Remote Working Could Alter Urban Geography In The U.S.

Remote working could have the capability to transform urban geography in the U.S.  

Where people work has historically impacted where they live, but now that remote working has taken hold of many business operations, this may no longer be the case.  

According to economists from the University of Chicago, 37% of jobs can be done remotely full-time. 

As a result, wherever remote workers migrate to, demands within the service sector will follow. 

This is typically why we see major cities with a ripe economy and job market. However, the pivot to remote working may cause these trends to emerge in other areas. 

For instance, if someone working at a company in San Francisco has the option to work remotely full-time, they may decide to move to a lower cost city. This means the demands for services they had in San Francisco would transfer to their new town. 

However, it is still unclear whether this trend will actually make waves. 

Since many major employers are still resistant to remote working conditions — citing losses in collaboration and productivity — it is unlikely that these migration and economic patterns will be significant enough to make a big difference.  

In order for this movement to become a tangible reality, it would take several companies within an industry to commit to remote working positions, which isn’t out of the realm of possibility. 

If this does occur, there could be huge transformations to how Americans live and work, as well as impact issues such as the housing crisis, climate change, and politics overall.