The Rise & Reign of Remote Work: A Decadelong Breakdown of America's WFH Evolution

The work-from-home (WFH) movement has reshaped the work landscape, from how businesses function to how they access a worldwide talent pool and how workers manage their personal and professional life. While technological advancements and changing perspectives on the workplace have undoubtedly contributed to the WFH revolution, the global COVID-19 pandemic was the decisive factor that made remote work a must for many employers and employees alike, rather than just an extra perk previously reserved for entrepreneurs and freelancers only.

Coworking Mag has recently released a new study breaking down the remote work evolution in America’s top markets, from 2014 until 2023, as seen through the most recent census data. The study looked at the metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) with the highest shares of remote workers, as well as the ones where WFH increased the most throughout the decade.

Over 22 Million Remote Workers Registered in 2023, After Tripling in the Last Decade

The enormous number of teleworkers in 2023 — exactly 22,486,510 — makes it clear that remote jobs are widely available in the U.S. This is a 244 percent increase from 2014, when there were only 6,542,582 remote workers, an expansion that occurred gradually over the course of the previous 10 years. Only 4.5 percent of employees worked remotely in 2014, but that percentage increased organically to 5.7 percent just before the pandemic, indicating that remote work was already starting to gain traction as a solution to a number of workplace issues.


As anticipated, the percentage of remote workers increased to a noteworthy 17.9 percent in 2021, marking the height of the work-from-home boom in the United States during a period when companies were using remote work as a pandemic management strategy.

The percentage of teleworkers nationwide fell to 13.8 percent of all employed people as of 2023, with the majority of metro areas reporting declines in the number of remote workers following the pandemic. This is mostly because many physical enterprises and manual labor-focused industries have reopened, and many large corporations have implemented policies that require employees to return to work full time.

Remote Workers Are (Literally) at Home in Austin, Raleigh & Denver

Eight metro areas across the U.S. have almost one-fifth of their working population employed remotely. However, in Austin, Texas, where almost 25 percent of the working population used a remote/hybrid model in 2023, professionals have the best chance of landing a remote job. This is likely due to the area’s focus on tech and innovation, along with Austin’s booming economy and high quality of life.


Second, with 24.5 percent of its employees working remotely, Raleigh, N.C., is a top destination for professionals seeking a successful career that allows them to balance their personal life and avoid long daily commutes. Raleigh, which is a part of the Research Triangle, has a large number of residents working in fields that allow for remote work, such as technology, science, and research; professional and commercial services; and education and health.

Denver, Colo., is not far behind, with 22.3 percent of its employees working remotely. Thanks to its robust economy, advantageous location, beautiful landscapes, and abundance of exciting activities that promote the highly desired work/life balance, Denver is home to numerous professionals in remote-friendly industries like financial services, technology, broadcasting, and telecommunications.

Washington, D.C., and Charlotte, N.C., round out the top five metro areas with the highest shares of remote workers in 2023.

Highest Increases in WFH of the Last Decade Seen in Omaha, Neb.; Akron, Ohio; & Harrisburg, Pa.

The metro area with the highest rise in WFH between 2014 and 2023 was Omaha, Neb. Specifically, it grew at a pace of 366 percent; however, it is important to note that, 10 years ago, Omaha didn't have a large percentage of remote workers. Therefore, even if the change is significant, the metro still only had 13.5 percent of its workforce working remotely in 2023. However, Omaha is leading the way in this trend, even surpassing more populous and expansive metro regions.


Next, Akron, Ohio, is a mid-sized metro area that ranks second in terms of WFH growth. In this instance, Akron's transformation from 2014 to 2023 was responsible for an astounding 363 percent. 14.8 percent of Akron's employees worked remotely as of the previous year.

In Harrisburg, Pa., the percentage of remote workers increased by 347 percent during the previous 10 years, reaching a robust 17 percent in 2023. Furthermore, despite changes brought about by the several return-to-office rules, Harrisburg's remote workforce remained constant in 2023 compared to 2022, which may indicate that the WFH trend in this region has stabilized.

Other areas where the remote work adoption was most significant in the past decade are Detroit, Mich., and Washington, D.C.

20 Metro Areas Continue to Embrace WFH Even Post-Pandemic

While the number of remote workers decreased following the pandemic's peak years (particularly in 2023 compared to 2022), some metropolitan regions have not only maintained their newfound flexibility but have even seen a growth in the share of remote workers.

For example, 16 of the 20 MSAs where this trend was observed are medium-sized metro areas, with Lancaster, Pa., leading with a 17 percent increase in WFH rates between 2022 and 2023. Professionals in this area can enjoy the small-town charm while simultaneously taking advantage of the big-city perks that come with being so close to Philadelphia.

Following Lancaster were Cape Coral, Fla., where the WFH movement expanded by 13 percent in just one year, and Lakeland, another Florida metro, where the adoption of remote work increased by 12 percent between 2022 and 2023. Despite not being well-known for their business scenes, it's probable that more remote workers decided to dwell in areas throughout the Sunshine State because of the good living conditions, perfect weather, and close proximity to bustling cities, especially considering the flexibility that WFH offers.


For more insights into the study and its methodology, visit https://coworkingmag.com/blog/evolution-of-wfh-americas-top-metros/.