6 Cities and States That Pay You To Move There (Because Who Wouldn’t Want That?)

When 56 percent of professionals know someone who has quit their job after return-to-office mandates were set in place, it probably comes as no surprise that it’s become easier for a lot of people to consider relocating. Some states are taking note of that, too, and places that pay you to live there are starting to incentivize the entire experience — not only paying people to move there but also providing a stipend to continue living there. In fact, whether you’re riding solo or you have a family, you can likely find a state willing to work with your situation. How do you even begin searching for states that pay you to move there, though? How do you know you’re finding the best opportunities? What would they even look like? These answers are different for everyone, but we can help you get started. Here are a few of the best options.

West Virginia is one of the more nature-enriched states that pay you to move there, and you’ll see the evidence the second you step outside.

Program Details

Program:

• Ascend West Virginia

Incentives:

• $12,000 payment
• Free outdoor activities and gear rentals for 12 months
• Free coworking space
• Social programming
• Professional developments and entrepreneurial assistance

Requirements:

• Full-time remote worker or entrepreneur
• Must verify employment with a company outside of WV
• At least 18 years old

Application Process:

• Submit an application here
• If selected, participate in a virtual interview
• From there, final selections are made

Alaska’s incentive program dates back to 1976. All you have to do to receive this grant is remain in the state for an entire calendar year!

2. Alaska ($1,700 in Tax Incentives)

• Average rent (one-bedroom): $1,475
• Average home value: $368,500
• Cost of living: 116.5
• Great for: Sunsets, unique landscape, easy access to nature, history

With a terrain and lifestyle unlike anywhere else in the continental U.S., making the investment in moving to Alaska might just pay for itself in the long run. Do you get paid to live in Alaska, though?

In short, yes. Alaska’s incentive program dates back to 1976, and it’s called the Permanent Fund Dividend. How much do you get paid to live in Alaska? In the past, citizens have qualified for up to $1,600 for simply living in Alaska. For 2024 residents, however, the amount will be $1,702. All you have to do to receive this grant is remain in the state for an entire calendar year! Added bonus? Alaska has no state income tax.

Program Details

Program:

• Permanent Fund Dividend

Incentives:

• Up to $1,700 in tax incentives
• No state income tax

Requirements:

• Remain in Alaska for an entire calendar year

Application Process:

• No application necessary

Which Cities Will Pay You To Move There in 2024?

Want to get paid to move to a specific city? Look no further than Topeka, Tulsa, The Shoals, and Rochester. Here are the deets.

Choosing Topeka, Kansas, as your new home city could mean $15,000 in your pocket.

1. Topeka, Kansas (Up to $15,000)

• Average rent (one-bedroom): $875
• Average home value: $185,800
• Cost of living: 80
• Great for: Nice neighbors, sunsets, nature

Choosing Topeka, Kansas, as your new home city and state could mean $15,000 in your pocket. The fund is specifically for Shawnee County, but unlike other incentive programs, this one can work for both remote and on-site jobs.

For on-site jobs, your employer has to be willing to participate in a relocation incentive, you have to move to Topeka, and you have to purchase or rent a home within one year of your hire or move. But with this route? You can receive up to $10,000 for renting or up to $15,000 for purchasing a home. 

If you’re a remote employee, your employer must be located outside of Shawnee County, and it’s limited to one per household. There’s a minimum three-month waiting period for the incentive, but after that, you’re eligible for $5,000 for renting a home, or up to $10,000 for purchasing a home.

Program Details

Program:

• Choose Topeka

Incentives:

• $15,000 grant

Requirements:

• Move to Topeka for full-time employment
• Purchase/rent a home within Shawnee County within 12 months of move
• Employer must participate in matching funds

Application Process:

• Submit an application here
• Your employer must notify GO Topeka of your application for the program and be willing to fund it. After the first year, your employer must submit for reimbursement.

Tulsa might be one of the places that pay you to live there, but it’s also the one that boasts the most access to historic Route 66 and all of its attractions.

2. Tulsa, Oklahoma ($10,000)

• Average rent (one-bedroom): $975
• Average home value: $200,000
• Cost of living: 85.3
• Great for: Nature, great food, higher education, diversity

If you’re looking to live for a fraction of the cost of other large cities, Tulsa, Oklahoma, is a great option. The Tulsa Remote plan was initially launched in 2018 and offers $10,000 grants to eligible remote workers or entrepreneurs. If you’re chosen for the grant, you’ll also receive a 36-month membership to a local coworking space and help with finding your next home. Tulsa Remote also offers community-building events and meetups to help you engage with the community.

To qualify for the initiative, you have to be at least 18 years old, working remote full-time (self-employment works, too), and you have to be able to relocate within 12 months of acceptance.

Program Details

Program:

• Tulsa Remote

Incentives:

• $10,000 grant
• 36-month membership to local coworking space
• Help with your home search

Requirements:

• Full-time remote worker or entrepreneur
• At least 18 years old
• Able to relocate within 12 months of being accepted

Application Process:

• Submit an application here
• 30-minute trial interview
• Final decision made within two weeks of interview
• Once approved, you’ll have a 12-month window to move

The Remote Shoals program pays you up to $10,000 to move to and work from The Shoals in Alabama.

3. The Shoals, Alabama ($10,000)

• Median rent (all sizes): $700
• Average home value: $247,200
• Cost of living: 79.3
• Great for: Southern hospitality, nature, great food

Next up: The Shoals in Northwest Alabama. The Remote Shoals program pays you up to $10,000 to move to and work from The Shoals. You’ll receive 25 percent of the total amount up front to cover relocation costs, another 25 percent after your first six months, and then the remaining 50 percent after your first year living there. 
 
To qualify, you must be at least 18 years old, make $52,000 or more a year, and you must be able to relocate within six months of acceptance. You can be self-employed, but your place of work has to be located outside Colbert and Lauderdale counties.
 
One of the most appealing things about The Shoals? Its proximity. You’re only a two-hour drive away from Birmingham, Nashville, and Memphis. And if you want to fly, you’re only an hour from Charlotte.

Program Details

Program:

• Remote Shoals

Incentives:

• $10,000 grant
• Help with your home search

Requirements:

• Full-time remote worker or entrepreneur employed outside Colbert and Lauderdale Counties
• At least 18 years old
• Able to relocate within six months of being accepted
• Make more than $52,000 a year

Application Process:

• Submit an application here
• Participate in a video interview (these happen every two months)

Greater Rochester’s incentive program lets you access up to $9,000 in homebuyer grants, and includes other programs to help you get situated and network within the community.

4. Greater Rochester, New York ($9,000 in Homebuyer Incentives)

• Average rent (one-bedroom): $1,450
• Average home value: $217,400
• Cost of living: 88.6
• Great for: Young professionals, cafe work days, parks, accessibility

Wondering if there are places that pay you to live there in the Northeast? Surprisingly, you can now look to New York (maybe unsurprisingly if you’ve learned of the 431,000 residents that left the state between 2020 and 2022), over 300 miles north of the NYC city limits in the Greater Rochester region. The best part? Rochester is ranked in the top 100 best cities for young professionals in the country by Niche.

Once home to Greater Roc Remote, the program has since been rebranded to Greater Roc Relocate. You used to get paid to relocate and find a new home, with up to $19,000 in grants for remote workers — up to $9,000 in homebuyer incentives alongside a $10,000 direct relocation incentive. Now, you can still access up to $9,000 in homebuyer grants, but the relocation incentive has been replaced with “custom programming” to help you get situated, plus networking opportunities within the community. You’ll be able to pick from any of the area’s nine counties, and the amount you’re eligible for will depend on where exactly you’re moving from.

Program Details

Program:

• Greater Roc Relocate

Incentives:

• Up to $9,000 in homebuyer grants
• Tailored support to integrate into the community
• Professional networking opportunities

Requirements:

• Eligible to work in the U.S.
• Live at least 300 miles from Rochester
• At least 18 years old
• Able to relocate within six months of being accepted

Application Process:

• Submit an application here
• Participate in a video interview
• Once interviewed, you can visit the region and have expenses reimbursed up to $500 for one person and $750 for two more

What If You Don’t Qualify? These States Don’t Pay You To Move But Do Offer Other Benefits

If you’re reading this list of states that pay you to move there and you’re finding that you don’t meet any of the requirements, there’s still hope. Not everyone needs to get paid to move, but saving money along the way is certainly welcome. Finding creative ways to lower your cost of living while finding a great place to live has become essential, and we’re here with a few perfect places to find that exact opportunity.

Remember, you might not make cash by moving to the states listed below, but there are other ways to get paid.

New Hampshire isn’t the cheapest place to live on this list, but it boasts one of the lowest unemployment rates.

1. New Hampshire

One of the best ways to move with no money is to consider a location with a strong job market. New Hampshire isn’t the cheapest place to live on this list, but it boasts one of the lowest unemployment rates (and some great small towns to consider). There are a few different industries to pick from in the state, but the biggest is the smart manufacturing/high technology (SMHT) field. Other important sectors include healthcare and social assistance, retail, health, and hospitality. 

This, combined with an abundance of state parks and access to both beaches and skiing, means there’s no shortage of budget-friendly places to explore once you arrive in your new home state. The lack of a state sales tax is also appealing.

2. Iowa

• Average rent (one-bedroom): $1,225
• Average home value: $215,300
• Cost of living: 80.1
• Great for: Nature, low cost of living, no traffic, friendly people

Next up is Iowa. The city of Des Moines, in particular, is known for being attractive to retirees, but there are plenty of opportunities throughout the state for people of all ages. With a robust economy, access to major universities, and a cost of living that’s 20 percent lower than the national average, Iowa is appealing for many movers looking to keep their costs low. And if you’d rather find a quiet small town to settle down, you have plenty of options.

3. Arkansas

If the hit show Ozark has you interested in the area (we promise it’s much more tame in real life than in the show), see what Northwest Arkansas has to offer. The state once offered the Life Works Here initiative, where workers could qualify for $10,000 (paid in cash or crypto) to help with settling in, as well as a bike — to explore over 300 miles of mountain trails, 162 miles of paved trails, and the 37-mile Razorback Regional Greenway — or an annual membership to an art or cultural institute. Unfortunately, the program is no longer accepting participants, but it’s become a great place for STEAM (that is, science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) professionals and entrepreneurs, alongside many other talents.

And Fayetteville (one of six cities in the area) is ranked the 14th fastest-growing city in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Local measures have placed a large focus on welcoming new community members and building diversity throughout the region.

Pack and load on your own time with a PODS moving container delivered right to your driveway.

States That Pay You To Move There: Too Good To Be True?

A quick internet search will show you that, yes, there are some states that will pay you to move there in 2025. But are these programs legitimate? You’ll need to do your due diligence to ensure you’re looking at the real deal and not a scam. Does that mean you should pounce on a real deal? Possibly. It’s definitely worth looking into. MakeMyMove.com is a good place to start your research. The site lists all of the legit relocation incentive programs in the U.S. that remote workers can apply for.

Before you even begin your search, however, it’s wise to understand why you want to move in the first place. 

Sit down and create a list of questions. Be honest (that’s the key!), and know that there isn’t a right or wrong answer. Here are a few to start with:

• Why do you want to move out of state?
• What would you want your life in a new state to look like?
• What do you like and dislike about your state now? How would your new state be different?
• Are you looking for a change of pace or scenery?
• How soon do you want to be settled?
• What are you taking with you?
• How much are you willing to spend on the move?
• If you were to move, do you want to utilize relocation services with your move, or do you want to keep it simple with a moving truck?

The more transparent you are with yourself, the better. Your answers will help you narrow down which state may be the best fit for you and your situation. Not to mention, your answers will also help you narrow down your budget and get serious about saving.

Ready To Relocate to States That Pay You To Move There?

Filling out the application and figuring out your logistics is difficult enough on its own. You shouldn’t have to stress over your moving logistics, too. When you’re ready to make the move, PODS can help you get it done. Pack and load on your own time with a PODS portable moving container right in your driveway. When you’re ready, the container will be picked up and delivered to your new home in your new state. What’s easier than that? (Except maybe accepting payment to move to an exciting, new place.)
 
For more help with every other step of your move, check out more articles on the PODS Blog.

Kat Piccolo is a St. Petersburg-based freelance writer whose only roommate is their cat. A frequent PODS Blog contributor, Kat loves finding ways to make moving into new spaces simple and stress-free. Between yearly apartment hopping, you can find them on the waterfront or experimenting with new ways to make coffee.

Editor’s note: Average rent prices were obtained from RentCafe; average home values were obtained from Zillow; and cost of living scores were obtained from BestPlaces. For ease of reading, monthly rental prices were rounded to the nearest $25 and home values were rounded to the nearest $100.