Tuesday, June 8, 2021

"Zoom Towns": The New Boom Towns



This is an interesting article at BBC.com on the migration of remote work / computer-friendly jobs to areas that offer outdoor amenities and sports.  For those that have a passion for the outdoors, the pandemic and the shift to remote working signaled an open door to relocating to rural, rustic areas that place an emphasis on the great outdoors. A number of states are incentivizing those workers to relocate to their States to take advantage of the natural beauty and sports opportunities. One such person took the leap:

"Los Angeles native Shanelle Sherlin always wanted to live close to nature in a place where, as a triathlete, she could run, bike and swim away from city noise. So, when her job as a digital marketing manager for an entertainment company went fully remote, the 30-year-old made a dramatic move that would have been unimaginable before the pandemic: she traded the Hollywood Hills for the rolling Ozarks of Northwest Arkansas."

Ms. Sherlin was given $10,000 to relocate for one year to work her job from home. The article cites a study by the Pew Research Center that showed that one in 20 American adults relocated during the pandemic, largely to more rural areas. Information technology has enabled millions to remain productively engaged in their work, and they're not eager to return to the old paradigm of working in an office for the most part. 

(photo: Shutterstock)

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