One-in-four U.S. residents work remotely more frequently after moving to a new metro area, according to a survey by Redfin.
Redfin said the opportunity to telecommute is allowing some U.S. workers to move to more affordable areas and maintain their salaries.
“The job market is very tight and employers want to hold on to people, so companies are much more willing now to allow workers to move,” Redfin Chief Economist Daryl Fairweather said in a release. “Plus, technology has enabled employers to let staff work remotely in a cost-efficient and productive manner.”
According to the report, more than half of the survey respondents (51.1 percent) reported working remotely sometimes or always after their move, compared with just 44 percent who worked remotely before the move.
Fairweather said employers may be battling salary increases and supporting retention by offering employees the ability to work remotely instead of higher wages.
The most common primary justification for moving given by survey respondents was more affordable housing (25.7 percent), followed by proximity to family/partners (21.2 percent) and retirement (17.9 percent).
Nearly 60 percent of respondents said their ability to afford non-housing expenses and leisure activities improved after relocating. About one-in-seven respondents said they wouldn’t have been able to move without the ability to work remotely.