Telework tips: How to set up the best home office for remote work
If you’re working from home, here are some tips to stay productive and ensure your home office is optimized for working remotely.
ProblemSolved, USA TODAY
Remote work is getting harder to find.
Only 13% of American workers remain fully remote in early 2025, and another 26% have hybrid jobs, according to the academic clearinghouse WFH Research. Both figures are down from their pandemic peaks.
And with President Donald Trump ordering many federal workers back to the office, the numbers may be slipping further in the months to come.
If you are in the shrinking population of Americans who are still allowed to work remotely, then you still have the luxury of dreaming about the ideal place to live.
Workplace experts say remote work will endure. While many companies will follow the lead of the federal return-to-office mandate, working from home has gained acceptance across much of the American workforce, especially in various combinations with onsite work.
“Remote work’s not going away. It’s evolving,” said Chip Lupo, a writer and analyst at WalletHub, the personal finance site. “What we’re seeing is somewhat more of a hybrid model.”
WalletHub has a new list of best and worst states for working from home, based on a dozen metrics, ranging from internet access to the square footage of average homes to the availability of backyard pools.
What qualities distinguish a state as a haven for remote workers?
“Obviously, home size is key,” Lupo said. “You also want to be in an area where you have reliable internet.”
Here’s how WalletHub did the math:
Work environment: The analysis considered how many workers in a state already work from home, and how many are in occupations conducive to remote work. Household internet access and cybersecurity are factors.
Living environment: WalletHub looked at electricity costs, internet costs and access. The report examined both home size and household size, and the share of homes with swimming pools, among other items.
Here are the best (and worst) states for remote work
Here are profiles of the three best states for remote work, according to the WalletHub analysis.
Delaware
The First State ranks first as a site for remote work, with a score of 67.3 out of a possible 100 points.
Delaware has the third-lowest internet costs in the nation, and it ranks 9th in broadband access. Delaware ranks fifth for average home size, at 2,277 square feet. Nearly 97% of the state’s population could potentially work from home.
Utah
This state, with a score of 67 out of 100, has the lowest electricity prices in the nation, reasonable internet costs, and the fourth-highest share of homes with broadband access.
Utah also has the biggest homes in America, an average of 2,800 square feet. Remote workers won’t feel cooped up.
Maryland
This mid-Atlantic state ranks third for remote work, with a score of 66.5. It has some of the cheapest internet prices in America, and strong broadband access. Homes are relatively large, averaging over 2,200 square feet.
Maryland already ranks fourth for its current share (17%) of remote workers, behind the District of Columbia, Colorado and Washington State.
Here is the rest of the top 10:
- District of Columbia (66.4)
- New Jersey (64.8)
- Connecticut (63.4)
- Pennsylvania (62.6)
- Massachusetts (62.3)
- Washington State (61.8)
- New Hampshire (60.1)
The states that rank lowest in work-from-home appeal, Alaska, Montana and Wyoming, put the “remote” in remote work. Not coincidentally, they also rank as the states with the lowest population density. Arkansas and West Virginia round out the bottom five.
What is the future of remote work?
It’s fun to fantasize about moving halfway across the country for a remote-work dream home. But what if your employer calls you back in?
WalletHub asked some remote-work experts to forecast the future of telework.
“There will be a leveling off of remote and hybrid work, but it is here to stay,” said Danny Twilley, a researcher at West Virginia University’s Brad and Alys Smith Outdoor Economic Development Collaborative.
The gradual retreat from telework “presents a valuable opportunity for companies that continue to offer remote work to differentiate themselves from the competition,” said Anyi Ma, an assistant professor of management at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “These companies now have the chance to attract and hire the most talented employees who prefer remote work.”