If you like working from home, Delaware is the place to be. The first state tops a new list of “Best States for Working from Home” compiled by personal finance company WalletHub. According to data used to determine the rankings, more than 13% of the workforce in Delaware works remotely, with almost 97% having the potential to do so. The state also has the third-lowest internet cost in the country, and the fifth-highest average home square footage.
Rounding out the top five states for remote work are Utah, Maryland, the District of Columbia, and New Jersey. The states landing in the bottom five (47 to 51) were West Virginia, Arkansas, Wyoming, Montana, and Alaska, respectively.
WalletHub researchers compared all 50 states and the nation’s capital across 12 key metrics. The data set ranged from the share of workers working from home to internet costs and cybersecurity, plus such factors as how large and how crowded homes are in each state. Together, these metrics show how feasible working from home is in terms of cost, comfort, and safety.
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“Working from home can save people a lot of money on transportation expenses, as well as make their work environment a lot more comfortable and their hours more flexible,” WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo noted in the report. “However, things like energy costs, internet speed, home sizes, and how many people live together can greatly impact people’s savings and productivity. While work-from-home jobs can be done anywhere, certain states make the practice much better than others.”
Even with more return-to-office policies popping up, working from home won’t go away, according to Danny Twilley, assistant vice president of economic, community, and asset development for the Brad and Alys Smith Outdoor Economic Development Collaborative at West Virginia University.
“There will be a leveling off of remote and hybrid work, but it is here to stay, with potential growth in hybrid work,” he says. “It has the ability to balance employers’ desire for more in-office time with the workforce demanding more flexibility. Moreover, as we start looking at migration and demographic shifts, particularly the declining population, there will be increased competition for talent. This will force many companies to adapt to those demands by offering flexible work opportunities. Coupled with the cost of physical office space for many employers and workers, remote and hybrid work can create win-win scenarios for both companies and employees. It can provide cost savings for companies while expanding their talent pool and, at the same time, allow employees to improve their quality of life by living where they want and reducing or eliminating time spent commuting.”
“Investing in remote work could be beneficial for companies,” added Anyi Ma, assistant professor of management at the University of Wisconsin-Madsion’s Wisconsin School of Business. “Doing so may make them more attractive to prospective job seekers. It could also expand their pool of talented candidates, as they would no longer be limited to individuals willing to relocate or those who require more flexible work arrangements. However, companies should also consider the nature of the job. For example, roles in manufacturing, lab work, frontline services, and those requiring frequent in-person interaction would likely benefit less from work-from-home policies.”
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