Best Cities for Remote Workers: Where Your Tech Salary Goes Furthest
What Makes a City Great for Remote Workers?
Remote work lets you decouple your salary from your location. The ideal remote-work city combines a low cost of living with enough population to offer amenities, culture, and community. We ranked cities by their income-to-rent ratio weighted by population size — places where your dollar stretches furthest without sacrificing urban convenience.
The Top Picks
Madison, AL takes the #1 spot with median rent of just $1,375 and household income of $131,436. Rounding out the top five: Fishers, IN; Olathe, KS; Carmel, IN; Naperville, IL. These cities all offer rent well below the national median of $1,348 while maintaining populations over 50,000 for adequate services and lifestyle.
Full Rankings
| # | City | Rent | Income | Home Value | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Madison, AL | $1,375 | $131,436 | $367,900 | 58,335 |
| 2 | Fishers, IN | $1,491 | $128,141 | $370,200 | 100,918 |
| 3 | Olathe, KS | $1,314 | $112,232 | $340,600 | 143,720 |
| 4 | Carmel, IN | $1,607 | $134,602 | $455,500 | 100,501 |
| 5 | Naperville, IL | $1,852 | $150,937 | $509,900 | 149,424 |
| 6 | Cary, NC | $1,621 | $129,399 | $525,200 | 176,686 |
| 7 | Bentonville, AR | $1,238 | $108,465 | $370,700 | 56,326 |
| 8 | The Woodlands, TX | $1,792 | $141,353 | $479,400 | 116,916 |
| 9 | Shawnee, KS | $1,233 | $106,312 | $332,900 | 68,175 |
| 10 | Collierville, TN | $1,574 | $134,319 | $458,300 | 51,212 |
| 11 | Catalina Foothills, AZ | $1,332 | $113,201 | $604,100 | 51,756 |
| 12 | Frisco, TX | $1,902 | $146,158 | $595,400 | 210,238 |
| 13 | Lee's Summit, MO | $1,382 | $104,989 | $313,200 | 102,583 |
| 14 | Ankeny, IA | $1,279 | $106,603 | $311,300 | 70,542 |
| 15 | Sammamish, WA | $2,728 | $227,273 | $1,240,300 | 66,375 |
| 16 | Wake Forest, NC | $1,458 | $120,777 | $435,000 | 51,199 |
| 17 | Sioux Falls, SD | $993 | $74,714 | $271,400 | 197,642 |
| 18 | League City, TX | $1,628 | $119,870 | $334,000 | 114,885 |
| 19 | Appleton, WI | $957 | $77,450 | $211,500 | 74,873 |
| 20 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $925 | $67,859 | $177,100 | 136,859 |
Data Sources
All data from the US Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Individual experiences may vary based on neighborhood, lifestyle, and personal circumstances.