The WFH Hotspots of the U.S. REVEALED
- Colorado is America’s remote working capital of 2023, with the highest percentage of people regularly working from home, around 37%
- Mississippi is where people are least likely to work from home – only 12% do so regularly
Brand new data released by SelectSoftware Reviews reveals work from home hotspots across the U.S. in 2023.
The study analyzes the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey which reveals households where someone has worked from home in the previous seven days, and across a variety of demographic splits in each U.S. state including; age, gender, income, and educational background.
In 2023, Colorado has the highest percentage of people regularly working from home at least one day a week, at an average 37%. In contrast, just 12% of people in Mississippi work from home on a regular basis – the lowest percentage in the country.
Who's Working Remotely?(Demographic Data)
Massachusetts has the highest percentage of men and women working from home, at an average 38%, while Colorado is where women are most likely to work remotely, at an average of 37%.
Amongst Americans earning $25,000 or less, Utah has the most remote workers, at around 20%, while North Dakota has the fewest remote workers, with an average of 96% of employed people doing no work from home.
Remote work became a prominent trend in the United States prior to the pandemic, with many companies offering flexible work arrangements to their employees. Our findings reveal there are more Americans earning a significantly higher salary working from home.
The data also reveals Massachusetts has the highest number of workers earning $200,000 or more who work from home, with eight in 10 (81%) high-earning residents in the state regularly working remotely.
Many high-paid roles involve working with colleagues, clients, or partners from different parts of the world. Therefore, remote work will allow professionals to collaborate effectively across time zones without the need for constant travel, increasing productivity.
In contrast, lower paid jobs often involve tasks that require physical presence, such as retail, hospitality, healthcare, manufacturing, and manual labor. These jobs often involve hands-on work that cannot be easily performed remotely.
The data concludes Millennials (ages 25-39) are working from home most, with Massachusetts holding the highest percentage of remote workers at an average 48%.
When it comes to educational background, Maryland has the highest percentage (59%) of Americans working from home in 2023 who have a bachelor's degree or higher.
Utah has the highest percentage of Americans whose highest education is high school working from home in 2023, at 23%, while 20% of people in the state with less than a high school education work from home.
Future Prospects of Remote Work
The pandemic accelerated this trend as many businesses had to shift to remote work to maintain operations while ensuring employee safety. There are several trends and factors that could influence the future of remote working in the U.S.
Hybrid work models are becoming increasingly popular, allowing employees will split their time between working from home and working in a traditional office setting. This approach offers the flexibility and autonomy of remote work while maintaining a level of in-person collaboration.
Remote-First companies make working from home the default option with physical office work limited. This model can help organizations tap into a broader talent pool and reduce overhead costs associated with maintaining large physical office spaces.
More companies could also look at offering more flexible work arrangements, allowing employees to choose when and where they work, based on their individual needs and job responsibilities.
U.S. Remote Workers by State
U.S. Remote Workers by Gender
Male Remote Workers by U.S. State
Female Remote Workers by U.S. State
Sources: Census.gov