The remote-work move
Same salary, cheaper ZIP code, a door that opened in March 2020.
$1,100/moone worker's extra savings after leaving the DC area
What they did
People in software, consulting, writing, and finance already had jobs that could move. That depends on field and employer.
What they did not choose
The pandemic made keeping a big-city salary while leaving a big-city rent possible almost overnight. The option did not exist in January 2020 for most of those workers, and it never arrived for hospitality, retail, or healthcare. One writer saved $550 a month on rent and $460 on commuting and lunches. NPR reported that a third of people who moved to Vermont said they were likely to stay.
Figures
- 14–23 million Americans planned to relocate because of telework (Upwork survey, October 2020, via NPR).
- One worker saved $1,100 a month moving from Falls Church, VA to New Wilmington, PA (Ready to Roth).
- A third of movers to Vermont said they were likely or very likely to stay (University of Vermont survey, NPR).
- 2020 movers ended in ZIP codes with home values about $27,000 lower, on average (Zillow, AP).