Dreaming of a fresh start? These 25 towns and cities will pay you as much as $20,000 to move there.

• Places across the US offer cash, homes, and other perks to lure remote workers and other relocators.

• Insider rounded up 25 states, cities, and towns that will reward you to move there in some way.

• The requirements to claim the incentives vary from full-time residency to a real-estate purchase.

Remote work and flexible work schedules are here to stay.

In an attempt to benefit from the trend, a number of places across the US are offering new residents big incentives, like cash or free land.

Take Shannon Milliman, who moved from Portland, Oregon to Florence, Alabama in 2021 to take advantage of Alabama's Remote Shoals program, which offers $10,000 to those relocating.

"When I look back, that grant was the tipping point that made it a little easier for me, my husband, and our five children to choose this particular path," Milliman told Insider in September. "We genuinely wanted to give and receive in a new community."

Smaller cities like Quincy, Illinois are using these incentives to boost a declining population. It grants new residents property-tax or rent rebates, and city leaders have already seen improvement.

"We're definitely on the right path," Quincy mayor Mike Troup told Insider. "When you start with zero people moving to town and now have more than 100 in less than 18 months, I don't think the program can be described as anything other than successful."

Other places, however, don't care if you're a remote worker. Consider the state of Vermont, which offers out-of-state movers grants to find new employment there. Or Monessen, Pennsylvania, which is simply giving away abandoned homes. Then there's Tulsa, Oklahoma, which has the country's biggest program and gives movers $10,000 toward a down payment on a home. (People who took Tulsa up on its offer are loving it.)

Insider rounded up 25 places across the US that are dishing out perks to anyone who moves there.

Did you get paid to move somewhere? We'd love to hear about it. Email reporter Jordan Pandy at jpandy@insider.com.

Tulsa, Oklahoma, is offering remote workers a $10,000 grant to put toward housing.

Tulsa Remote, a program that started in 2018, is designed to draw new residents to Oklahoma. Since 2018, the program has aided more than 1,400 remote workers in relocating to Tulsa. And it has seen a 300% increase in interest amid the pandemic, program organizers told Insider in an email.

The program offers $10,000 which you can put towards purchasing or renting a home in Tulsa. The program also offers $500 travel reimbursements and a $150 Airbnb credit for applicants to get familiar with the area.

Insider interviewed four city folks from both coasts who made the move to Tulsa — and say it's the best decision they ever made.

To qualify for the program, applicants must be over the age of 18, live outside Oklahoma, have a consistent stream of income and the ability to work remotely, and promise to commit to moving to and living in Tulsa for at least one year.

A small town in Indiana is offering $5,000 to offset moving costs — and a "Grandparents on Demand" service.

Greensburg, a 10-square-mile Indiana town sitting smack in the middle between Indianapolis and Cincinnati, Ohio, is offering a number of incentives to potential movers.

The town worked with MakeMyMove, an Indianapolis-based group, to create the program, which offers anyone relocating to the area in the next six to 12 months $5,000 cash, roughly $2,000 in gift cards to local businesses, a yearlong membership to a local co-working space and the YMCA, and even access to a creative childcare program and other community building initiatives.

Greensburg's "Grandparents on Demand" program will pair newcomers with local senior citizens who can provide baby sitting services and even act as a stand-in at students' Grandparent's Day free of charge.

A city on a lake in Minnesota wants to reimburse you for your relocation costs.

Bemidji, a 15,000-person city in northern Minnesota, has a new program offering remote workers interested in moving to the area up to $2,500 in relocation costs, along with free internet service, a one-year membership to a coworking space, a one-year membership to the Bemidji Area Chamber of Commerce, and free access to community programs and events.

To qualify, movers must work primarily from home and be relocating from at least 60 miles away.

A program in West Virginia is offering potential new residents $12,000 in cash.

West Virginia launched a program called Ascend WV to attract out-of-state remote workers to Morgantown. To be eligible, potential residents must be 18 years or older, able to verify remote employment, and willing to move to the city of 30,000 for two years.

Those accepted to the program are expected to relocate to Morgantown — a vibrant college town home to West Virginia University — within six months to receive $10,000 in cash paid out over the course of a year. Another $2,000 is to be paid at the end of second year. Other perks of the program include a coworking-space membership and free outdoor-gear rentals, bringing the total value of the incentive to over $20,000.

In the fall of 2021, the program received so many applications— 7,500 — that the state partnered with Rocket Mortgage to offer the applicants that were not selected for the program $2,500 to put toward closing costs on a home in the area.

Ascend WV is now accepting applications for its next host city, Lewisburg, which is located in the southern part of the state, near the Virginia border.

A small city in Pennsylvania wants to give you a free fixer-upper.

Monessen, Pennsylvania, a small city located just south of Pittsburgh, is offering up free homes.

Monessen, once a vibrant steel town, is home to scores of vacant homes — so many that abandoned houses make up 10% of homes in the area, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The properties, all in varying states of disrepair, have accrued thousands of dollars in back taxes. If you choose to scoop one up, the mayor will clear the home's back taxes as long as you get the previous owner to sign the home over to you.

You also must commit to spending more than three times the amount of back taxes to fix the property up.

A region in Arkansas is offering potential new residents $10,000 in cash.

The Northwest Arkansas Council rolled out a pilot program that offers remote workers $10,000 in cash to relocate. Consider Fayetteville, a city in the Ozarks where the University of Arkansas is based, or Bentonville, home to the headquarters of corporate giants Walmart and Sam's Club.

The Council's program offers the cash alongside a street or mountain bike or annual membership to an art or cultural institution.

More recently, the program added another incentive program called Bitcoin and a Bike. Instead of cash, the Northwest Arkansas Council will gift relocators $10,000 in bitcoin. (And, yes, a bicycle is still included in the deal.)

To qualify, applicants must be over the age of 24 and have at least two years of work experience along with full-time employment. Applicants need to currently reside outside of Arkansas and must be able to relocate to Arkansas within six months of acceptance.

Unlike some of the other programs on this list, the Northwest Arkansas plan does not require you to purchase a home.

Vermont is offering $7,500 to potential residents looking for a new home and new employment.

Vermont is looking to combat its labor crunch by offering out-of-state movers a grant to relocate.

The new program is offering movers $7,500 to live in Vermont and seek local employment in a role that is listed by the state's Department of Labor as one of the most in demand. Jobs on the list include restaurant work and construction.

Vermont is also rolling out a remote worker grant for new residents that work in the state for an out-of-state employer. That program is for those who relocate on or after February 1, 2022.

A small Illinois town is offering $5,000 to movers looking for work.

Quincy, Illinois, a town of 40,000 on the Missouri border, has also launched a program to incentivize Americans to relocate there.

The Quincy Workforce Relocation Assistance Program is now offering movers who can get a job within the county a property-tax rebate of up to $5,000 after one year of living and working in the area. If you would prefer to rent, you can get a rental rebate of up to $3,500 after six months of residency and employment.

Remote workers aren't eligible for the program: New residents must take up employment in Adams County, where Quincy is located.

Tucson, Arizona, is offering remote workers perks and services with worth about $7,500.

The University of Arizona campus is located in Tucson, the second-largest city in the state. A local economic-development organization launched Remote Tucson during the pandemic to lure remote workers to the area.

The program offers relocators $1,500 toward moving costs, one year of free internet, free trials at local coworking spaces, membership to a local cultural institution, networking opportunities, and more.

Eligible applicants must be over 18 years old, have full-time remote employment outside of the area, and be able to move to Tucson within six months.

A handful of cities in Alabama is offering remote workers who move to the area $10,000 cash to be paid out over the course of a year.

The Shoals in Alabama — a cluster of municipalities including Florence, Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia that straddles the banks of the Tennessee River — is offering remote workers $10,000 to move to the area. Located near the border with Tennessee and Mississippi, the four cities are just a couple of hours from hubs like Memphis, Nashville, and Birmingham.

The program offers $2,500 up front for relocation costs, then an additional $2,500 six months after moving there, and finally $5,000 at the end of the first year of residency.

Eligible applicants must be over the age of 18 and able to move to the region within six months, be employed outside of the area, and have a minimum annual income of $52,000.

Topeka, Kansas, is offering potential new residents up to $15,000 to move there.

Kansas' state capital, Topeka, is teaming up with employers to offer cash to those willing to move there.

Participants of the program, called Choose Topeka, can receive up to $15,000 if they purchase a home in Topeka and secure a job in the area. Remote workers with work outside of the area can earn up to $5,000 toward rental costs or $10,000 toward a home purchase.

As an added bonus, Jimmy John's, the sandwich franchise, will throw in an extra $1,000 for anyone who moves within delivery range of one of its shops.

Oahu, Hawaii, is offering free airfare and discounted hotel rates to those looking to work from somewhere sunnier for a while.

Hawaii is banking on long-term tourism to revive its pandemic-era economy.

A new program called Movers and Shakas, which is funded by a number of local businesses and organizations, is offering to pay the airfare of anyone looking to work remotely from Oahu and volunteer with a local nonprofit. Other perks for participants include discounted hotel stays and networking opportunities.

The first recipients of the flight funds were already selected — after there were 90,000 applications for 50 spots. There will be a second iteration of the program. Sign up for the program's newsletter for updates.

Applicants must be remote workers over the age of 18 who can commit to spending at least 30 consecutive days in Hawaii and are willing to participate in a community service activity like youth mentoring.

The Hawaii program differs from other programs in that it doesn't require a semi-permanent or permanent commitment to the area.

Southwest Michigan is offering remote workers $15,000 toward a down payment on a home, along with other perks.

A string of ZIP codes in southwest Michigan, right on Lake Michigan, is looking to entice people decamping from nearby Chicago or beyond with up to $15,000 to put toward a home purchase and over $5,000 in additional perks. Those extras include memberships to athletic clubs, driving ranges, a coworking spaces, and more.

The first round of the program — called Move to Michigan — is already full, but applicants for the next iteration must be willing to purchase a $200,000 home in southwest Michigan. They must also be willing to become a full-time Michigander by securing a Michigan driver's license and claiming it as a primary residence. Applicants must also have current full-time, remote employment outside of Michigan.

Sign up for the program's newsletter for updates.

Manilla, Iowa, is offering free plots of land to anyone who will build homes on them.

Manilla — a small city in western Iowa — is offering free lots of land to anyone looking to build a single-family home. Twenty-four homes have already been built, and there are four additional lots up for grabs.

Manilla is also eliminating taxes on the homes built for the first five years.

Claremont, Minnesota, is also offering free residential plots to those with home-building means and plans.

The Claremont House Lot Program is giving away single-family lots for free to families of two with a gross income of $91,800 or families of three or more making a total of $114,655 or less. Those with a higher gross income would need to pay $9,500 for their lot.

Even if securing the lot seems like a breeze, there are a number of things to keep in mind while building a home in Claremont, a town of just about 500 people about 80 miles south of Minneapolis. Homes cannot have less than 930 livable square feet; they must have minimal landscaping and a double-stall garage.

Most importantly, construction must be completed with 18 months or the property will be reverted back to the local government.

Savannah, Georgia, is offering remote workers in tech $2,000 toward moving expenses.

Savannah, Georgia, rolled out a program called the Savannah Technology Workforce Incentive amid the pandemic.

The program offers up to $2,000 in reimbursement for moving fees to remote workers who have already lived in Chatham County for one month. They either need to show they've signed one-year lease or newly purchased a home.

Newton, Iowa, is offering homebuyers over $10,000 to buy a house priced at $190,000 or more.

The city of Newton, Iowa is about 30 miles east of Des Moines and wants to give relocators who purchase a home there cash upon closing.

Newton is offering $10,000 in cash to those who buy homes valued at more than $190,000 and $5,000 in cash for homes valued between $100,000 and $179,999. Eligible homes are single-family new builds that started construction in 2020 or 2021.

All newly purchased homes also come with the promise of a "Get to Know Newton Welcome Package" that is valued at $2,500 and includes gifts from local businesses and opportunities to attend events at iconic local spots, like the Iowa Speedway.

A new lottery program in Baltimore wants to reduce upfront costs required for prospective residents to buy a home.

Buying Into Baltimore is a program that will award $5,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance to a few lucky prospective homebuyers that enter a lottery after attending a special Trolley Tour that is held three times a year.

The prize is not limited to first-time homebuyers, but following the event applicants have 10 business days to make an offer on a home, have the offer accepted, and obtain a contract of sale, to be eligible to even enter the lottery. A special note for remote workers looking to make the move — the property must also be used a primary residence.

West Lafayette, Indiana, is offering a stipend up to $5,000 to remote workers who want to live where Purdue University is.

A new Purdue University program isn't recruiting students but remote workers.

The school is offering relocators the chance to live near campus in West Lafayette, Indiana, access university resources, and receive a $5,000 stipend that can be applied to anything from housing to moving costs or even co-working space.

Eligible applicants must have full-time remote employment and must be interested in relocating to West Lafayette from outside Indiana immediately.

The state of Maine started a tax credit program that will reimburse college graduates for student-loan payments.

Maine is luring remote workers by offering to help pay student loans for relocators through its Opportunity Maine Tax Credit program.

Regardless of where your employer is, if you live in Maine for the tax year and graduated college after 2008, you are likely eligible for a tax credit that could total up to $377 per month to go toward student-loan payments.

For graduates in STEM degrees, there could be additional perks refunding the entirety of your state taxes.

Ketchikan, Alaska, will pay you up to $2,000 a year to live there and give you free internet.

Ketchikan, a scenic coastal city near the southernmost tip of Alaska that is a 90-minute flight from Seattle, launched the Choose Ketchikan program in November 2021.

Applicants over 18 must be "fully employed." The individual or family must live outside Alaska while working remotely for a company that is also outside Alaska. The application is short, and all submissions are reviewed at the beginning of each month. Monthly finalists advance to a video interview.

After that, Ketchikan may invite you to a "semi-gratis" four-day working vacation, or "workation," to experience the community of 8,200 people. Visiting finalists are matched with current residents, who answer questions and offer advice.

All Alaska residents get an annual payment from Alaska's Permanent Fund Dividend, which can be up to $2,000 a year. Choose Ketchikan itself offers discounts on Alaska Airlines and reimbursement for certain expenses such as airfare. Ketchikan is also offering new residents three months of high-speed internet for free.

Hamilton, Ohio, will assist recent graduates with their student loan payments.

Hamilton, Ohio — a city of 63,000 about 20 miles north of Cincinnati — is encouraging recent college graduates to apply for its Talent Attraction Program (TAP) Scholarship.

Scholarship recipients can get $300 a month towards student loan payments — up to $10,000 total.

In order to qualify for the scholarship you must have graduated from a STEAM (science, tech, engineering, the arts, or math) program within the last seven years. You must not currently live in the city of Hamilton but have plans to move or live in what the city defines as one of its "urban" neighborhoods.

Applicants must demonstrate employment within Butler County or a full-time remote position. Preference is given to people "with a desire to give back to the community and become engaged in activities." Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

Natchez, Mississippi, is luring remote workers with cash upfront plus more money each month for a year.

Natchez, Mississippi is a historic city full of antebellum mansions on the banks of the Mississippi River, right on the border with Louisiana. Its history spans from the indigenous Native American tribe that gave Natchez its name to French colonists who built a bustling trade port.

Natchez has an incentive program, Shift South, that awards up to $6,000 to eligible workers to offset relocation expenses.

The program is specifically targeting "remote workers to relocate to Natchez to enjoy a lower cost of living." People who apply must show work with an employer outside of Natchez.

Benefits include a $2,500 payment for relocators, followed by $300 per month for one year. The program does require recipients purchase a home valued at $150,000 or more in order to be eligible.

"We are excited to be the first and only city in the Deep South to offer an incentive package like this to remote workers," said Natchez mayor Dan Gibson said. "In this new day, where so many people are able to work from home, we can think of no better place than Natchez."

Harmony, Minnesota is granting up to $12,000 to build a home there.

Just 130 miles outside of Minneapolis, Harmony, Minnesota, is offering workers who move to the city up to $12,000 in cash rebates towards a new home.

The town is granting a minimum of $2,000 for you to build a new home or remodel a neglected one. The subsidy depends on the estimated market value of the newly built home or property in need of some tender loving care. If the home's estimated market value tops $250,000, you'll receive the maximum $12,000 rebate from Harmony's Economic Development Authority.

Spec homes qualify, too, if you want to skip out on the process of building a home yourself. Plus, there are no restrictions on income level or residency.

Harmony, which calls itself "The Biggest Little Town in Southeast Minnesota," has a population of less than 1,000 people and is home to Niagara Cave, one of the top ten rated caves in the US.

A quaint town in central Kansas is giving away free land to build your home on.

Lincoln, Kansas, a town of about 1,100, is offering free residential land plots just outside of the city's downtown. The city will grant the deed to people who agree to build a home on the lot — ranging from 14,000 to 35,000 square feet — as long as they meet certain design guidelines.

Before building the house, the applicant must provide a deposit of 8 cents per square foot — though the money is refunded upon the completion of the home. It's a modest request, since the cost to build a custom home in the state starts at close to $100 per square foot, according to one contractor.

According to LiveLincolnCounty, you do not have to be a resident of Lincoln, or even the state of Kansas, to participate in the program. And there are no regulations against building a home for the sole purpose of flipping it.

Lincoln has a deep culture of history with museums like the Post Rock Scout Museum and the Lincoln Historical Museum.

Taylor Borden. Libertina Brandt, Leanna Garfield contributed to previous versions of this story.

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