What Are the Best States for Remote Work in 2026? Broadband & Cost of Living Ranked
South Dakota is the best state for remote work in 2026 with 93.2% broadband coverage and a cost of living index of 88. Rankings combine broadband access (30%), affordability (25%), safety (15%), livability (15%), and remote work adoption (15%) across all 50 states.
Where remote workers thrive
Remote work broke the link between where you work and where you live. If your paycheck doesn't depend on proximity to an office, the calculation changes completely. Instead of commute time and proximity to an employer, what matters is internet speed, cost of living, safety, and whether you actually enjoy living there.
We ranked all 50 states using a weighted combination of broadband coverage (30%), affordability (25%), safety (15%), livability (15%), and existing remote work adoption (15%). South Dakota leads the pack with 93.2% broadband and a cost of living index of 88.
The average broadband coverage nationally is 91.2%. All 10 of our top states exceed that, and most break 90%. Without reliable internet, the rest of the equation doesn't matter.
| Rank | State | Broadband % | Cost of Living | Safety Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | South Dakota | 93.2% | 88 | 66.9 |
| #2 | North Dakota | 98% | 89 | 62.5 |
| #3 | Iowa | 94.5% | 89 | 66.9 |
| #4 | Wyoming | 87.8% | 91 | 79.8 |
| #5 | Nebraska | 92.2% | 90 | 65.7 |
| #6 | Maine | 87.3% | 97 | 89.6 |
| #7 | Idaho | 87.5% | 91 | 80.5 |
| #8 | New Hampshire | 95.7% | 105 | 93.5 |
| #9 | Pennsylvania | 94.3% | 98 | 71.6 |
| #10 | Ohio | 92.3% | 92 | 60.5 |
#1: South Dakota
South Dakota leads our remote work rankings with 93.2% broadband coverage, a cost of living index of 88, and a safety score of 66.9/100. The median home runs $320,000, and 8.5% of workers already work from home. For someone earning a $100K salary remotely, living here instead of a high-cost state could mean saving $16000/year in cost-of-living differences alone.
South Dakota ranks #2 overall (81.8/100). The strongest category is education at 89.8.
#2: North Dakota
North Dakota combines 98% broadband with a cost of living index of 89 and $281,000 median homes. Already 6.3% of the workforce is remote. Safety score: 62.5. Livability: 47.3. Income tax at 2.5% is manageable.
North Dakota ranks #7 overall (76.6/100). The strongest category is affordability at 84.7.
#3: Iowa
Iowa combines 94.5% broadband with a cost of living index of 89 and $228,000 median homes. Already 9.3% of the workforce is remote. Safety score: 66.9. Livability: 34.9. Income tax at 3.8% is manageable.
Iowa ranks #15 overall (69.5/100). The strongest category is affordability at 85.0.
#4: Wyoming
Wyoming combines 87.8% broadband with a cost of living index of 91 and $484,000 median homes. Already 7.7% of the workforce is remote. Safety score: 79.8. Livability: 57.2. No income tax is the cherry on top.
Wyoming ranks #16 overall (69.4/100). Outdoor access scores 95.7 — a real perk when your commute is 30 feet to the spare bedroom.
#5: Nebraska
At #5, Nebraska offers 92.2% broadband, a cost of living of 90, and homes at $289,000. The 8.9% remote work rate and 65.7 safety score make a solid case.
Nebraska ranks #8 overall (74.9/100). The strongest category is education at 83.7.
#6: Maine
At #6, Maine offers 87.3% broadband, a cost of living of 97, and homes at $381,000. The 12.3% remote work rate and 89.6 safety score make a solid case.
Maine ranks #5 overall (77.3/100). Livability scores 61.8 — restaurants, arts, and community make up for the lack of office-cooler socializing.
#7: Idaho
At #7, Idaho offers 87.5% broadband, a cost of living of 91, and homes at $485,000. The 10.8% remote work rate and 80.5 safety score make a solid case.
Idaho ranks #13 overall (70.7/100). The strongest category is safety at 80.5. Net migration of +8.3/1,000 shows other remote workers have already figured this out.
#8: New Hampshire
At #8, New Hampshire offers 95.7% broadband, a cost of living of 105, and homes at $483,000. The 13.1% remote work rate and 93.5 safety score make a solid case.
New Hampshire ranks #1 overall (87.8/100). The strongest category is health at 100.0.
#9: Pennsylvania
At #9, Pennsylvania offers 94.3% broadband, a cost of living of 98, and homes at $283,000. The 11.8% remote work rate and 71.6 safety score make a solid case.
Pennsylvania ranks #23 overall (60.3/100). The strongest category is education at 79.6.
#10: Ohio
At #10, Ohio offers 92.3% broadband, a cost of living of 92, and homes at $241,000. The 9.8% remote work rate and 60.5 safety score make a solid case.
Ohio ranks #34 overall (49.1/100). The strongest category is affordability at 83.8.
Beyond broadband: what remote workers actually need
Fast internet is table stakes. After that, remote workers care about cost of living (especially if they're earning a salary pegged to an expensive metro), safety (you're home more hours of the day), community (working alone gets lonely), and outdoor access (you need reasons to leave the house). 1 of our top 10 score above 60 for outdoor access.
Tax policy matters too. 3 of the top 10 have no state income tax. For a remote worker earning $120K, living in a no-tax state versus one with 5% income tax saves $6,000/year. Over a decade, that's a down payment on a house.
Where remote workers are actually moving
Net migration data shows where people are voting with their feet. South Carolina (+12.7/1K), Idaho (+8.3/1K), Delaware (+7.9/1K) have the highest net domestic migration rates. Not all of these movers are remote workers, but the correlation between remote-friendly states and high in-migration is hard to miss.
The states losing the most people tend to have high costs of living, high taxes, or both. When remote work removes the job tether, the only reason to stay in an expensive state is personal — family, friends, attachment. For everyone else, the financial case for moving is compelling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q:What is the best state for remote work?
South Dakota ranks #1 for remote work in 2026 with 93.2% broadband coverage, a cost of living index of 88, and a safety score of 66.9/100. The state also has a median home price of $320,000 and 8.5% of workers already work from home. Rankings combine broadband access (30%), affordability (25%), safety (15%), livability (15%), and remote work adoption (15%). North Dakota and Iowa follow closely. For someone earning $100,000 remotely, living in South Dakota instead of a high-cost state could save thousands annually in cost-of-living differences plus potential tax savings.
Q:How important is broadband for remote work?
Broadband is the absolute baseline requirement — without reliable high-speed internet, nothing else matters. National average broadband coverage is 91.2%, and all of our top 10 remote work states exceed that threshold, with most breaking 90%. Broadband accounts for 30% of our remote work score because it's the infrastructure that makes everything else possible. Video calls, cloud collaboration, file transfers, and VPN connections all require consistent high-speed connectivity. States with gaps in broadband coverage, particularly in rural areas, effectively exclude remote workers from those regions regardless of how affordable or safe they are. The FCC defines broadband as 25 Mbps download / 3 Mbps upload, though many remote jobs require significantly more.
Q:Do remote workers save money by moving to cheaper states?
Often yes, and the savings can be substantial. A remote worker earning $120,000 in a state with a COL index of 90 instead of 130 saves roughly $24,000 per year in real purchasing power — that's the difference between a comfortable life and financial stress. Add potential income tax savings (moving from a 6% income tax state to a no-tax state saves $7,200 on a $120K salary) and the total financial benefit can exceed $30,000 annually. Over a decade, that's a down payment on a house, a fully funded retirement account, or significant investment capital. The key is ensuring the cheaper state also meets your needs for safety, social life, healthcare, and outdoor activities — pure cost optimization without considering quality of life often leads to regret.
Q:Which states have the most remote workers?
States with the highest work-from-home percentages include Colorado (16.5%), Washington (15.5%), Oregon (15%). These tend to be states with strong knowledge-economy sectors (tech, finance, professional services), high educational attainment, and good broadband infrastructure. High remote work adoption creates a positive feedback loop — more remote workers attract remote-friendly businesses and coworking spaces, improving infrastructure for the next wave of remote relocations. States with lower remote work rates tend to have economies centered on manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, and other hands-on industries where remote work isn't feasible. The national average WFH rate has increased dramatically since 2020 and continues to grow as more companies adopt permanent hybrid policies.
Q:What should remote workers consider beyond cost and broadband?
After broadband and affordability, remote workers should evaluate safety (you're home more hours of the day, so neighborhood safety matters more), community and social life (working alone can be isolating, so restaurants, social organizations, and cultural venues matter), outdoor access (you need compelling reasons to leave the house when there's no commute), healthcare quality (access to good medical care is essential when you're managing your own work-life balance), and tax policy (income tax, property tax, and sales tax all affect total savings). Among our top 10 remote work states, 1 score above 60 for outdoor access and 3 have no state income tax. The ideal remote work state combines fast internet, low costs, safety, community, and quality of life.