11 U.S. States That Pay You to Move There [Up to $15k]

Relocating? These States Will Pay You To Move There!

I’ve moved at least a dozen times, and from experience, I can assure you that it adds up quickly! I once paid $5,000 for a year of healthcare and a visa!

So, if you’re thinking about relocation and want to save money, consider one of these states with financial incentives for new residents. 

This list isn’t about relocating worker grants (paid for by a company). Instead, these are programs offered by the state/city government and not dependent on your job! 

But there’s also a lot of fine print to read, so I’ll give you all the details so you can see where you’re eligible to move and how much you can make by moving there!

Location	Offer & Benefits	Eligibility Requirements
Alaska	Annual dividend from oil revenue (varies each year).	– Must live in Alaska for a full year before applying and intend to stay permanently.
West Virginia	$12,000 and a year of free outdoor recreation.	– Remote workers  – Must choose specific regions.
Topeka, Kansas	Up to $15,000.	– Civil Engineers at participating companies  – specific to transitioning military members and returning residents.
Lincoln, Kansas	$5,000 moving incentive, $5,000 retention, free lots.	– Only qualified jobs – Retention incentive after 2 years. Free lots for building homes.
Tucson, Arizona	Remote Tucson program benefits up to $9,000 (waitlist for future openings).	– New remote workers only.  – Specific program details and benefits vary.
Tulsa, Oklahoma	$10,000 remote worker grant.	– Have a full-time remote job. – Lived outside Oklahoma for the past 12 months.  – Move within 12 months of the grant.
Newton, Iowa	$10,000	– Must buy a house valued over $250,000 in new development.
Shoals, Alabama	$10,000 cash.	– Remote workers earning at least $52,000 annually.  – Not self-employed in specified counties – move within 6 months of approval.
Hamilton, Ohio	Up to $15,000.	– Recent college graduates (within the last 7 years) – active in the community – STEAM degree – get a job in Butler County or professional remote work
Mattoon, Illinois	$11,703 total value, including $5,000 cash.	Remote workers; specific program details and benefits vary.
Rochester, New York	Up to $19,000 in grants.	– Full-time remote workers  – move within 6 months of acceptance – currently live over 300 miles from downtown Rochester.

1. Alaska

You don’t technically get paid to move to Alaska, but all residents receive a share of Alaska’s oil industry revenue each year through the Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) program. 

The total payout is a percentage of the gas and oil surplus revenue, which varies each year. 

On average, residents of Alaska can expect between $1,000 and $2,000 per year. 

However, you won’t get paid right away when you move, unfortunately. New residents have to wait a full calendar year before applying, and you must demonstrate that you plan to stay permanently. 

Living in Alaska looks incredible. It has mind-boggling scenery and lots of opportunities to explore the outdoors. Most communities are small and have a really tight-knit community, but if you prefer to live in a city, just move to Anchorage! 

Even though you won’t get money to move to Alaska, the cost of living is low, and their annual dividend does help offset the costs over the years.

2. West Virginia

West Virginia is an underrated landscape with some of the best sections of the Appalachian Mountains. It’s also one of the best places to move to escape big-city life.

The Ascend West Virginia program pays $12,000 and offers each applicant a year of free outdoor recreation. That’s over $2,500 worth of rental gear and activities like ziplining, rafting, off-roading, and skiing. 

You can get paid $10,000 during your first year living in West Virginia, then $2,000 after the second year. 

I also love that WV coordinates social events and adventures for its Ascend program participants. I work from home and know how easy it is to stay inside all day, but this program helps make it even easier to integrate into the community. 

The only catch is that only 5 areas participate in the program: Morgantown Area, Greenbrier Valley, Eastern Panhandle, Greater Elkins, or New River Gorge. 

3. Topeka, Kansas

Kansas has a couple of cities that will pay you to move there, but Topeka is the most lucrative at up to $15,000.

The program is Choose Topeka, and I’ll start by sharing that it’s one of the least inclusive programs on this list. You only qualify if you are a Civil Engineer hired at a participating company in Topeka. 

I never plan on becoming an engineer, but I’d definitely consider this program if I did. 

Applicants must also find a local job since the program works with participating employers. The city pays 50%, and your employer pays the other 50%. 

It’s also contingent on if you rent or buy a home. If you’re renting, you’re only eligible for $10,000, while new homeowners can qualify for the full $15,000.

Topeka also offers free money to relocate for transitioning military service members and boomerangers returning to Shawnee County.

4. Lincoln, Kansas

To get paid to move to another state, look into options from Lincoln, Kansas. The city offers new residents an Employee Recruitment Program and free build-ready lots.

The Employee Recruitment Program gives you $5,000 to move to Lincoln as long as you get a qualified job within the city. After living there for 2 years, you can apply for another $5,000 retention incentive.

That’s a total of $10,000 to move to Lincoln long-term. But, like Topeka, this doesn’t apply to business owners or freelancers. 

Lincoln also offers free lots. You do have to pay for your house, but you can choose the layout and a free home site. The lots are typically in new communities, surrounded by good school districts, shopping, and restaurants. They’re also not far from downtown! 

5. Tucson, Arizona (Wait List)

Arizona is another state that pays you to relocate (even if you’re remote) through the Remote Tucson program. 

The first cohorts received almost $9,000 in benefits, including $1,000 cash, coworking opportunities, Airbnb sponsorships, and other perks from the City of Tucson. 

Their second cohort is still closed, but there’s a waitlist to sign up for future openings.

The city wants remote workers so they can bring in more money to the area through additional travel, visitors, and work conferences.

I have a friend who loves living in Tucson. It’s a college town with excellent food, coffee shops, breweries, and right next to Saguaro National Park.

If you move there, let me know how the Bacon PB&J Burger is at Cold Beers and Cheeseburgers!

6. Tulsa, Oklahoma

The Tulsa Remote program will give you a $10,000 grant and resources to move to Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Tulsa is a city that takes a lot of people by surprise. A lot is going on downtown year-round, and it has a huge arts district! 

The program is also open to a wide range of people. You just have to be at least 18 years or older and work remotely full-time. The program is for anyone who hasn’t lived in Oklahoma over the past 12 months. 

You also need to pass a background check before being accepted, and I’d brush up on your interview skills because this program requires a 30-minute interview with Tulsa Remote. 

The $10,000 is spread out over several months if you’re renting, or if you buy a house in Tulsa, you’ll get it all in a lump sum once you close. 

7. Newton, Iowa

Newton, Iowa, feels like a random place to live, but it’s only 30 minutes from Des Moines, and you can get paid $10,000 if you’re willing to buy a house.

The program is called the Newton Housing Initiative and comes with a welcome package of sponsored contributions from local businesses.

There is a new housing development corporation building new homes through 2026. As long as your new real estate value is over $250,000, you’re eligible to apply!

Renters, on the other hand, should look elsewhere. 

Iowa is a big agricultural state with a relatively low cost of living. Lots of people in Iowa hate that there’s no pro sports team, but I don’t necessarily see that as a con of living here. 

8. Shoals, Alabama

Muscle Shoals, a small town in northwest Alabama, wants to pay you to move there.

The Remote Shoals program gives $6,000 to 10,000 cash as long as you’re a remote worker and make at least 52,000 annually. It’s a tier system based on your income, so look here to see how much you’d get based on your income. 

You must also be 18 years or older and move within 6 months of being approved.

The payment comes in waves. Once you move to Shoals, you’ll get the first 25% right away, 25% six months after your move, and 50% after one year of living in Shoals.

‘The Shoals’ has a rich music history, mild winters, a regional airport, and is only a two-hour drive from Birmingham, Nashville, and Memphis. 

9. Hamilton, Ohio

You can get up to $15,000 to move to Hamilton, Ohio. The only catch is you have to be a college graduate within the last seven years and don’t already live in Hamilton. 

The government program is called the Talent Attraction Program Scholarship (TAP), run by the Hamilton Community Foundation. 

It’s kind of a reverse scholarship meant to help with student loan debt. The program is only for college grads who recently got a job in Butler County. 

On the application, they look to see if you would be active in the community and have a STEAM degree (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, or Mathematics). Remote work counts, too, as long as they view it as a professional role.

So, if you’re an online entrepreneur like me, it helps to get an LLC to show credibility.

10. Mattoon, Illinois

Remote working is insanely popular right now, and I’ve never felt more seen in my blogging career! Mattoon, Illinois, is another city looking to give remote workers money to move there. 

The total value of their offer is $11,703.

You’re probably wondering how much of that is cash versus perks. It’s about 50/50. 

You’ll get $5,000 cash, $3,055 in gift cards to local businesses and restaurants, and other local perks. These include a one-year membership to a coworking space, six months to the YMCA, six months of free storage, and six months of internet.

My favorite part is the pet welcome basket by Mars Petcare. Anything intentionally done for Theo wins extra points! 

11. Rochester, New York

Rochester, New York, offers up to $19,000 in grants through their Greater ROC Remote program.

The requirements are to be 18 years old, hold a remote job, and move within 6 months of being accepted. You’ll also need to currently reside outside of downtown Rochester by at least 482 km (300 mi).

NYC is 336 miles from Rochester, so my guess is that the program is specifically targeting people who are tired of living in the city and want more affordable living. 

So how do we get to 19,000? The first $10,000 is for relocating, and the extra $9,000 is an incentive for buying a home.

Rochester’s nickname is “the young lion of the West” because of the construction of the Erie Canal. Many people who move there love it, and many who leave “boomerang” a few years later.

Final Thoughts

If you make money by relocating out of state, there are quite a few more options than you’d expect.

As a remote worker, West Virginia, Tulsa, and Rochester sound most appealing to me! 

I’d also note that there is a reason they are paying you to move there. It’s often because not many people want to live there, and they are fighting a dwindling population. 

But that doesn’t mean they can’t be a great place for you. And if you’re already planning to move to one of the states, you might as well pick a city that pays you extra to be there!

What do you think? Ready to submit an application and move states? Check out my moving travel resources to help you out!