These are the best states for remote workers, new study reveals

A new study based on 11 metrics reveals the top states for remote workers

• Colorado takes the top spot for remote workers, thanks to fast internet, plenty of remote jobs, and a solid quality of life.
• Nevada and New York aren’t far behind, landing in second and third place with strong connectivity, good job markets, and decent safety ratings.
• If stretching your paycheck is a priority, North Dakota is a smart choice. It has the best balance between remote salaries and cost of living, even though it ranks fourth overall.
• For the fastest internet in the country, Delaware takes the crown. With an average speed of 246.95 Mbps, it’s perfect for video calls, big downloads, and seamless remote work.
• At the bottom of the list, Alaska, West Virginia, and Montana are the toughest places for remote workers, with slow internet, fewer job opportunities, and a lower quality of life.

Remote working is all about flexibility and freedom. For many, it brings a better work-life balance, more time for personal pursuits, and the chance to live anywhere. The benefits of remote work can be enjoyed from almost anywhere, but living in a state that truly supports remote workers can make the experience even better.

While being in one of these states won’t guarantee everything will be perfect, it will definitely make your remote working experience a lot better.

To find out the best states for remote workers, the research team at RemotePeople analyzed U.S. states based on 11 factors grouped into five main categories: Infrastructure and Connectivity, Remote Job Market, Safety & Security, and Quality of Life. These factors covered everything from internet speeds and living costs to job opportunities and overall living conditions.

Colorado has been named the best state for remote workers, with a score of 64.06 based on factors like internet speed, job opportunities, safety, and quality of life. The state offers fast internet, with an average download speed of 219.79 Mbps and mobile speeds at 101.12 Mbps.

About 21.2% of people in Colorado work remotely, and there are 67,246 remote-friendly job openings. While cybercrime is a concern, with 194 incidents per 100,000 people, Colorado’s overall safety score is still strong at 43.8.

Nevada comes in second with a score of 58.91, mainly because of its fast internet speeds. The state has one of the highest average download speeds at 220.91 Mbps and mobile speeds of 125.54 Mbps. The cost of living-adjusted salary for remote workers is pretty good at 1.75, but only 12.2% of the workforce works remotely. Cybercrime is a bigger issue here, with 308 incidents per 100,000 people (highest in the top 10), and air pollution levels are higher compared to Colorado.

New York takes third place with a score of 57.52, thanks to having one of the highest numbers of remote-friendly job postings at 73,240. The state also has a strong remote worker presence at 14.5% and an average download speed of 208.05 Mbps.

However, the cost-of-living-adjusted salary is lower at 1.15, and noise pollution is one of the highest in the country, scoring 485 on the index. Air pollution levels are also slightly higher than average, with a PM2.5 rating of 6.9.

North Dakota takes fourth place with a score of 56.69, offering the best affordability for remote workers. The state has the highest salary-to-cost-of-living ratio at 2.06, making it a great financial choice. It also has low cybercrime rates, with just 96.84 incidents per 100,000 people (lowest in the top 10), and a solid safety score of 47.9. However, coworking spaces are hard to come by, with only 0.89 per 100,000 people, the lowest among the top states.

Washington comes in fifth with a score of 55.77, thanks to a strong remote workforce at 20.5% and a solid job market with 66,735 remote job postings. While internet speeds are not as high as some top states, they are still competitive, with an average download speed of 201.11 Mbps.

Texas comes in sixth with a score of 55.33, offering the one of the highest average remote job postings, at 80,466. The state also has a sizable remote workforce at 14.5% and the third fastest average download speed among the top 10 states, at 225.74 Mbps. However, coworking space availability is lower, with just 0.97 per 100,000 people.

Oregon takes seventh place with a score of 54.49, excelling in job market strength and environmental quality. The state has a high percentage of remote workers at 19% and 65,718 job postings. However, coworking spaces are still limited, with only 1.06 per 100,000 people.

Rhode Island ranks eighth with a score of 53.58, offering fast internet speeds averaging 227.1 Mbps and a decent safety index of 59. However, noise pollution is a major concern, with a score of 1,272.67, the highest among the top 10 states.

Maryland ranks ninth with a score of 53.53, boasting the second-fastest internet speed of any state at 238.26 Mbps. The state also has a high share of remote workers at 19.2% and a strong job market with 65,459 postings. However, high noise pollution levels at 744.67 and moderate cybercrime rates of 157 incidents per 100,000 people impact its overall ranking.

Illinois completes the top 10 with a score of 53.51. The state has a good number of remote job postings at 69,693 and a remote worker share of 15.8%. However, coworking space availability is relatively low, with just 1.25 per 100,000 people. Noise pollution is also a concern, with an index score of 284.33.

The full list of the best states for remote workers:

Methodology

This study identified the best US states for remote workers by analyzing 11 different factors across four major categories: Infrastructure & Connectivity, Safety & Security, Quality of Life, and Remote Job Market. Each factor was carefully weighted to reflect its importance to the remote work experience, and data was collected for all 50 states. Scores for each factor were scaled from 0 to 100, where 100 represents the best performance.

Here are the factors, along with their respective weights:

Infrastructure and Connectivity

• Average Download Speed (Mbps) (Note: Faster internet improves productivity and reduces lag.) 15%
• Median Mobile Download Speed (Mbps)(Note: Important for remote work flexibility and video calls.) 10%
• Coworking Spaces per 100K residents (Note: More coworking spaces provide better work options.) 17%
• Annual Remote Salary to Cost of Living Ratio (Note: A higher ratio means better affordability for remote workers.) 20%

Remote Job Market

• Share of Remote Workers (Note: A higher percentage suggests strong remote work culture.) 8%
• Remote Friendly- Job Postings (Note: More job postings mean better opportunities for remote work.) 8%

Safety & Security

• Safety Index (Note: A higher safety index indicates safer areas for remote workers.) 4%
• Cybercrime per 100K residents (Note: Less cybercrime means a safer online work environment.) 7%

Quality of Life

• Average PM2.5 Air Pollution (Note: Cleaner air leads to a healthier living environment.) 4%
• Noise Pollution Index (Note: Less noise improves focus and work productivity.) 2%
• Parks per 100K People (Note: More parks improve mental well-being and work-life balance.) 5%