Dreaming of a fresh start? These towns and cities will pay you as much as $15,000 to move there.

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Jordan PandyJan 14, 2024, 23:44 IST
Dreaming of a fresh start? These towns and cities will pay you as much as $15,000 to move there.

Baltimore, Maryland, is providing down-payment and closing-cost assistance for prospective homebuyers through a lottery.Getty Images

  • Places across the US offer cash, homes, and other perks to lure remote workers and other relocators.
  • Insider rounded up the states, cities, and towns that will reward you to move there in some way.

Remote work and the search for housing that's affordable have permanently reshaped where people live — and cities across the US are noticing.

A number of places are offering new residents big incentives, like cash or free land.

Lillian Griffith, a 25-year-old data engineer, moved from Alpharetta, Georgia, to Tulsa, Oklahoma, in August 2022 to take advantage of the Tulsa Remote program, which granted her $10,000 simply for relocating to the Oklahoma city.

"The Tulsa Remote program is not some elitist program that only accepts people who work in high-paying positions," Griffith previously told Business Insider. "It's more about pulling people who can bring a good culture to the city."

While some cities are doling out cash for remote workers, hoping their presence will boost the local economy, others are looking to attract new talent. Hamilton, Ohio — a city of 63,000 about 20 miles north of Cincinnati — is courting recent college graduates with a program that offers up to $15,000 a year towards student-loan repayments.

Other cities are more interested in boosting their population. In Lincoln, Kansas, a small town about two hours north of Wichita, relocators can nab free residential plots of land just outside of the city's downtown if they agree to certain design guidelines.

Insider rounded up the places across the US that are dishing out perks to anyone who moves there.

Did you get paid to move somewhere? We'd love to hear about it. Email reporter Jordan Pandy at jpandy@businessinsider.com.

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A new lottery program in Baltimore wants to reduce upfront costs required for prospective residents to buy a home.

A new lottery program in Baltimore wants to reduce upfront costs required for prospective residents to buy a home.
Baltimore, Maryland.Cyndi Monaghan/Getty Images

Buying Into Baltimore is a program that will award $5,000 in down-payment and closing-cost assistance to a few lucky prospective homebuyers that enter a lottery after attending a special Trolley Tour that is held three times a year.

The prize is not limited to first-time homebuyers, but following the event applicants have 10 business days to make an offer on a home, have the offer accepted, and obtain a contract of sale, to be eligible to even enter the lottery. A special note for remote workers looking to make the move — the property must also be used as a primary residence.

A city on a lake in Minnesota wants to reimburse you for your relocation costs.

A city on a lake in Minnesota wants to reimburse you for your relocation costs.
Bemidji sits on an idyllic lake, pictured above, in Northern Minnesota.Dylan Kovach/Getty Images

Bemidji, a 15,000-person city in northern Minnesota, has a program offering remote workers interested in moving to the area six months of free internet service, a one-year membership to a coworking space, a one-year membership to the Bemidji Area Chamber of Commerce, and free access to community programs and events.

To qualify, movers must work primarily from home and be relocating from at least 60 miles away.

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Claremont, Minnesota, is also offering free residential plots to those with home-building means and plans.

Claremont, Minnesota, is also offering free residential plots to those with home-building means and plans.
Claremont, Minnesota.Google Maps

The Claremont House Lot Program is giving away single-family lots for free, as part of a qualified-buyer program, to families of two with a gross income of $91,800 or families of three or more making a total of $114,655 or less. Those with a higher gross income would need to pay $9,500 for their lot.

Even if securing the lot seems like a breeze, there are a number of things to keep in mind while building a home in Claremont, a town of just about 500 people about 80 miles south of Minneapolis. Homes cannot have less than 930 livable square feet; and they must have minimal landscaping and a double-stall garage.

Hamilton, Ohio, will assist recent graduates with their student-loan payments.

Hamilton, Ohio, will assist recent graduates with their student-loan payments.
A shot of the Butler County Courthouse in Hamilton, Ohio.Jon Gambrell/AP

Hamilton, Ohio — a city of 63,000 about 20 miles north of Cincinnati — is encouraging recent college graduates to apply for its Talent Attraction Program (TAP) Scholarship.

Scholarship recipients can get up to $15,000 a year towards student loan payments.

In order to qualify for the scholarship you must have graduated from a STEAM (science, tech, engineering, the arts, or math) program within the last seven years. You must not currently live in the city of Hamilton but have plans to move or live in what the city defines as one of its "urban" neighborhoods.

Applicants must demonstrate employment within Butler County or a full-time remote position. Preference is given to people "with a desire to give back to the community and become engaged in activities." Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

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Ketchikan, Alaska, will pay you up to $2,000 a year to live there and give you free internet.

Ketchikan, Alaska, will pay you up to $2,000 a year to live there and give you free internet.
Coastal village of Ketchikan, Alaska.Royce Bair/Getty Images

Ketchikan, a scenic coastal city near the southernmost tip of Alaska that is a 90-minute flight from Seattle, launched the Choose Ketchikan program in November 2021.

Applicants over 18 must be "fully employed." The individual or family must live outside Alaska while working remotely for a company that is also outside Alaska.

All Alaska residents get an annual payment from Alaska's Permanent Fund Dividend, which can be as much as $3,000 a year or more. Ketchikan is also offering new residents three months of high-speed internet for free.

A quaint town in central Kansas is giving away free land to build your home on.

A quaint town in central Kansas is giving away free land to build your home on.
Lincoln City Hall in downtown Lincoln, Kansas.Bob Weston/Getty Images

Lincoln, Kansas, a town of about 1,100, is offering free residential land plots just outside of the city's downtown. The city will grant the deed to people who agree to build a home on the lot — ranging from 14,000 to 35,000 square feet — as long as they meet certain design guidelines.

Before building the house, the applicant must provide a deposit of 8 cents per square foot — though the money is refunded upon the completion of the home. It's a modest request, since the cost to build a custom home in the state starts at close to $100 per square foot, according to one contractor.

According to LiveLincolnCounty, you do not have to be a resident of Lincoln, or even the state of Kansas, to participate in the program. And there are no regulations against building a home for the sole purpose of flipping it.

Lincoln has a deep culture of history with museums like the Post Rock Scout Museum and the Lincoln Historical Museum.

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Manilla, Iowa, is offering free plots of land to anyone who will build homes on them.

Manilla, Iowa, is offering free plots of land to anyone who will build homes on them.
A view of Manilla, Iowa.City of Manilla

Manilla — a small city in western Iowa — is offering free lots of land to anyone looking to build a single-family home. Twenty-two homes have already been built, and there are six additional lots up for grabs.

Manilla is also eliminating taxes on the homes built for the first five years.

A small city in Pennsylvania wants to give you a free fixer-upper.

A small city in Pennsylvania wants to give you a free fixer-upper.
Monessen is just south of Pittsburgh, pictured above.Ken Redding/Getty Images

Monessen, Pennsylvania, a small city located just south of Pittsburgh, is offering up free homes.

Monessen, once a vibrant steel town, is home to scores of vacant homes — so many that abandoned houses make up 10% of homes in the area, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The properties, all in varying states of disrepair, have accrued thousands of dollars in back taxes. If you choose to scoop one up, the mayor will clear the home's back taxes as long as you get the previous owner to sign the home over to you.

You also must commit to spending more than three times the amount of back taxes to fix the property up.

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A program in West Virginia is offering potential new residents $12,000 in cash.

A program in West Virginia is offering potential new residents $12,000 in cash.
A couple walks in downtown Morgantown, West Virginia.West Virginia Tourism Department.

West Virginia launched a program called Ascend WV to attract out-of-state remote workers to Morgantown. To be eligible, potential residents must be 18 years or older, able to verify remote employment, and willing to move to the city of 30,000 for two years.

Those accepted to the program are expected to relocate to Morgantown — a vibrant college town home to West Virginia University — within six months to receive $10,000 in cash paid out over the course of a year. Another $2,000 is to be paid at the end of the second year. Other perks of the program include a coworking-space membership and free outdoor-gear rentals.

In the fall of 2021, the program received so many applications — 7,500 — that the state partnered with Rocket Mortgage to offer the applicants that were not selected for the program $2,500 to put toward closing costs on a home in the area.

Ascend WV is now accepting applications for its next host city, Lewisburg, which is located in the southern part of the state, near the Virginia border.

Natchez, Mississippi, is luring remote workers with cash upfront plus more money each month for a year.

Natchez, Mississippi, is luring remote workers with cash upfront plus more money each month for a year.
The Dunleith Historic Inn in Natchez, Mississippi.StevenGaertner/Getty Images

Natchez, Mississippi is a historic city full of antebellum mansions on the banks of the Mississippi River, right on the border with Louisiana. Its history spans from the indigenous Native American tribe that gave Natchez its name to French colonists who built a bustling trade port.

Natchez has an incentive program, Shift South, that awards up to $6,000 to eligible workers to offset relocation expenses.

The program is specifically targeting "remote workers to relocate to Natchez to enjoy a lower cost of living." People who apply must show work with an employer outside of Natchez.

Benefits include a $2,500 payment for relocators, followed by $300 per month for one year. The program does require recipients purchase a home valued at $150,000 or more in order to be eligible.

"We are excited to be the first and only city in the Deep South to offer an incentive package like this to remote workers," Natchez mayor Dan Gibson said. "In this new day, where so many people are able to work from home, we can think of no better place than Natchez."

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Newton, Iowa, is offering homebuyers over $10,000 to buy a house priced at $240,000 or more.

Newton, Iowa, is offering homebuyers over $10,000 to buy a house priced at $240,000 or more.
The Jasper Country Courthouse in Newton, Iowa.Eddie Brady/Getty Images

The city of Newton, Iowa, is about 30 miles east of Des Moines and wants to give relocators who purchase a home there cash upon closing.

Newton is offering $10,000 in cash to those who buy homes valued at more than $240,000 and a five-year tax abatement for homes below that value. Eligible homes are single-family new builds that started construction in 2020 or 2021.

All newly purchased homes also come with the promise of a "Get to Know Newton Welcome Package" that includes gifts from local businesses and opportunities to attend events at iconic local spots, like the Iowa Speedway.

A handful of cities in Alabama is offering remote workers who move to the area $10,000 cash to be paid out over the course of a year.

A handful of cities in Alabama is offering remote workers who move to the area $10,000 cash to be paid out over the course of a year.
The view from a bridge in Florence, Alabama.JasmineImage/Getty Images

The Shoals in Alabama — a cluster of municipalities including Florence, Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia that straddles the banks of the Tennessee River — is offering remote workers $10,000 to move to the area. Located near the border with Tennessee and Mississippi, the four cities are just a couple of hours from hubs like Memphis, Nashville, and Birmingham.

The program offers $2,500 up front for relocation costs, then an additional $2,500 six months after moving there, and finally $5,000 at the end of the first year of residency.

Eligible applicants must be over the age of 18 and able to move to the region within six months, be employed outside of the area, and have a minimum annual income of $52,000.

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Tulsa, Oklahoma, is offering remote workers a $10,000 grant to put toward housing.

Tulsa, Oklahoma, is offering remote workers a $10,000 grant to put toward housing.
Jen Smith, a Tulsa Remote participant, in front of her Oklahoma home.Jon Ratzlaff/Tulsa Remote

Tulsa Remote, a program that started in 2018, is designed to draw new residents to Oklahoma. Since 2018, the program has aided more than 1,400 remote workers in relocating to Tulsa. And it has seen a 300% increase in interest as of 2022, program organizers told Business Insider in an email.

The program offers $10,000 which you can put towards purchasing or renting a home in Tulsa. The program also offers $500 travel reimbursements and a $150 Airbnb credit for applicants to get familiar with the area.

Insider interviewed four city folks from both coasts who made the move to Tulsa — and say it's the best decision they ever made.

To qualify for the program, applicants must be over the age of 18, live outside Oklahoma, have a consistent stream of income and the ability to work remotely, and promise to commit to moving to and living in Tulsa for at least one year.

The following cities and towns have at one time offered to pay people to move there, but didn't respond to Business Insider's inquiry about the status of those programs in November 2023.

A small town in Indiana is offering $5,000 to offset moving costs — and a "Grandparents on Demand" service.

A small town in Indiana is offering $5,000 to offset moving costs — and a "Grandparents on Demand" service.
A shot of downtown Greensburg, Indiana.Darron Cummings/AP Photo

Greensburg, a 10-square-mile Indiana town sitting smack in the middle between Indianapolis and Cincinnati, Ohio, is offering a number of incentives to potential movers.

The town worked with MakeMyMove, an Indianapolis-based group, to create the program, which offers anyone relocating to the area in the next six to 12 months $5,000 cash, roughly $2,000 in gift cards to local businesses, a yearlong membership to a local co-working space and the YMCA, and even access to a creative childcare program and other community building initiatives.

Greensburg's "Grandparents on Demand" program pairs newcomers with local senior citizens who can provide baby sitting services and even act as a stand-in at students' Grandparent's Day free of charge.

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Harmony, Minnesota, is granting up to $12,000 to build a home there.

Harmony, Minnesota, is granting up to $12,000 to build a home there.
Harmony, Minnesota.Jim Watson/Getty Images

Just 130 miles outside of Minneapolis, Harmony, Minnesota, is offering workers who move to the city up to $12,000 in cash rebates towards a new home.

The town is granting a minimum of $2,000 for you to build a new home or remodel a neglected one. The subsidy depends on the estimated market value of the newly built home or property in need of some tender loving care. If the home's estimated market value tops $250,000, you'll receive the maximum $12,000 rebate from Harmony's Economic Development Authority.

Spec homes qualify, too, if you want to skip out on the process of building a home yourself. Plus, there are no restrictions on income level or residency.

Harmony, which calls itself "The Biggest Little Town in Southeast Minnesota," has a population of less than 1,000 people and is home to Niagara Cave, one of the top ten rated caves in the US.

The state of Maine started a tax credit program that will reimburse college graduates for student-loan payments.

The state of Maine started a tax credit program that will reimburse college graduates for student-loan payments.
Bangor, Maine.Lawrence Whittemore Photography/Getty Images

Maine is luring remote workers by offering to help pay student loans for relocators through its Opportunity Maine Tax Credit program.

Regardless of where your employer is, if you live in Maine for the tax year and graduated college after 2008, you are likely eligible for a tax credit that could total up to $377 per month to go toward student-loan payments.

For graduates in STEM degrees, there could be additional perks refunding the entirety of your state taxes.

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Oahu, Hawaii, is offering free airfare and discounted hotel rates to those looking to work from somewhere sunnier for a while.

Oahu, Hawaii, is offering free airfare and discounted hotel rates to those looking to work from somewhere sunnier for a while.
The view of Oahu from aboard a Hawaiian Airlines flight.Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Hawaii is banking on long-term tourism to revive its pandemic-era economy.

A new program called Movers and Shakas, which is funded by a number of local businesses and organizations, is offering to pay the airfare of anyone looking to work remotely from Oahu and volunteer with a local nonprofit. Other perks for participants include discounted hotel stays and networking opportunities.

The first recipients of the flight funds were already selected — after there were 90,000 applications for 50 spots.

Applicants must be remote workers over the age of 18 who can commit to spending at least 30 consecutive days in Hawaii and are willing to participate in a community service activity like youth mentoring.

The Hawaii program differs from other programs in that it doesn't require a semi-permanent or permanent commitment to the area.

A small Illinois town is offering $5,000 to movers looking for work.

A small Illinois town is offering $5,000 to movers looking for work.
Quincy, Illinois.Quincy's Calling

Quincy, Illinois, a town of 40,000 on the Missouri border, has also launched a program to incentivize Americans to relocate there.

The Quincy Workforce Relocation Assistance Program is now offering movers who can get a job within the county a property-tax rebate of up to $5,000 after one year of living and working in the area. If you would prefer to rent, you can get a rental rebate of up to $3,500 after six months of residency and employment.

Remote workers aren't eligible for the program: New residents must take up employment in Adams County, where Quincy is located.

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Savannah, Georgia, is offering remote workers in tech $2,000 toward moving expenses.

Savannah, Georgia, is offering remote workers in tech $2,000 toward moving expenses.
Savannah, Georgia.Sean Pavone/Shutterstock

Savannah, Georgia, rolled out a program called the Savannah Technology Workforce Incentive amid the pandemic.

The program offers up to $2,000 in reimbursement for moving fees to remote workers who have already lived in Chatham County for one month. They either need to show they've signed a one-year lease or newly purchased a home.

Southwest Michigan is offering remote workers $15,000 toward a down payment on a home, along with other perks.

Southwest Michigan is offering remote workers $15,000 toward a down payment on a home, along with other perks.
The pier in Saint Joseph, Michigan.Raymond Malkemes/Getty Images

A string of ZIP codes in southwest Michigan, right on Lake Michigan, is looking to entice people decamping from nearby Chicago or beyond with up to $15,000 to put toward a home purchase and over $5,000 in additional perks. Those extras include memberships to athletic clubs, driving ranges, a coworking spaces, and more.

The first round of the program — called Move to Michigan — is already full, but applicants for the next iteration must be willing to purchase a $200,000 home in southwest Michigan. They must also be willing to become a full-time Michigander by securing a Michigan driver's license and claiming it as a primary residence. Applicants must also have current full-time, remote employment outside of Michigan.

Sign up for the program's newsletter for updates.

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Topeka, Kansas, is offering potential new residents up to $15,000 to move there.

Topeka, Kansas, is offering potential new residents up to $15,000 to move there.
Topeka, Kansas.Bajillion Agency/Choose Topeka

Kansas' state capital, Topeka, is teaming up with employers to offer cash to those willing to move there.

Participants of the program, called Choose Topeka, can receive up to $15,000 if they purchase a home in Topeka and secure a job in the area. Remote workers with work outside of the area can earn up to $5,000 toward rental costs or $10,000 toward a home purchase.

As an added bonus, Jimmy John's, the sandwich franchise, will throw in an extra $1,000 for anyone who moves within delivery range of one of its shops.

Tucson, Arizona, is offering remote workers perks and services worth about $7,500.

Tucson, Arizona, is offering remote workers perks and services worth about $7,500.
Tucson, Arizona.Nick Fox/Shutterstock

The University of Arizona campus is located in Tucson, the second-largest city in the state. A local economic-development organization launched Remote Tucson during the pandemic to lure remote workers to the area.

The program offers relocators $1,500 toward moving costs, one year of free internet, free trials at local coworking spaces, membership to a local cultural institution, networking opportunities, and more.

Eligible applicants must be over 18 years old, have full-time remote employment outside of the area, and be able to move to Tucson within six months.

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Vermont is offering $7,500 to potential residents looking for a new home and new employment.

Vermont is offering $7,500 to potential residents looking for a new home and new employment.
Burlington, Vermont.Getty Images

Vermont is looking to combat its labor crunch by offering out-of-state movers a grant to relocate.

The new program is offering movers $7,500 to live in Vermont and seek local employment in a role that is listed by the state's Department of Labor as one of the most in demand. Jobs on the list include restaurant work and construction.

Vermont is also rolling out a remote worker grant for new residents that work in the state for an out-of-state employer. That program is for those who relocate on or after February 1, 2022.

West Lafayette, Indiana, is offering a stipend up to $5,000 to remote workers who want to live where Purdue University is.

West Lafayette, Indiana, is offering a stipend up to $5,000 to remote workers who want to live where Purdue University is.
The campus of Purdue University in October 2018 in West Lafayette, Indiana.Michael Hickey/Getty Images

A new Purdue University program isn't recruiting students but remote workers.

The school is offering relocators the chance to live near campus in West Lafayette, Indiana, access university resources, and receive a $5,000 stipend that can be applied to anything from housing to moving costs or even co-working space.

Eligible applicants must have full-time remote employment and must be interested in relocating to West Lafayette from outside Indiana immediately.

Taylor Borden. Libertina Brandt, Leanna Garfield contributed to previous versions of this story.

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