Thinking about working remotely? This might be something to peep before pulling the trigger and planting new roots.
A new study conducted by Wave Connect has listed the top 10 U.S. cities for remote work. Currently, approximately 32 million Americans work remotely, making up 22 percent of the working population.
The study by the digital business‑card provider analyzed the top 40 U.S. cities with the highest remote worker populations to identify where digital professionals can work and live most comfortably.
Related: These Are the Most Hated Airlines in the World
The study determined nine key factors: remote work culture penetration, median remote worker salaries, cost of living indices, annual rent expenses, restaurant spending, internet costs and speed, co-working space availability, and safety ratings.
The cities were then ranked based on their ability to provide proper digital infrastructure and strong income opportunities while maintaining reasonable living expenses.
The No. 1 U.S. city for remote workers in 2025
Frisco, Texas, came out on top with a near-perfect score of 99. The study determined that the city has everything a remote worker would want and need: fast internet speed, affordable rent, and high safety ratings.
Interestingly, the study concluded that 8 of the top 10 remote-work hotspots are actually in small cities with a population under 200,000.
The top 10 U.S. cities for remote workers
| City | Median Remote Worker Pay (USD) | Cost of Living Index | Average Rent (Yearly, USD) | Average Restaurant Spend (Yearly, 3x/week) | Internet Cost (Yearly, USD) | Internet Speed (Mbps) | Co-working Spaces per 10 sq mi. | Safety Index | Remote Work Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Frisco, Texas |
111K |
92.7 |
21.6K |
2.3K |
830 |
271 |
2 |
85.3 |
99 |
|
Cary, North Carolina |
109K |
97.8 |
21.6K |
2.8K |
766 |
231 |
2 |
82.1 |
97 |
|
Allen, Texas |
103K |
92.7 |
18K |
2.7K |
768 |
242 |
3 |
89.7 |
78 |
|
Bellevue, Washington |
132K |
114.2 |
34.6K |
3.5K |
888 |
236 |
6 |
71.7 |
71 |
|
Arlington, Virginia |
110K |
100.7 |
29.7K |
3.9K |
845 |
268 |
8 |
67.4 |
66 |
|
Plano, Texas |
96K |
92.7 |
19.6K |
2.8K |
768 |
254 |
4 |
77.0 |
57 |
|
Naperville, Illinois |
108K |
94.4 |
23.4K |
2.3K |
615 |
248 |
2 |
83.1 |
56 |
|
Highlands Ranch, Colorado |
95K |
102.0 |
21.6K |
2.3K |
920 |
259 |
0 |
71.1 |
54 |
|
Alexandria, Virginia |
113K |
100.7 |
28.4K |
3.1K |
804 |
236 |
17 |
41.5 |
51 |
|
Santa Clara, California |
109K |
144.8 |
36K |
4.5K |
810 |
715 |
5 |
64.4 |
49 |
