Workin’ it
Dallas suburb plugs into No. 1 spot in ranking of best cities for remote workers
If you’re a remote worker living in Frisco, you might just want to stay put. A new ranking puts Frisco atop the list of the best cities in the U.S. for remote workers.
But it isn’t the only North Texas city to make the cut. Three other local places show up in the ranking: Dallas (No. 3), Arlington (No. 4), and Plano (No. 8).
DFW’s showing on the list stands in contrast to a recent report ranking Dallas as the U.S. city with the unhappiest workers and Texas as the state with the unhappiest workers. (Maybe more employers should allow people to work from home?)
For its remote-work ranking, Austin-based outdoor services provider LawnStarter examined data for 194 of the biggest U.S. cities covering 20 factors, including remote job opportunities, internet connectivity, cost of living, and availability of personal workspace.
Frisco scores particularly well in the workspace (No. 1), opportunity (No. 7), and safety (No. 7) categories.
Earlier this year, Frisco grabbed the No. 3 spot on SmartAsset’s list of the best cities to work from home, with Austin at No. 9.
Jeff Herman, editor in chief at LawnStarter, tells CultureMap that Plano benefits from a first-place tie for the best broadband coverage, while Plano clinches the No. 1 ranking for the lowest crime rate.
Overall, the state’s lack of an income tax and solid quality of life boosted all of the Texas cities in the top 20, he says.
Herman, who lives in Dallas, says that “some of the best cities for working remotely are just a short drive away from me. I just hope the power stays on if there is a deep freeze this winter. You need lights, heat, and internet to work remotely, and that wasn’t the case for days across much of Texas last winter.”
Here are LawnStarter’s 20 best cities for remote workers:
- Frisco
- Naperville, Illinois
- Dallas
- Arlington
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Tampa, Florida
- Plano
- Raleigh, North Carolina
- Cincinnati
- Houston
- Nashville
- Cary, North Carolina
- Chicago
- Denver
- Salt Lake City
- Charlotte, North Carolina
- San Antonio
- Arlington, Virginia
- Seattle
Outside Dallas-Fort Worth, LawnStarter’s top-ranked Texas city for remote workers is Austin. It lands at No. 12 in the connectivity category and No. 14 in the convenience category.
Last year, Austin earned the top spot on a list of the world’s best cities for freelancers, many of whom work remotely. In June, Apartment List ranked Austin the sixth best U.S city for remote workers; no other Texas city appeared in the top 10.
