Cities offer up to $20,000 to remote workers seeking new homes

Cumberland, Maryland, is paying $20,000 to people who move to the city and work remotely. The new pilot program, called Choose Cumberland, offers a $10,000 cash bonus plus $10,000 toward a down payment or home renovations. The city will select up to 10 participants for the initial round.

Recipients must make Cumberland their primary residence for at least five years. Mayor Ray Morriss said the city wants to attract people who bring their jobs with them. "The people we are trying to entice are the people who are bringing their jobs with them," Morriss said.

Cumberland’s population has dropped sharply over the last half-century. It fell from more than 40,000 residents to fewer than 19,000 after major manufacturing employers closed beginning in the 1970s. The Appalachian community sits about 130 miles from Washington, D.C.

Tulsa, Oklahoma, runs one of the largest relocation incentives in the country. The Tulsa Remote program pays $10,000 to remote workers who move to the city to rent or buy a home. Justin Harlan, managing director of Tulsa Remote, said the initiative began as an experiment to diversify a workforce heavily reliant on oil and gas.

The Tulsa program started with about 70 participants in 2019. It has since grown to more than 3,500 participants. Tulsa requires only a one-year residency, but the organization reports a 90% retention rate after that period. Harlan said staff meet with each newcomer within the first 90 days to help them integrate.

Faith Langevin moved from Atlanta to Tulsa in 2022. She cited the lower cost of living and the financial incentive as primary factors. "Absolutely not!" she said when asked about regrets. "This is really home!" Her husband also works remotely and received the incentive.

Evan Starr, an associate professor at the University of Maryland’s School of Business, studied the Tulsa program. He noted that retention is key to preventing people from leaving once restrictions end. "You don’t want people only coming to your area for the money," Starr said. He added that remote work has opened a new level of geographic mobility because workers are no longer tied to their employer's location.

Gino Giatras, whose family has operated a Cumberland hot dog shop since 1918, said he welcomes the new neighbors. "The reason I love it is because of the people, the weather, the actvities," Giatras said.