The 10 best cities in America for remote workers next year

A new ranking highlights the U.S. cities offering the strongest mix of affordability and quality of life for remote workers

If you’re a remote worker thinking of relocating to a new city, you want to choose somewhere that’s affordable, has a strong digital infrastructure, and a great local scene. But where exactly is that?

To find the best places for remote workers in 2026, CoworkingCafe, a listing site for flexible workspaces, evaluated U.S. cities with at least 200,000 residents using data across four categories: economy, remote work, connectivity, and infrastructure. Metrics included the share of remote workers, coworking space density, fiber coverage, median income, cost of living, walkability, entertainment availability, and airport access.

Continue reading to see which cities made the list.

2 / 11

#10: Denver, Colorado

Victoria Chen / Getty Images

Denver closes out the top 10 with a remote workforce that makes up roughly 25% of local workers and an extensive network of 93 coworking spaces. Strong fiber coverage and a high walkability score are pluses, but the average rent of $1,731 is significantly higher than in some smaller locales.

3 / 11

#9: Alexandria, Virginia

Grace Cary / Getty Images

Alexandria’s high-earning remote community benefits from a median income of $85,383 and 18.5 coworking spaces per 100,000 residents. The average rent is around $1,998, and fiber coverage provides a solid digital infrastructure for day-to-day work. The city’s 459 entertainment venues and access to two nearby airports make it especially convenient for remote workers who like to travel.

4 / 11

#8: Berkeley, California

Dee Liu / Getty Images

Berkeley has one of the highest remote work shares in the country at 31.5%. Although living costs and average rent of $2,765 are high, the city’s vibrancy, walkability, and 85 entertainment establishments offer a great environment for remote workers.

5 / 11

#7: Fishers, Indiana

Screenshot: Google Streetview

Fishers came in seventh place, with a median income of $70,009 and the lowest unemployment rate on the list. About 26.7% of its workforce is remote, and average rent of $1,389 keeps housing relatively attainable.

6 / 11

#6: Carmel, Indiana

Michael Godek / Getty Images

Carmel, at sixth, also delivers a strong environment for remote work, with 24.1% of its workforce operating from home. A median income of $71,688 paired with an average rent of $1,451 means an accessible local housing market, plus it has a low unemployment rate and convenient airport access.

7 / 11

#5: Sugar Land, Texas

JHVEPhoto / Getty Images

Nearly a quarter of Sugar Land residents work from home, and coworking availability reaches 13.67 spaces per 100,000 people. City residents have a median income of $65,424, average rent of $1,428, and an unemployment rate of just 2%.

8 / 11

#4: Cary, North Carolina

David Sweatman / Getty Images

Cary’s 30.6% remote workforce benefits from 60% fiber coverage and moderate public Wi-Fi access. Residents have a median income of $75,215, and the city has an unemployment rate of 2.4%, plus the average rent is on the lower end at $1,470.

9 / 11

#3: Boulder, Colorado

Boulder ranks among the strongest remote work environments with great public Wi-Fi availability, robust fiber coverage, and a remote workforce approaching 30%. Although the cost of living is higher and average rent reaches roughly $2,043, its low unemployment rate of 3.4% and entertainment and outdoor scene is great for remote workers.

10 / 11

#2: Frisco, Texas

Wirestock / Getty Images

Frisco came in second with the highest share of remote workers in the country at 33.7%, plus a solid network of coworking options. Residents see a median income of $80,378, a below-average cost of living, and an average rent of $1,522.

11 / 11

#1: Atlanta, Georgia

Riddhish Chakraborty / Getty Images

Atlanta came in first with the country’s highest coworking density and a remote workforce that makes up 25.6% of residents. With a median income of $60,600, average rent of $1,632, and a cost-of-living index below the national average, urban life in Atlanta is more attainable than it is in other big cities.