Latest news with #MakeMyMove
%3Amax_bytes(150000)%3Astrip_icc()%2FTAL-columbus-georgia-MSTWLCMPLCUS0425-dc8be9c9c467483f9900b52ca4a1682d.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
Travel + Leisure
19-05-2025
- Business
- Travel + Leisure
This Southern City Is the Most Welcoming Community in the U.S., Report Finds
About 8.2 million Americans moved between states in 2022, and as census data shows, that number is only going up year after year. If you're one of the millions looking to pack up all your stuff and move to a brand-new state in 2025, MakeMyMove has a few places for you to consider. In April, MakeMyMove, an online relocation marketplace for recruiting remote workers, released its list of the most welcoming places in the U.S. It noted in its findings that "these cities and regions have gone beyond traditional growth strategies to successfully attract and integrate new residents, proving that a thoughtful, hands-on approach can reshape a community's future." It added that it selected these destinations for their "innovative approaches to population growth," including via initiatives like Columbus 2025, a project aimed at increasing "prosperity, reducing poverty, and improve overall quality of life for a stronger and more vibrant region for decades to come," and the Shaping Our Appalachian Region (SOAR) program, whose mission is "to solve the deep-seated issue of population retention and growth in Eastern Kentucky." After reviewing all the programs and efforts, it named Columbus, Georgia, a city tucked along the Western border of the state, as the No. 1 pick, thanks to its "precision in people-matching." "Columbus is strategically growing its population, with a community talent strategy aiming for a 4 percent increase by 2026," the findings stated. "Their matchmaking approach thoughtfully selects movers who will relocate for the long term. The Columbus team doesn't just recruit remote workers—they connect them with local leaders and community opportunities to ensure they stay." Coming in second is Eastern Kentucky, which earned a top spot thanks to its neighborly care. "What distinguishes it? A deeply rooted culture of hospitality, where residents personally welcome newcomers—sometimes with home-cooked meals, assistance with moving or even a ride to town," it stated. And rounding out the top three is Noblesville, Indiana, known for its "concierge-level" community integration. It added, "The city's hands-on approach ensures that newcomers feel like part of the community from day one." "These communities understand that relocation isn't just about moving boxes—it's about building a life," Evan Hock, the co-founder and COO of MakeMyMove, shared. "The leaders behind these programs are creating real human connections, removing barriers for newcomers, and proving that a welcoming community is the best incentive of all." Want to find even more welcoming communities? See the full list and what makes each destination special enough to call "home" at
Travel + Leisure
12-05-2025
- Business
- Travel + Leisure
These Are the Most Welcoming Communities in the U.S.—and No. 1 Is a Southern Gem
About 8.2 million Americans moved between states in 2022, and as census data shows, that number is only going up year after year. If you're one of the millions looking to pack up all your stuff and move to a brand-new state in 2025, MakeMyMove has a few places for you to consider. In April, MakeMyMove, an online relocation marketplace for recruiting remote workers, released its list of the most welcoming places in the U.S. It noted in its findings that "these cities and regions have gone beyond traditional growth strategies to successfully attract and integrate new residents, proving that a thoughtful, hands-on approach can reshape a community's future." It added that it selected these destinations for their "innovative approaches to population growth," including via initiatives like Columbus 2025, a project aimed at increasing "prosperity, reducing poverty, and improve overall quality of life for a stronger and more vibrant region for decades to come," and the Shaping Our Appalachian Region (SOAR) program, whose mission is "to solve the deep-seated issue of population retention and growth in Eastern Kentucky." After reviewing all the programs and efforts, it named Columbus, Georgia, a city tucked along the Western border of the state, as the No. 1 pick, thanks to its "precision in people-matching." "Columbus is strategically growing its population, with a community talent strategy aiming for a 4 percent increase by 2026," the findings stated. "Their matchmaking approach thoughtfully selects movers who will relocate for the long term. The Columbus team doesn't just recruit remote workers—they connect them with local leaders and community opportunities to ensure they stay." Coming in second is Eastern Kentucky, which earned a top spot thanks to its neighborly care. "What distinguishes it? A deeply rooted culture of hospitality, where residents personally welcome newcomers—sometimes with home-cooked meals, assistance with moving or even a ride to town," it stated. And rounding out the top three is Noblesville, Indiana, known for its "concierge-level" community integration. It added, "The city's hands-on approach ensures that newcomers feel like part of the community from day one." "These communities understand that relocation isn't just about moving boxes—it's about building a life," Evan Hock, the co-founder and COO of MakeMyMove, shared. "The leaders behind these programs are creating real human connections, removing barriers for newcomers, and proving that a welcoming community is the best incentive of all." Want to find even more welcoming communities? See the full list and what makes each destination special enough to call "home" at
Newsweek
08-05-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
Map Shows U.S. Cities Offering Cash Incentives to Move There
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. In the age of remote work, Americans are more empowered than ever to choose exactly where they want to live. While previously many workers had to stay in or near cities with high costs of living, some smaller, more affordable cities are drawing more attention. And some of these cities are actually offering cash incentives to those who move there, according to a new report from relocation marketplace MakeMyMove. "Places like Morgantown and Texarkana can suddenly compete with Austin or Denver," Michael Ryan, a finance expert and the founder of told Newsweek. Why It Matters The percentage of people working from home is now a whopping 20 percent, meaning one fifth of the workforce is a remote worker, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Since so many people can telework, cities that have dealt with declining populations or lower economic growth are drawing people to relocate with some significant cash incentives. What To Know Eight cities have offered cash incentives specifically targeted to remote workers to settle down in their communities. This includes New Albany, Indiana, which provides a $5,000 relocation cash incentive, a five-year Dual Co-Working Space Membership to The Root and Novaparke Innovation and Technology Campus and a $5,000 business start-up grant. Meanwhile, the town of Morgantown, West Virginia, is also hoping to recruit more residents with a $12,000 relocation cash incentive as well as free co-working space and social programming. In Illinois, Jacksonville is giving new new remote residents a $5,000 relocation prize alongside $300 in Chamber Bucks and three months of fiber broadband service. Mayfield, Kentucky, which currently has a population just under 10,000, is also hoping to draw remote workers in with a $5,000 relocation cash incentive, lunch with the Mayor and other local leadership, as well as membership to the Mayfield Graves County Young Professionals Group and Rotary Club. Further south, Columbus, Georgia, offers a $5,000 relocation cash incentive, six months of co-working space at CoWork Columbus, coffee with the mayor, and a one-year membership to the Young Professionals Program and Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce. The Lone Star State also has some cities hoping to bring in more new blood. Texarkana, Texas, will give new residents a $5,000 relocation cash incentive, 25 percent tuition discount to Texas A&M Texarkana and a one-year membership to The Assembly Line, Texarkana's brand-new creator space. According to MakeMyMove, Hermitage, Pennsylvania, is also offering a $5,000 relocation cash incentive, six months of coworking space and monthly coffee networking events. A US one hundred dollar bill with Benjamin Franklin is seen amongst other bills in New York on Friday, February 19, 2016. A US one hundred dollar bill with Benjamin Franklin is seen amongst other bills in New York on Friday, February 19, 2016. Richard Levine/Corbis via Getty Images What People Are Saying Michael Ryan, a finance expert and the founder of told Newsweek: "Why passively wait for residents to move in when you could be paying them to come? Smaller metros are hemorrhaging talent and tax dollars to coastal hotspots. It's population decline meets remote work revolution, right? Places like Morgantown and Texarkana can suddenly compete with Austin or Denver." Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek: "For many growing locations like Morgantown or Texarkana, the economic surge is only sustainable if they can find more residents that can serve as employees to industry and taxpayers to support public amenities." "Many non-major metro areas saw a boom during the pandemic, as workers fled cities in favor of less populous towns where remote work was easy and the cost of living was cheaper. With many of these same individuals now returning to the office and the locations that house them, these same towns and others are trying to hang on to that growth model by offering financial incentives to relocate." What Happens Next For many of these cities, remote workers are the "golden ticket" to economic growth, Ryan said. "Why chase after companies when you can attract their employees directly? These workers bring outside salaries, often nice sized paychecks, but spend locally in economies," Ryan said. "They're not just throwing cash at people. Notice how Columbus is offering coffee with the mayor, and Texarkana includes VIP access to the business scene. They've figured out that money gets people to come, but community keeps them from leaving." Beene echoed this sentiment, saying the investment could prove worth the risk. "While handing out thousands to people to relocate may be seen by some as a poor way to spend city dollars, it could prove to be a wise decision if those individuals end up becoming residents and pump additional tax dollars into their system over time," Beene said.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Local towns offering $5K for people to move there
(WKBN) – Would you MOVE for money? Make My Move helps you find a place and the incentives available to get you to move. Mercer County is involved in it and is already seeing success. Mercer County wants to grow. Three of its communities are participating in a program that pays people to move here. 'We really need people. We got to bring people in that want to work and give back to our community and really help drive Mercer County forward,' said Jack Rickert, associate executive director of Penn-Northwest Development. Hermitage, Sharon and Greenville are offering $5,000 right now. There are some other incentives raising the value to nearly $7,000. The first guideline is you have to live over 100 miles away.'We wanted to recruit from further out, outside communities that you know, no one quite in that Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Erie region, and see who would be attracted to our area,' Rickert said. Rickert believes the deal is perfect for a remote worker to come enjoy life in Mercer County. Over 100 applications have been made already. Penn-Northwest put up the seed money to get the program going. The application is to make sure people moving here will fit in.'Those are kind of our target audience that want to move into a safe community with great connectivity, great education systems and someone that can really benefit from everything Mercer County has to offer,' Rickert said. Not everyone gets picked. The short-term goal is to see five families move here. At least two have already been picked. The next step is to have them start looking at housing and find out that Mercer County is a place to live, learn, work and play. 'And one of the ways to do that is to really bring in people who have the same values we do. So we're excited about it. We're excited to try to build Mercer County up and put us on a national platform,' Rickert said. Other communities in Mercer County can participate, too. It's not just limited to Greenville, Hermitage and Sharon. The two applications that have been accepted are families from Arizona and New Jersey. If you know someone who could be interested, they can apply online. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
MakeMyMove initiative sparks national interest in Central Indiana
In 2020, a group of Indianapolis-based economic development professionals decided to try something different. Rather than attracting businesses to the community, why not attract individuals, specifically remote workers, to the community? 'We're in 17 states right now and Indiana is the first in the nation to have a statewide recruitment program,' MakeMyMove COO Evan Hock said. 'With 34 local programs across the state, all of it is sponsored by Indianan Economic Development funds.' Those interested in moving to Indiana can apply on the MakeMyMove website and receive thousands of dollars in incentives. Communities set up their own incentive programs. 'Noblesville, for example, has $15,000 in cash and amenities, including memberships to the Chamber and the local co-working space," Hock said. "You can pick your spot based on the region and the program they offer.' Zionsville is participating. So is Muncie, Greenwood and everywhere in between. The incentives are meant to help movers get involved and explore the community they've chosen. The closer they are to Indianapolis, options like tickets to racing events, sporting events and more are available. Participants must be moving in from out of state and they must bring a remote job with them. The organization's goal is to recruit 50 new households by the end of May 2025 and Hock said they are 10 percent of the way there with many more in the pipeline of the application process. Central Indiana has proven to be an attractive option. According to Payscale, housing in Indianapolis is 22% lower than the national average and the cost of living is 10% less. 'The first mover we had came to McCordsville. They were able to get a home with more space and a different pace of life. It's whatever suits your preference,' Hock said. 'It's a new way for communities to grow and we're continuing to scale up the program.' It's a win-win for everyone, according to Hock. Not only are there incentives for families moving in, but it's also a great opportunity for the economic vitality of the community. 'We have a software engineer from Silicon Valley come to Indy and they're bringing that spending power with them," Hock said. "Remote workers are free agents and they are coming in from California, Texas and Florida looking for affordability and community connections. They're finding that in places like Zionsville and Lebanon.' For more information on the program, visit the website at
