Cities With the Most Remote Workers

Special Report

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Published: October 5, 2024 8:41 am

24/7 Wall St. Insights

Remote work has flourished in the small suburbs outside of large professional hubs.
On average, remote workers outearn in-person workers.
Apex, NC tops the list of cities with the most remote workers.
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Remote work has significantly altered the nature of work in the United States. Workers have the autonomy and mobility to live where they want, decoupling work from physical offices and reducing the footprint of commercial buildings nationwide. And while remote work trends are difficult to track on a national level, new commuting data from the U.S. Census Bureau reveals the cities with the most remote workers.

Remote work has largely flourished in the suburbs of expensive professional hubs like San Francisco and Seattle, where large shares of the workforce are employed in industries conducive to disembodied work environments such as tech and consulting. Pushed out of the city center by high cost of living, remote workers in large metros have moved en masse to the outer suburbs where goods are cheaper and housing more affordable.

The Seattle, San Francisco, and Atlanta metropolitan areas are each represented on the list of the top 50 remote work cities five times, the most of any MSA. The Denver and Washington, D.C. metro areas show up on the list four times, while three cities in the Los Angeles metro area make the list.

To determine the cities with the most remote workers, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data on commuting characteristics from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2023 American Community Survey. Cities were ranked based on the percentage of workers 16 years and older who reported working from home in 2024. Supplemental data on median earnings and total population is also from the ACS.

50. Redmond, WA

Workers who work from home: 25.4%
Median earnings for remote workers: $122,821
Median earnings for all workers: $118,970
Total population: 80,275
Metropolitan statistical area: Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA

49. Atlanta, GA

Workers who work from home: 25.5%
Median earnings for remote workers: $92,510
Median earnings for all workers: $64,462
Total population: 510,826
Metropolitan statistical area: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA

48. Portland, OR

Workers who work from home: 25.7%
Median earnings for remote workers: $77,340
Median earnings for all workers: $57,460
Total population: 630,395
Metropolitan statistical area: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA

47. Somerville, MA

Workers who work from home: 25.7%
Median earnings for remote workers: $82,062
Median earnings for all workers: $74,777
Total population: 80,407
Metropolitan statistical area: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH

46. Bellevue, WA

Workers who work from home: 26.0%
Median earnings for remote workers: $132,294
Median earnings for all workers: $104,130
Total population: 151,579
Metropolitan statistical area: Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA

45. Denver, CO

Workers who work from home: 26.0%
Median earnings for remote workers: $90,679
Median earnings for all workers: $62,335
Total population: 716,577
Metropolitan statistical area: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO

44. San Ramon, CA

Workers who work from home: 26.3%
Median earnings for remote workers: $133,457
Median earnings for all workers: $118,890
Total population: 84,942
Metropolitan statistical area: San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA

43. Boca Raton, FL

Workers who work from home: 26.4%
Median earnings for remote workers: $88,024
Median earnings for all workers: $60,071
Total population: 99,973
Metropolitan statistical area: Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL

42. Beaverton, OR

Workers who work from home: 26.5%
Median earnings for remote workers: $66,946
Median earnings for all workers: $59,749
Total population: 96,946
Metropolitan statistical area: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA

41. Folsom, CA

Workers who work from home: 26.6%
Median earnings for remote workers: $102,555
Median earnings for all workers: $86,909
Total population: 84,775
Metropolitan statistical area: Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA

40. Walnut Creek, CA

Workers who work from home: 26.6%
Median earnings for remote workers: $132,283
Median earnings for all workers: $91,349
Total population: 69,151
Metropolitan statistical area: San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA

39. Flower Mound, TX

Workers who work from home: 26.7%
Median earnings for remote workers: $96,153
Median earnings for all workers: $76,524
Total population: 79,292
Metropolitan statistical area: Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX

38. Mount Pleasant, SC

Workers who work from home: 26.8%
Median earnings for remote workers: $83,377
Median earnings for all workers: $65,906
Total population: 95,229
Metropolitan statistical area: Charleston-North Charleston, SC

37. Reston, VA

Workers who work from home: 27.1%
Median earnings for remote workers: $117,293
Median earnings for all workers: $80,991
Total population: 66,070
Metropolitan statistical area: Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

36. Redondo Beach, CA

Workers who work from home: 27.2%
Median earnings for remote workers: N/A
Median earnings for all workers: N/A
Total population: 67,750
Metropolitan statistical area: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA

35. Newport Beach, CA

Workers who work from home: 27.2%
Median earnings for remote workers: $96,948
Median earnings for all workers: $86,002
Total population: 82,627
Metropolitan statistical area: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA

34. Dublin, CA

Workers who work from home: 27.2%
Median earnings for remote workers: $151,643
Median earnings for all workers: $112,779
Total population: 69,129
Metropolitan statistical area: San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA

33. Washington, DC

Workers who work from home: 27.3%
Median earnings for remote workers: $114,439
Median earnings for all workers: $89,378
Total population: 678,972
Metropolitan statistical area: Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

32. Franklin, TN

Workers who work from home: 27.4%
Median earnings for remote workers: $91,519
Median earnings for all workers: $65,635
Total population: 88,558
Metropolitan statistical area: Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN

31. Scottsdale, AZ

Workers who work from home: 27.7%
Median earnings for remote workers: $90,962
Median earnings for all workers: $72,154
Total population: 244,421
Metropolitan statistical area: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ

30. Naperville, IL

Workers who work from home: 27.9%
Median earnings for remote workers: $108,315
Median earnings for all workers: $81,736
Total population: 151,220
Metropolitan statistical area: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN

29. Palo Alto, CA

Workers who work from home: 27.9%
Median earnings for remote workers: $148,736
Median earnings for all workers: $130,613
Total population: 65,881
Metropolitan statistical area: San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA

28. Sandy Springs, GA

Sandy Springs, Georgia (CC BY 2.0) by Paul Sableman

Workers who work from home: 28.0%
Median earnings for remote workers: $82,837
Median earnings for all workers: $65,188
Total population: 105,803
Metropolitan statistical area: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA

27. Bend, OR

Workers who work from home: 28.1%
Median earnings for remote workers: $88,817
Median earnings for all workers: $54,714
Total population: 104,554
Metropolitan statistical area: Bend, OR

26. Austin, TX

Workers who work from home: 28.1%
Median earnings for remote workers: $86,483
Median earnings for all workers: $61,685
Total population: 979,700
Metropolitan statistical area: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX

25. Alameda, CA

Workers who work from home: 28.1%
Median earnings for remote workers: $121,790
Median earnings for all workers: $81,367
Total population: 75,344
Metropolitan statistical area: San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA

24. Kirkland, WA

Workers who work from home: 28.2%
Median earnings for remote workers: $135,616
Median earnings for all workers: $91,360
Total population: 91,190
Metropolitan statistical area: Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA

23. Boulder, CO

Pearl Street Mall -- Boulder, ... by Lee Coursey

Pearl Street Mall -- Boulder, ... (CC BY 2.0) by Lee Coursey

Workers who work from home: 28.3%
Median earnings for remote workers: $77,246
Median earnings for all workers: $44,436
Total population: 105,893
Metropolitan statistical area: Boulder, CO

22. Carmel, IN

Carmel Indiana Theater Distric... by Carmel Central

Carmel Indiana Theater Distric... (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Carmel Central

Workers who work from home: 28.3%
Median earnings for remote workers: $96,089
Median earnings for all workers: $77,158
Total population: 102,091
Metropolitan statistical area: Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN

21. Seattle, WA

Space Needle - Seattle, Washington by Dougtone

Space Needle - Seattle, Washington (BY-SA 2.0) by Dougtone

Workers who work from home: 28.5%
Median earnings for remote workers: $109,501
Median earnings for all workers: $81,465
Total population: 755,081
Metropolitan statistical area: Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA

20. Arlington, VA

Workers who work from home: 28.6%
Median earnings for remote workers: $104,774
Median earnings for all workers: $91,665
Total population: 234,162
Metropolitan statistical area: Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

19. Highlands Ranch, CO

Workers who work from home: 28.8%
Median earnings for remote workers: $94,985
Median earnings for all workers: $75,712
Total population: 103,195
Metropolitan statistical area: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO

18. Carlsbad, CA

Workers who work from home: 29.1%
Median earnings for remote workers: $101,882
Median earnings for all workers: $71,524
Total population: 113,491
Metropolitan statistical area: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA

17. Cary, NC

Workers who work from home: 29.4%
Median earnings for remote workers: $109,422
Median earnings for all workers: $76,429
Total population: 178,883
Metropolitan statistical area: Raleigh-Cary, NC

16. Weston, FL

Workers who work from home: 29.6%
Median earnings for remote workers: $81,879
Median earnings for all workers: $70,872
Total population: 68,168
Metropolitan statistical area: Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL

15. Sammamish, WA

Workers who work from home: 29.6%
Median earnings for remote workers: $155,267
Median earnings for all workers: $130,686
Total population: 65,126
Metropolitan statistical area: Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA

14. Charlotte, NC

Workers who work from home: 29.7%
Median earnings for remote workers: $61,102
Median earnings for all workers: $51,775
Total population: 911,307
Metropolitan statistical area: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC

13. Castle Rock, CO

Workers who work from home: 30.1%
Median earnings for remote workers: $98,146
Median earnings for all workers: $74,332
Total population: 81,401
Metropolitan statistical area: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO

12. Roswell, GA

Workers who work from home: 30.1%
Median earnings for remote workers: $102,726
Median earnings for all workers: $72,099
Total population: 91,708
Metropolitan statistical area: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA

11. Queen Creek, AZ

Workers who work from home: 30.4%
Median earnings for remote workers: $76,983
Median earnings for all workers: $70,747
Total population: 76,046
Metropolitan statistical area: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ

10. Johns Creek, GA

Workers who work from home: 30.7%
Median earnings for remote workers: $106,917
Median earnings for all workers: $88,628
Total population: 81,119
Metropolitan statistical area: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA

9. Bethesda, MD

Walt Whitman High School Bethesda MD by G. Edward Johnson

Walt Whitman High School Bethesda MD (CC BY 4.0 DEED) by G. Edward Johnson

Workers who work from home: 31.1%
Median earnings for remote workers: $120,379
Median earnings for all workers: $111,115
Total population: 69,966
Metropolitan statistical area: Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

8. Leander, TX

leander1 by Texas State Library and Archives Commission

leander1 (CC BY 2.0) by Texas State Library and Archives Commission

Workers who work from home: 31.2%
Median earnings for remote workers: $117,847
Median earnings for all workers: $76,685
Total population: 79,853
Metropolitan statistical area: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX

7. Berkeley, CA

Workers who work from home: 31.3%
Median earnings for remote workers: $84,102
Median earnings for all workers: $61,245
Total population: 118,962
Metropolitan statistical area: San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA

6. Horizon West, FL

Workers who work from home: 31.9%
Median earnings for remote workers: N/A
Median earnings for all workers: N/A
Total population: 75,002
Metropolitan statistical area: Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL

5. Frisco, TX

Workers who work from home: 34.2%
Median earnings for remote workers: $111,302
Median earnings for all workers: $84,952
Total population: 225,009
Metropolitan statistical area: Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX

4. Broomfield, CO

Workers who work from home: 34.2%
Median earnings for remote workers: $96,827
Median earnings for all workers: $63,344
Total population: 76,860
Metropolitan statistical area: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO

3. Alpharetta, GA

Workers who work from home: 35.7%
Median earnings for remote workers: $105,313
Median earnings for all workers: $77,221
Total population: 67,054
Metropolitan statistical area: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA

2. Santa Monica, CA

Workers who work from home: 36.9%
Median earnings for remote workers: $104,151
Median earnings for all workers: $100,811
Total population: 89,939
Metropolitan statistical area: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA

1. Apex, NC

Apex Water Tower (CC BY 2.0) by Donald Lee Pardue

Workers who work from home: 38.0%
Median earnings for remote workers: $128,693
Median earnings for all workers: $101,064
Total population: 72,213
Metropolitan statistical area: Raleigh-Cary, NC

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