Several states and cities across the United States are launching innovative programs to attract new residents by offering financial incentives. These initiatives are driven by the need to adapt to changing demographics and the new world of remote work. Tens of thousands more people are seeking out more affordable urban living and improved quality of life.
Of all these nascent programs, Ascend West Virginia truly dazzles. It features juicy carrots of up to $12,000 or more for folks willing to move. This new program provides a free outdoor recreation starter kit, highlighting the area’s natural beauty. It opens the doors to co-working spaces specifically designed with remote workers in mind.
Second, in Baltimore, the Buying Into Baltimore program promotes homeownership among new arrivals with incentives of up to $10,000. Through the program, participants can either receive rental grants or a lump sum after they purchase a qualifying home. In addition, the program provides a three-year membership to Fort Collins’ local co-working space, fostering local connections and collaboration among cohorts of newcomers.
Select Ketchikan brings incredible incentives of up to $2,000. If you’ve ever dreamed of living in the scenic Alaskan port town, now’s your chance—don’t miss out on this unique opportunity! School tuition assistance through each program can’t exceed $30,000 per person, but Choose Topeka provides $10,000 in relocation cash for people who buy homes costing over $240,000. This new program has very narrow eligibility criteria. It provides an additional emphasis to applicants who graduated from a STEAM program of study in the last seven years.
It provides new residents with up to $15,000 in incentives to bring their lives and dreams to Hamilton. Additionally, the program aims to serve individuals who reside beyond the border of Hamilton’s established neighborhoods. It doesn’t just welcome them, it invites them to relocate to this dynamic, growing community.
The Newton Housing Initiative isn’t just interested in making that happen. In addition to $10,000 cash relocation incentives, they include local business vouchers and event invites in their “Get to Know Newton Welcome Package” program, which aims to help build networks of recently arrived individuals and connect them with established local community members.
For those interested in relocating to Tulsa, the Tulsa Remote program offers financial support but requires applicants to have full-time remote employment outside of Oklahoma. Those who are accepted have to move to Tulsa within a year of being accepted. This groundbreaking move emphasizes the city’s determination to draw talent from across the country.
These programs are another sign of a major resurgence in which cities, towns and regions are proactively trying to build their populations up. Evan Hock, co-founder of MakeMyMove, notes that “for the first time, consumers are in the driver’s seat of where they live and work.” He points to the fact that people are more footloose and fancy free than ever thanks to remote work availability.
“They are moving from places like California, New York, Texas and Florida to places that maybe have a better quality of life. As far as they’re concerned, they’re looking for affordability and community connection.” – Evan Hock
Geographically, what’s notable is that most of the states involved in these national programs are from the Midwest, a region on the rise, according to Hock. Yet these areas may be the first to complain about growing pains from population in-migration or lack of homegrown talent. Through a combination of financial incentives and other innovations, they hope to recruit the talent that would otherwise head to bigger metropolitan areas.
The Buying Into Baltimore program requires homebuyers to participate in a Trolley Tour event where they complete all necessary requirements before qualifying for incentives. This is an excellent opportunity to absorb valuable lessons. In the process, it allows future residents to familiarize themselves with the community.
“The places that most commonly participate are places in the middle of the country. Lots of times, it’s places that have historically struggled to grow, or they’ve lost talent to city centers.” – Evan Hock
MakeMyMove serves as an online directory that highlights various cities and towns offering financial incentives for relocation. More importantly, it serves as a useful tool for people thinking of moving and offers a robust picture of the opportunities that are out there.
With few spots available in most of these programs, Hock recommends anyone who’s interested get moving fast.
“The seats are limited, so if you’re thinking about making a move, it’s free to apply and applying kind of gets your name in the hat, so take the plunge.” – Evan Hock
Whether it’s Nashville, Charlotte, or Denver, communities all over America are demonstrating a strong desire for revitalization and demographic diversity. These incentive programs offer a smart, targeted approach to attracting new residents.