Some cities will pay you to move there

Often, it can feel like your city wants all your money. Luckily, some cities are actually paying people to move there.

A recent report from The Wall Street Journal revealed 71 US cities and towns that are luring remote workers with cash and other perks, like free child care and coworking spaces.

• Michigan offers up to $15k in forgivable grant funds toward a home purchase in several southwest cities, plus perks.
• Topeka, Kansas, pays up to $15k toward rent or a home purchase. (At one point, Jimmy John’s even threw in $1k in sandwiches.)

Of these incentive programs…

… Tulsa Remote, which works in tandem with inTulsa, has attracted the most workers, with ~1.4k people relocating between 2018 and 2021.

• Tulsa Remote attracts higher-earning workers with $10k, office space, and community events in exchange for a one-year commitment.
• InTulsa keeps local talent from moving away by connecting them to local job opportunities, which it hopes will attract new startups and tech jobs.

And it seems to be working. Since the pandemic, college grads have moved in faster than they’ve left, per Tulsa World, reversing the so-called “brain drain.”

More to come?

Given the rise of remote work, soaring home prices, and inflation, more Americans may continue heading toward greener pastures.

Case in point: The median price of a Tulsa home is $187k, way less than in Austin ($677k+) and San Francisco ($1.63m).