Best cities for hybrid working in 2024

With the help of tools like VPN services, those who can work from home normally do so. The rise of hybrid working following the COVID-19 pandemic has changed how people think about their careers and work/life balance. With remote and hybrid working models becoming widespread and seemingly here to stay, Americans and all workers worldwide have seen a shift in priorities when looking for new roles, challenges and even homes.

Our experts have gathered and analyzed statistics relating to the best cities for hybrid working in 2024, comparing cities by the average income, internet availability, well-being scores and commute times. If you’re looking to find a new start in the U.S. and make the most of your hybrid working setup, these are the factors you’ll need to consider.

Key findings

• Our research shows that Colorado Springs is the best city for hybrid workers, with over 37% of households within the state of Colorado working remotely at least once a week — only Washington, D.C., had more (53.79%).¹¹
• Tucson, Arizona, came in the top 10 for four different ranking factors: the number of free Wi-Fi spots,⁷ the shortest average commute times,¹ living wages³ and housing costs.⁴
• Wichita is, overall, the most affordable city for remote workers to live in. The city offers the second-best living wage³ and second-lowest housing costs,⁴ alongside low unemployment in the state,⁵ plenty of free Wi-Fi spots⁷ and one of the shortest average commute times.¹
• If Wi-Fi is a priority, Austin, Texas, might be a good fit. It has the best combination of internet speeds and free Wi-Fi availability across the whole country.^6,7 

Top 10 cities for hybrid working

Colorado Springs, Colorado, is statistically the best city in the U.S. for hybrid workers, according to our extensive research. The state of Colorado has the second-highest proportion of households working in a hybrid model in the country, with only Washington, D.C., having more.¹¹ Colorado Springs also:

• Offers around 630 Wi-Fi hotspots.⁷
• An average commuting time of 21.9 minutes.¹
• An average household income of $78,568.²

According to our research, Tucson, Arizona, was the second-best city for hybrid workers, performing strongly in several categories. Around 30% of households in Arizona work from home at least one day a week.¹¹

• Its average commute time is 21.8 minutes, the ninth lowest in the U.S.¹
• It's fifth when it comes to monthly housing costs ($1,014).⁴
• Tucson also offers almost 1,000 free Wi-Fi hotspots⁷ and has the second most free hotspots per 100,000 people in the country.

According to our research, Virginia Beach, Virginia, came third in the list, though it ranked well in several categories. Statistically speaking, Virginia Beach also has a low unemployment rate as of January 2024 (2.9%).⁵ 

• Around 32% of people in the state of Virginia work from home at least one day per week.¹¹ This makes Virginia Beach eighth overall in the U.S. for this statistic.
• Virginia Beach places 7th when looking at the number of free Wi-Fi hotspots per 100,000 people⁷ in specific U.S. cities.
• Notably, the city also places 10th when it comes to median household income.

Other notable figures included:

• Minneapolis, Minnesota: Around 34% of people in the state of Minnesota work from home at least one day per week.¹¹ This makes Minneapolis seventh overall in the U.S. for this statistic. However, when it comes to internet access, it only offers the 35th highest average download speeds.⁶
• Baltimore, Maryland: This city has the best overall download speeds (506.7 Mbps⁶), and the state has a low unemployment rate as of January 2024 (2.8%⁵). The state has 37% of residents working from home at least once per week.¹¹
• Wichita, Kansas: This city offers workers the shortest average commute time (18.5 minutes).¹ It also has the second-lowest average monthly housing costs ($930).⁴

The overall top ten cities for hybrid working, according to our extensive research, are:

1. Colorado Springs, Colorado.
2. Tucson, Arizona.
3. Virginia Beach, Virginia.
4. Portland, Oregon.
5. Minneapolis, Minnesota.
6. Denver, Colorado.
7. Baltimore, Maryland.
8. Mesa, Arizona.
9. Washington, D.C.
10. Austin, Texas.

States with the most hybrid workers

While the pandemic may have enforced fully remote working for some time, the principal impact seems to have been a switch to hybrid working for many. According to data from the Pew Research Center, around 41% of workers in the U.S. with jobs that can be done remotely currently work in a hybrid model — up from 35% per year previously.¹²

Washington, D.C., has the highest percentage of households with someone working in a hybrid model. It is the only city in the country with more than half of its households (53.79%) working remotely at least one day per week.¹¹

• Washington, D.C., has the third-highest average Wi-Fi download speeds (478.8 Mbps).⁶
• It has a low unemployment rate as of January 2024 (2.8%).⁵
• This, among other factors, makes Washington, D.C., the 11th best city in the U.S. for hybrid workers, according to our research.

Colorado is home to the cities with the second and third-highest number of hybrid workers, with over 37% of households working remotely at least one day per week.¹¹ There are also three cities from Arizona in the top ten.

Cities with the best download speeds and most Wi-Fi hotspots

Remote and hybrid workers know how crucial a stable internet connection is, something that might’ve been taken for granted when working in an office. Whether you work from your own home or a public space on a Wi-Fi hotspot, having internet access is vital for most remote workers. 

Research shows that, based on overall average download speeds and the availability of free Wi-Fi, Austin, Texas, offers the best internet access for remote and hybrid workers. Baltimore offered some of the highest average download speeds at 506.7 Mbps,⁶ while New York City has the highest number of total free Wi-Fi hotspots.⁷ However, Las Vegas had the highest number of hotspots per 100,000 people (New York is 16th in this category).⁷

Cities with the highest household income and lowest cost of living

One of the many benefits of hybrid and remote working is the ability to save money on costs like commuting. While this might encourage some to accept lower salaries or wages in exchange for the ability to work remotely, it’s important to ensure your income and costs are well balanced.

Based on the median household income ($59,277),² living wage ($14.96)³, and housing costs ($930 per month)⁴, Wichita, Kansas, is the most affordable city for remote workers. It also offers plenty of free Wi-Fi spots⁷ (76 per 100,000 people) and one of the shortest commute times (18.5 minutes).¹

Oklahoma City is ranked overall second best, but it’s an interesting case. While it ranks tenth for housing costs, there are comparatively few remote and hybrid jobs in the state. Likewise, Tulsa, Oklahoma, offers the fourth lowest housing costs in the country. However, the average household income in the city is $54,040 — 45th out of the top 50.²

Cities with the lowest commute times

While remote working offers many benefits beyond reducing certain living costs, many still prefer to commute to the office regularly. If you’re working a hybrid model, commute times will still be important. Across the country, Wichita, Kansas and Tulsa, Oklahoma offer the shortest average commute at 18.5 minutes.¹ 

Omaha, Nebraska, is the only other state to offer an average commute under 20 minutes (18.9),¹ while many of the top ten are cities in southern states like Tennessee, Missouri, and Arizona.¹ However, Colorado Springs, Colorado, the top city overall for remote and hybrid workers, is only tenth in terms of shortest commuting time with an average commute of 21.9 minutes.¹

Key hybrid working statistics

To summarize, here are some key statistics on hybrid working in the U.S.:

• 35% of workers in the U.S. work from home all the time if their job allows it, while 41% of workers are on a hybrid schedule.¹² 
• According to our survey, hybrid working schedules were most common with workers earning between $75,000 and $100,000 a year and least common with those earning under $50,000.
• Our survey also showed that 43% of those earning between $125,000 and $150,000 did not work remotely at all, more than in any other salary group.
• Hybrid and remote workers enjoyed more job stability in 2023, with only 17% changing jobs compared to 26% of full-time office workers.¹³
• Hybrid employees also had the highest levels of engagement, with 81% reporting high engagement with their jobs compared to 78% of remote employees and just 71% of on-site employees.¹⁴
• Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the most common days for hybrid workers to attend the office, while Friday was the last common, with only a third of respondents attending.¹⁵

You can find more statistics related to remote working and hybrid working on our Remote work statistics and trends in 2024 guide.

Hybrid work is here to stay 

There is no question that remote work is here to stay, even if on a hybrid schedule for many. Over 40% of people would consider a fully remote role if looking for a new job, 25% would consider a schedule with two office days — and only 16% would consider a job where you were required to be in the office all week.

Hybrid working offers the best of both worlds — and having a flexible schedule allows you to find the right balance. While some might only need a day in the office to fulfill their in-person needs, others might prefer more, and many may find that the economic and psychological benefits of remote working outweigh the perks of being in the office completely.

Our data allows you to examine the benefits and drawbacks of different cities when it comes to remote/hybrid work and a number of other factors you might find important. Whether you’re more concerned about the logistics of commuting and earning a living wage or worried about housing costs, you’ll be able to see which cities offer the best experience for hybrid and remote work. 

Sources

1. United States Census Bureau - Commuting Characteristics by Sex.
2. United States Census Bureau - Median Income in the Past 12 Months (in 2022 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars).
3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Living Wage Calculator.
4. United States Census Bureau - Median Monthly Housing Costs (Dollars).
5. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics - Metropolitan area unemployment rates.
6. HighSpeedInternet.com. 
7. WiFi Map.
8. United States Census Bureau - All Sectors: County Business Patterns… Selected Geographics: 2021.
9. Sharecare - Sharing is caring: A better index for insights & impact.
10. Oxfam America - Best and worst states to work in America 2022.
11. United States Census Bureau - Week 63 Household Pulse Survey: October 18 - October 30.
12. Pew Research Center - About a third of U.S. workers who can work from home now do so all the time.
13. Owl Labs - State of Hybrid Work 2023.
14. Quantum Workplace - The State of Remote Work.
15. Gallup - The Future of the Office Has Arrived: It’s Hybrid.