Rural towns offer perks for remote workers to relocate

States such as Indiana, Oklahoma and Maine are seeking remote workers
Incentives include thousands in relocation cash and free health insurance
High costs of living in cities are causing Americans to opt for relocation

Updated: Jun 14, 2023 / 01:16 PM CDT

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(NewsNation) — In a new trend sweeping the nation, remote workers are being incentivized with money and other perks to move from metropolitan areas to rural towns.

Workers are being paid anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000, and are being offered perks including free health insurance for a year, golf club memberships and sometimes even dinner with the mayor.

These incentives come as about 10% of all workers — or five times pre-COVID-19 levels — are now fully remote. This gives companies more geographic flexibility with staff, while also giving employees more options on where to live.

Websites such as MakeMyMove.com list communities across the country that are offering incentives for people to move.

These communities typically have eligibility requirements, including being at least 18 years old, having a minimum income of $50,000, being employed full-time, and having the ability to relocate while retaining your position. Most of these programs also require employees to currently reside outside the state to which they intend to move.

Maine is offering tens of thousands of dollars in student loan forgiveness for first-time home buyers. Tulsa, Oklahoma, is paying $10,000 in relocation cash, along with a free co-working space in its downtown area.

Indiana has also been one of the most aggressive states in going after remote workers.

With the cost of living in places like California and New York City shooting up, many people are looking for somewhere else to call home, and small towns are ready to capitalize.