During the first few months of the pandemic, when everyone started realizing that the work from home system would last longer than simply a few weeks, I jotted some notes to help my friends and I determine whether it was worth temporarily relocating to a new city.
Lately, with positive news for vaccine distributions and declining cases, it seems that the return to office is not too distant. However, given the consensual understanding that things may never truly return to “normal”, and with the recent announcements of permanent and/or hybrid work from home systems from numerous companies, I thought it would be helpful to post some of my notes.
Please note that these notes are primarily targeted for full-time employees working at tech companies in the United States, particularly those with few or no dependents (ex. children, elderly, etc.).
The longer the duration of the pandemic, the more reason to move if the move is temporary. Will one have to move back to the origin city when the pandemic subsides?
Moving can be restricted by immigration status and potential travel bans. Now that the Trump administration has transferred power to the Biden administration, there will likely be fewer executive orders blocking immigration; however, travel bans remain uncertain.
Will the employer allow permanent WFH? If so, will the employer adjust its employee income based on location?
If most peers and the team Manager expects people to stay put, then moving can be frowned upon by these peers.
Is it safe to hire a moving company? Would some belongings need to be sold/donated/discarded? Would one have to drive all the way to the destination? Is it safe to hire movers to move belongings as they would need to enter both the origin and destination homes and physically contact possessions?
With recent movements, including Black Lives Matter, politics are very important. Does it matter whether the region is predominantly a Trump or Biden supported territory?
Red states and blue states - Wikipedia
For example, moving to a place like Denver to explore the mountains may not be feasible without a car equipped with AWD, snow tires, and snow chains. Places like Chicago become very cold and may require winter clothing to be purchased.
Safety is no longer limited to factors such as crime rates, but also dependent on how the location has adapted to the pandemic. For example, do people wear masks?
Statistics of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States as of February 13, 2021:
| U.S. state or territory | Cases | Deaths | Recoveries | Hospitalizations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 3,346,340 | 44,150 | -- | -- |
| Texas | 2,491,227 | 38,700 | 2,104,894 | -- |
| Florida | 1,783,720 | 28,287 | -- | 74,543 |
| New York | 1,479,220 | 36,339 | 133,470 | 89,995 |
| Illinois | 1,150,170 | 21,802 | -- | -- |
For example, is there diversity in ethnicity and gender? Although this is always something of consideration for moves, perhaps it is more important than ever given the latest social climate.
People in expensive areas, such as San Francisco and New York City, may wish to seek cheaper places to live.
Most affordable cities (according to Rocket Homes):
1. Memphis, Tennessee
Cost of living: 20.6% below the U.S. average
City population: 650,618
Median household income: $39,108
Income adjusted by cost of living: $49,254
Median home price: $248,857
Median monthly rent: $756
2. Tulsa, Oklahoma
Cost of living: 14.8% below the U.S. average
City population: 400,669
Median household income: $46,113
Income adjusted by cost of living: $54,123
Median home price: $231,122
3. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Cost of living: 14.6% below the U.S. average
City population: 649,021
Median household income: $54,034
Income adjusted by cost of living: $63,272
Median home price: $243,654
Median monthly rent: $859
Remote work is usually taxed by physical location. States with no state income tax: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, Wyoming.
If the current lease has to be prematurely terminated, what are the additional costs such as loss of deposit?
Common “things to do” may no longer be valid priorities for the destination due to the pandemic. For example, cities should not be ranked based on their nightlife/bars/clubs. Places with great ski resorts may no longer be of interest.
Having a community is quite important. It may no longer be valid for one to seek new friend groups and communities due to the pandemic. Thus, having a community that is already present may be more important than ever.
Some metropolitan areas are projected to increase in housing price more than others. Furthermore, the recent SF/NYC exoduses may yield to major housing price increases in cities such as Austin, TX. Elon Musk recently moved to Texas and even predicts that Austin, TX will become the biggest “boomtown” in the United States for the upcoming years.
Red states and blue states - Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_states_and_blue_states
Statistics of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States - Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statistics_of_the_COVID-19_pandemic_in_the_United_States
The 7 Most Affordable Big Cities In The US And What They Really Cost:
https://www.rockethomes.com/blog/home-buying/7-most-affordable-big-cities
Elon Musk says he has moved to Texas because of Starship and Tesla Gigafactory - CNN:
https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/09/tech/elon-musk-texas/index.html
Elon Musk predicts Austin, Texas, will be 'the biggest boomtown that America has seen in 50 years' | Business Insider India:
https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/news/elon-musk-predicts-austin-texas-will-be-the-biggest-boom-town-that-america-has-seen-in-50-years/articleshow/80871526.cms
