The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many people in America into full-time remote work over the past year whether they liked it or not. As we start to turn the page on the pandemic, many American workers are considering staying remote if their employer lets them as a permanent working option. Because of this, many people are considering moving from their current location with their newfound freedom to work and live where they like.
CraftJack recently surveyed 2,888 American workers to learn more about their feelings towards permanent remote work, where they would move if given an option and compensation if relocating. They were eager to see if many Americans would leave the cities they live in currently for more secluded rural locations.
The survey began by asking a simple question to American workers. Would you move elsewhere, if given the opportunity by your employer to work remotely on a permanent basis. The survey found that a resounding majority of Americans (61 percent) said they would move elsewhere if full time remote work was an option. Looking at the most populated cities in America, CraftJack asked what percentage of people living in that city would move if work was permanently remote.
Listed below are the full rankings for the 24 most populated American cities:
1. New York City (76%)
2. Los Angeles (75%)
3. San Francisco (71%)
4. Chicago (65%)
5. Denver (64%)
6. Portland (64%)
7. Seattle (60%)
8. Atlanta (60%)
9. Dallas – Fort Worth (60%)
10. Philadelphia (60%)
11. San Diego (60%)
12. Austin (60%)
13. Nashville (59%)
14. Indianapolis (57%)
15. Cleveland (56%)
16. Charlotte (55%)
17. Boston (54%)
18. Houston (53%)
19. Detroit (53%)
20. Jacksonville (50%)
21. Miami (50%)
22. Minneapolis – St. Paul (49%)
23. Pittsburgh (49%)
24. Phoenix (48%)
To learn more about why people would leave the city they live currently, CraftJack asked American workers about the top reasons they would move from their current location. Listed below are the top reasons for wanting to re-locate.
For what reasons would you move?
1. To live in a bigger and better home (56%)
2. A lower cost of living from where I currently live (55%)
3. I would like to live where there is more access to nature (41%)
4. I would like to live closer to family and or friends (38%)
5. I would like to live somewhere with more things to do (37%)
6. I would like to live somewhere with a slower pace of living (27%)
7. I would like to live somewhere with better weather than my current location (27%)
Surprisingly enough is the fact that weather was not one of the top reasons for wanting to relocate. Traditionally many people often cite weather as a top reason to move. Surveyed respondents also said that the area they live is more important than the quality of living against its surrounding area.
There is a certain population that does not want to move, and actually likes the city they live in more now than they did before the COVID-19 pandemic. Listed below are the cities that current residents like living in more than ever and have no desire to move from.
1. Indianapolis
2. Miami
3. Portland
4. Jacksonville
5. Los Angeles
6. San Francisco
7. Atlanta
8. Houston
9. Minneapolis – St. Paul
10. Dallas – Ft Worth
The next part of the survey from CraftJack asked surveyed respondents about where they would like to move to specifically if given the opportunity to re-locate from their employer. Listed below is the top response for where residents in a certain city would move to:
- Atlanta residents would most like to move to Honolulu
- Austin residents would move like to move to Dallas
- Boston residents would most like to move to New York City
- Charlotte residents would most like to move to Honolulu
- Chicago residents would most like to move to Denver
- Cleveland residents would most like to move to San Francisco
- Dallas residents would most like to move to Seattle
- Denver residents would most like to move to Honolulu
- Detroit residents would most like to move to Nashville
- Houston residents would most like to move to Austin
- Indianapolis residents would most like to move to Chicago
- Jacksonville residents would most like to move to Tampa
- Los Angeles residents would most like to move to San Diego
- Miami residents would most like to move to Orlando
- Minneapolis residents would most like to move to Denver
- Nashville residents would most like to move to Tampa
- New York residents would most like to move to Washington D.C.
- Philadelphia residents would most like to move to Boston
- Phoenix residents would most like to move to San Diego
- Pittsburgh residents would most like to move to Seattle
- Portland residents would most like to move to San Diego
- San Diego residents would most like to move to Seattle
- San Francisco residents would most like to move to Washington D.C.
- Seattle residents would most like to move to Boise.
The survey next asked about where people though was the trendiest housing marketing on both the state and city level. Trendiest state to move to:
1. Texas
2. California
3. Florida
4. Colorado
5. New York
6. Tennessee
7. Washington
8. Arizona
9. North Carolina
10. Oregon
Trendiest city to move to:
1. Austin
2. Los Angeles
3. New York City
4. Denver
5. Nashville
6. Dallas/Ft. Worth
7. Miami
8. Atlanta
9. Chicago
10. Las Vegas
When relocating for remote work, 87% of Americans surveyed said they should be paid the same by their employer if they move to a more affordable area of the country.
Infographic by: craftjack
