Cities Deploy Cash Incentives to Lure Remote Workers

Cumberland, Maryland, is paying up to $20,000 for people to move to its streets. The city launched a pilot program called Choose Cumberland to recruit up to 10 remote workers who are fully employed but currently live elsewhere. The goal is to reverse decades of population loss in a community that has seen its numbers drop from over 40,000 to fewer than 19,000 since the 1970s.

The financial structure of the Cumberland offer splits the total incentive into two parts. Recipients receive $10,000 in direct cash for relocation costs. They also receive an additional $10,000 for a home down payment or approved renovations. In exchange, participants must establish Cumberland as their primary residence for a minimum of five years.

Mayor Ray Morriss explained the strategy as a way to attract workers who bring their jobs with them. The city, located about 130 miles from Washington D.C., suffered economic losses when large manufacturing employers closed. Morriss noted that the population decline was a long-term trend that the new program aims to interrupt by targeting the growing remote workforce.

Cumberland is part of a larger national movement. A website called Make My Move currently lists more than 100 places advertising cash offers to potential new residents. Tulsa, Oklahoma, runs one of the most extensive programs. The Tulsa Remote initiative started before the pandemic and pays remote workers $10,000 to rent or buy a home in the city.

Justin Harlan, managing director of Tulsa Remote, stated that the program began as an experiment to diversify a workforce heavily reliant on oil and gas. The initiative has scaled rapidly. It started with about 70 participants in 2019 and has since grown to more than 3,500 people. While the program only requires a one-year residency, Harlan said the retention rate remains high.

Harlan reported that 90% of participants stay beyond the one-year requirement. Furthermore, 75% of all participants since 2019 still live in Tulsa. The organization works to integrate newcomers during their first 90 days by meeting with them individually to understand their needs and connect them with the local community.

Faith Langevin moved from Atlanta to Tulsa in 2022. She was drawn by the lower cost of living and the $10,000 incentive. Her husband, also a remote worker, received the same payment. Langevin said the financial incentive was a factor, but the social component made the move stand out. When asked if she had any regrets after three years, she answered that Tulsa is her home.

Evan Starr, an associate professor at the University of Maryland’s School of Business, studied the Tulsa program to understand how cities compete for remote workers. He found the retention rates to be a key indicator of success. Starr warned that cities do not want residents who come only for the money and leave as soon as restrictions end. He believes remote work is here to stay, creating a new level of geographic mobility for employees.

Local residents in Cumberland view the influx of new neighbors positively. Gino Giatras, whose family has operated a hot dog shop in the city since 1918, said he welcomes the change. He cited the people, weather, and activities as reasons to love the city. The program represents a direct financial response to the shifting nature of employment in American cities.