New research has revealed the best states to work from home, with Virginia coming out on top and Arizona taking the third spot on the list.
The study by ergonomic furniture brand Desky analyzed data on internet speeds, electricity costs per kilowatt-hour, and remote job vacancies in each US state to determine which states are best for working from home.
It found that Virginia is the best state for working from home. It has an average internet speed of 505.6 megabytes per second, electricity costs of 12.4 cents per kilowatt-hour, and 23 remote job vacancies per 10,000 people. The state ranks second for internet speeds across all states, and in the top five for job vacancies, giving it the top spot.
Washington takes second place on the list, with an average internet speed of 451 megabytes per second, electricity costs 9.79 cents per kilowatt-hour, and 14 remote job vacancies per 10,000 people. It ranks second for electricity cost and is in the top five for internet speeds, giving it the second-place spot overall.
Arizona comes third on the list. The state has an average internet speed of 396.1 megabytes per second, electricity costs 13.16 cents per kilowatt-hour, and 40 remote job vacancies per 10,000 people, the most of any state.
Delaware takes fourth place in the study, with an average internet speed of 469.7 megabytes per second where it ranks third overall in this category. Electricity costs are 13.21 cents per kilowatt-hour, and there are an average of 21 remote job vacancies for every 10,000 people.
Rounding out the top five is Maryland, which has average internet speeds of 506.7 megabytes per second which is the highest of any state. Additionally, electricity costs 13.92 cents per kilowatt-hour, and there are 18 remote job vacancies per 10,000 people.
Hawaii ranks bottom for working from home. It has by far the highest electricity cost, at 32.76 cents per kilowatt-hour, an average internet speed of 221.4, and only 9 remote job vacancies per 10,000 people.
The top ten best states to work from home
|
Rank |
State |
Average internet speeds (Mbps) |
Electricity cost (¢ price per kwh) |
Remote job vacancies per 10,000 people |
|
1 |
Virginia |
505.6 |
12.40 |
23 |
|
2 |
Washington |
451.0 |
9.79 |
14 |
|
3 |
Arizona |
396.1 |
13.16 |
40 |
|
4 |
Delaware |
469.7 |
13.21 |
21 |
|
5 |
Maryland |
506.7 |
13.92 |
18 |
|
6 |
Texas |
425.9 |
11.36 |
16 |
|
7 |
Tennessee |
351.1 |
10.79 |
19 |
|
8 |
Georgia |
414.9 |
12.26 |
17 |
|
9 |
Louisiana |
324.9 |
9.37 |
11 |
|
10 |
Oklahoma |
351.0 |
10.72 |
15 |
Commenting on the findings, Justin Marshall, founder of Desky, said: “Working from home has become a widespread thing not only in the US but across the globe; even the ‘norm’ for certain companies. In most cases it is cheaper than being in the office through the lack of commuting.
However, it does come with its costs, including an increase in utility usage and guaranteeing a reliable internet connection. While the location isn’t as important when remote working, the state you live in is and the infrastructure can affect your home working experience.”
