Here’s why Pa., N.J., and Del. rank among the best states to work remotely
The ranking considered work environment factors such as share of people working from home, households’ internet access, and cybersecurity risk.
While the number of remote workers has been shrinking locally and nationally, telework opportunities still exist. In Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and especially Delaware, conditions are favorable for those who work from home.
A new report by personal finance company WalletHub ranked all 50 states and Washington, D.C., from best to worst for remote workers.
The ranking considered factors such as share of people working from home, households’ internet access, and cybersecurity risk. It also took into account factors like price of electricity, access to low-priced internet, and size and availability of homes.
Delaware was ranked No. 1, New Jersey ranked No. 5 overall, and Pennsylvania ranked No. 7.
In Delaware, 13.3% of the workforce works from home, the report said. The First State has the third-lowest internet cost, and 97% of people have fast enough internet to work from home smoothly.
Similarly, in Pennsylvania 13.8% of workers do so from home and 15% in New Jersey.
Homes also offer plenty of workspace in Delaware, with the fifth-highest square footages of the states, and a median of 918 square feet per person. Pennsylvania houses had a median of 852 square feet per person, and New Jersey had 672.
“Working from home can save people a lot of money on transportation expenses, as well as make their work environment a lot more comfortable and their hours more flexible,” Chip Lupo, a WalletHub analyst, said in a statement.
About 16% of Philadelphia’s workforce worked remotely in 2023, showing a decline from the year before. Mayor Cherelle L. Parker last year required municipal workers to return to in-person attendance five days a week and encouraged area businesses to push their employees for more in-person attendance.
But some workers have pushed back on return-to-office mandates. Some see remote work flexibility as a necessity, not as an optional perk.
Demand for remote jobs is high — while 20% of job postings on LinkedIn are for remote or hybrid jobs, those posts are getting 60% of applications on the platform, CNBC reported last month.
“Things like energy costs, internet speed, home sizes, and how many people live together can greatly impact people’s savings and productivity,” Lupo said. “While work-from-home jobs can be done anywhere, certain states make the practice much better than others.”