analyzed, at 5.7%. Median monthly housing costs in Lexington total $991, which is 19.82% of a $60,000 budget (a top-25 rate). Lexington also ranks 10^th out of 97 for its relatively high number of civic establishments, at 11.98 per 10,000 residents.

Data and Methodology

To find the best cities in the U.S. to live on a $60,000 salary, SmartAsset first created a list of the cities in which the population was at least 60,000 people and the median household income was between $55,000 and $65,000. We did this in order to find the cities where an income of $60,000 fell within the range of an average household. This resulted in a list of 97 cities, which we compared across the following nine metrics:

Median household income. Data comes from the Census Bureauâs 2019 1-year American Community Survey.
Median monthly housing costs. Data comes from the Census Bureauâs 2019 1-year American Community Survey.
Housing costs as a percentage of income. We calculated this by finding the median monthly housing costs as a percentage of a $60,000 salary. Data comes from the Census Bureauâs 2019 1-year American Community Survey.
Entertainment establishments per 10,000 residents. Data comes from the Census Bureauâs 2018 Business Patterns Survey. It is measured at the county level.
Civic establishments per 10,000 residents. Data comes from the Census Bureauâs 2018 Business Patterns Survey. It is measured at the county level.
Percentage of people without health insurance. Data comes from the Census Bureauâs 2019 1-year American Community Survey.
Average commute time. Data comes from the Census Bureauâs 2019 1-year American Community Survey.
Unemployment rate. Data comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and is for July 2020.
Poverty rate. Data comes from the Census Bureauâs 2019 1-year American Community Survey.

First, we ranked each city in each metric. From there, we calculated the average ranking for each city, assigning each metric an equal weight. Using this average ranking, we created our final score. The city with the highest average ranking received a score of 100. The city with the lowest average ranking received a score of 0.

Tips for Managing your Money With $60k in Income

Seek expert financial advice. If youâre making $60,000 a year, you might stretch your dollar further by living in a place with lower living costs. But no matter your salary, a financial advisor can help you make the most of your money. Finding a financial advisor doesnât have to be hard. SmartAssetâs free tool connects you with financial advisors in your area in five minutes. If youâre ready to be matched with local advisors, get started now.
Create a budget you can count on. If youâre trying to make your $60k salary cover all your expenses (and still have something leftover to save), consider using SmartAssetâs budget calculator.
Itâs never too early to be saving even a little for retirement. You work hard to earn that $60k a year. Now make that money work for you. Even if youâre on a relatively tight budget, try to make sure you save for retirement, perhaps using a workplace savings vehicle like a 401(k).

Questions about our study? Contact press@smartasset.com

The post Best Places to Live on a $60,000 Salary â 2020 Edition appeared first on SmartAsset Blog.

Source: smartasset.com

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Best Cities to Work From Home in 2021

Best Places to Live on a $60,000 Salary â 2020 Edition