Mental Floss

The 10 Best States for Working From Home

Delaware ranks no.1.
ByCaLea Johnson|
Working from home is here to stay for many employees.
Working from home is here to stay for many employees. | MoMo Productions/GettyImages

Although working from home isn’t as common as it was early in the pandemic, it’s still part of many people’s routines. In 2024, the U.S. Career Institute reported that 26 percent of homes in the U.S. had at least one person working remotely for one day a week. Whether you’re looking to start or continue working from home, these states provide the best environment for the practice.

  1. The 10 Best States for Remote Workers

For this report, Wallethub compared all 50 states and the District of Columbia across two key factors: work and living environment. Both were evaluated based on weighted indicators, such as a state’s percentage of remote workers and its average electricity prices. All indicators were measured using a 100-point system, where a score of 100 represents the best circumstances for working from home. Finally, WalletHub calculated the weighted average of each state and Washington, D.C., and ranked the final scores.

Several East Coast states appear on the list, with Delaware ranking no.1. It received a score of 67.32 out of 100 thanks to its stellar internet accessibility. It has the third-lowest internet costs in the U.S., and it also boasts the country’s ninth-highest broadband internet access.

Up next is Utah (67.02). This western state has the lowest average electricity price on the list. Additionally, the average Utah home spans 2800 square feet, meaning that residents won’t feel caged in while working inside all day. Maryland rounds out the top three states for working remotely, with a score of 66.51. The state has the fourth-highest percentage of remote workers and some of the lowest internet costs.

Conversely, Alaska is the worst state for working from home, scoring 30.98. This may be partially due to the state’s low cybersecurity rating. Alaska also ranks 47th in potential telecommuters, or share of residents with jobs that can be done remotely.

You can find the rest of the best states for working from home below.

The 10 Best States for Remote Workers

  1. Delaware
  2. Utah
  3. Maryland
  4. District of Columbia
  5. New Jersey
  6. Connecticut
  7. Pennsylvania
  8. Massachusetts
  9. Washington
  10. New Hampshire

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