This City in Michigan is Considered One of the Best for Remote Workers
The American workforce is currently at a crossroads. Between the Covid-19 pandemic, the "Great Resignation", high inflation and housing rates, and low workforce numbers, many of us are reconsidering what a typical workday looks like.
Remote work became essential during the height of the pandemic and although Covid numbers continue to fluctuate, it looks like the option to work remotely is here to stay. It seemed to be a wake-up call for all of us when we realized just how much easier, accessible, and productive we were from the comfort of our own homes. There was even a time when us broadcasters were doing our radio shows from home!
Though many of us have returned to the office, there's still a large sector of the population who continues to work from home-- whether it be by choice or out of necessity. The website Ownerly.com has released their second annual report on the Best Cities for Remote Workers and for the first time a Michigan city has made the cut: When it comes to working remotely Midland, MI holds down the #12 spot out of 15 for remote workers in the Midwest, beating out cities like Wichita, KS, Mansfield, OH, and Fort Wayne, IN.
Ownerly says they analyzed over 445 cities across the U.S. and considered factors like housing/rent prices, cost of living, childcare rates, safety data, and wi-fi broadband speeds and accessibility-- which I'd say is the most important factor of all when working from home! I've heard countless horror stories when it comes to connectivity issues while working from home; poor wi-fi is enough to drive anyone mad.
Overall the Midwest and small cities were considered the best havens for remote working, with 14 of Ownerly's Top 25 cities having populations of 100,000 or less, which includes Midland. Any guess at which U.S. city claimed the #1 spot for Best Cities for Remote Workers?
Surprisingly Lancaster, PA ,which is located in the heart of Amish country, was named the most remote-friendly city in the nation. You can check out the full list here.