The US cities with cheap housing that'll pay you up to $15,000 to move there
With the cost of living at an all time high, certain US cities have decided to appeal to homeowners by offering a cash incentive to move there.
And now that the election has concluded, more than 20 percent of Americans say they are more likely to move now than ever before, according to a recent Redfin study.
Kansas, Oklahoma, Georgia, Alabama, and West Virginia are all taking part in the new trend, as some have directly focused on specific demographics.
Cities like Tulsa, Columbus, multiple communities in West Virginia, and The Shoals - a group of cities in Alabama - are attempting to attract people who work from home, while offering them thousands of dollars for relocating there.
Meanwhile, Kansas has launched its own initiative, the Choose Topeka program, which allows residents to receive up to $15,000 for simply relocating there, even if they don't work remotely.
Topeka, the capital city of the midwestern state, has a current population of about 125,000, but the area could very well grow with the new housing offer.
While new residents are eligible to receive up to $15,000, on-site workers can also earn $10,000 if they chose to rent in the area.
Residents who decide to buy a home in Topeka can make up to $15,000, while transitioning military service members, or those re-entering civilian life, are eligible to receive $5,000.
Topeka, Kansas (pictured) has launched a new program that allows anyone from across the country to move there and earn up to $15,000
Tulsa, Oklahoma (pictured) also have a program specifically to full-time remote workers who can receive a $10,000 grant for moving there
Former Topeka residents are also eligible to get their hands on $5,000 through the new program.
In order to qualify, workers have to purchase or rent a home as their primary residence within a year of moving to Shawnee County.
The typical cost of a home in the city as of October is $186,706, while the median rent cost is $950 as of December, according to Zillow.
In Tulsa, with a population of about 411,000 residents, remote workers can qualify for a $10,000 grant through the Tulsa Remote program.
In order to obtain the grant, people need to have a full-time remote job outside of Oklahoma, and have to have lived outside the state for at least a year before applying.
Once accepted into the program, which has already 'welcomed over 3,000 talented remote workers' so far, people will have a year to relocate there.
The mission of the unique program is to 'attract and retain remote workers whose skills and passions make Tulsa a more diverse and vibrant place,' according to the website.
The median price of rent in Tulsa as of December is $1,395, while the cost to own a home there is valued at $202,495, Zillow reported.
In The Shoals, Alabama - home to the cities of Florence, Sheffield, Tuscumbia and Muscle - remote workers have the chance to relocate there for up to $10,000. (Pictured: Exterior of FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals)
Columbus, Georgia is offering a similar deal through its Move to Columbus Program, where full-time work from home employees can receive $5,000 in cash toward their relocation fees.
The program is specifically for employees who earn at least $75,000 from a single income, and who live at least 75 miles outside the city prior at the time of applying.
Those that receive the generous offer have six months to pack up and move to Muscogee County, where Columbus is located.
The 2024 applications have since closed, but they are set to open back up in January 2025.
The city currently is home to approximately 200,000 residents, and has a typical home value of $163,916, and a median rental value of $995, according to Zillow.
In The Shoals, Alabama - home to the cities of Florence, Sheffield, Tuscumbia and Muscle - remote workers have the chance to relocate there for up to $10,000.
At home employees who make more than $52,000 or more annually can qualify for the Remote Sholas program, and have six months to move there once they've been chosen.
People can see if they're eligible in the next round of applications which will open back up on March 1, 2025, according to the website. Official selections for the program will be released in June.
Through the Ascend West Virginia program full-time remote workers can receive $12,000 for moving to five different counties, including Morgantown (pictured)
Presently, about 155,000 people live in the metro area. The median rent cost is $1,400 in Muscle Shoals, while the typical price of a home there cost $246,673, according to Zillow.
Americans who decide to move to specific towns in West Virginia also have the chance to earn money.
Through the Ascend West Virginia program full-time remote workers 'seeking a high-quality lifestyle' in the mountains can receive $12,000.
Workers have the option to relocate to five different communities, including New River Gorge, Greenbrier Valley, Morgantown, the Eastern Panhandle and Greater Elkins, according to the website.
Those who are accepted into the program also have access to 'free outdoor recreation' and have six months to move there.
The typical value of a home in Morgantown currently costs $268,416, while the median rent price is $1,200 there, according to Zillow.
