Dozens Of US Cities Are Paying People To Move There To Work
If you have always longed to leave your hometown and spread your wings elsewhere but never had the time or the money to do so, here is your chance.
The Wall Street Journal has recently reported a list of 71 US cities that are willing to pay people to move there. Such schemes are a way to reach out to skilled employees to move to different cities and work remotely from there.
While the idea of being paid to move has been around for a few years now, it has only recently gained traction during the pandemic.
Indianapolis-based MakeMyMove is one of the organizations tasked with handling such programs. The movement, which began with just 24 cities, has grown to 71 as it has greatly appealed to a number of people looking to start afresh in a new place.
Some of the programs include a US$15,000 home grant given to those who move to Michigan and buy a house in its southwestern region. Topeka, Kansas, is offering the same US$15,000 handout, and there was even a point in time when famous sandwich joint Jimmy John’s was throwing in US$1,000 worth of sandwiches for free.
Out of all the schemes, Oklahoma’s Tulsa has attracted the largest number of people moving there between the years 2018 and 2021. The Tulsa Remote stratagem offered US$10,000, office space, and community events in exchange for a one-year deal.
Other local governments are offering US$12,000 in cash to move to their cities, along with free gym memberships, free babysitting, and free office space.
The plan mainly targets high-paid individuals, many of whom are from the tech sector. This strategy offers cities that have missed out on the tech industry boom an opportunity to capitalize on talent that might not have considered moving there in the first place due to a lack of opportunities.
With remote work on the rise because of the pandemic, these cities are in the perfect position to open their doors and entice more people to live there.
Above all that, given the dark cloud of a recession looming over the economy right now, it’s no wonder Americans are flocking to less densely populated cities where rent and housing are cheap.
[via The Hustle and The Wall Street Journal, Photo 126006492 © Sean Pavone | Dreamstime.com]
