2026
Cities that pay you to move
11 programs are still running. Closed programs stay on the list. Amounts were checked against the sponsor page on Oct 9, 2026.
| Source | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Choose Topeka | Topeka, KS | Up to $15,000 | Job required | Open | Oct 9, 2026 | Sponsor |
| Ascend WV | Morgantown, Hagerstown, Beckley | $12,000 over 24 months | Remote job | Open | Oct 9, 2026 | Sponsor |
| Basecamp Greater Wausau | Wausau, WI | $10,000 grant | Job required | Open | Oct 9, 2026 | Sponsor |
| Tulsa Remote | Tulsa, OK | $10,000 | Remote job | Open | Oct 9, 2026 | Sponsor |
| West Memphis (MakeMyMove) | Memphis, TN | $5,000 to rent, $10,000 to buy | Remote job | Open | Oct 9, 2026 | Sponsor |
| Fond du Lac County (MakeMyMove) | Fond du Lac, WI | $5,500 cash | Remote job | Open | Oct 9, 2026 | Sponsor |
| Muncie (MakeMyMove) | Muncie, IN | $5,000 | Remote job | Open | Oct 9, 2026 | Sponsor |
| Paducah Remote Workers Incentive | Paducah, KY | $5,000 | Remote job | Open | Oct 9, 2026 | Sponsor |
| Maine Student Loan Repayment Tax Credit | Portland, Bangor, Lewiston | Up to $2,500 a year | Local job | Ongoing | Oct 9, 2026 | Sponsor |
| NHSC Loan Repayment Program | United States | Up to $75,000 | Local job | Annual | Oct 9, 2026 | Sponsor |
| Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend | Anchorage, Fairbanks | $1,200 in 2026 | No job required | Annual | Oct 9, 2026 | Sponsor |
| Kansas Rural Opportunity Zones | Kansas | Closing | See eligibility | Closing | Oct 9, 2026 | Sponsor |
| Northwest Arkansas Life Works Here | Fayetteville, AR | Ended | See eligibility | Closed | Oct 9, 2026 | Sponsor |
| Remote Shoals | Florence, AL | Ended | Remote job | Closed | Oct 9, 2026 | Sponsor |
| Vermont Worker Relocation Grant | Vermont | Ended | See eligibility | Closed | Oct 9, 2026 | Sponsor |
Wisconsin in 2026
The state funded a Talent Recruitment Grant for communities that recruit households from outside Wisconsin. On this list, that is Fond du Lac County (MakeMyMove) and Basecamp Greater Wausau. Other funded places have not published a dollar amount yet, so they are not listed as open.
Without a job
Almost every cash grant needs a remote job you already have. The Alaska Permanent Fund dividend does not, and it is not a moving bonus: you have to be a resident for a full calendar year first. Choose Topeka's employer track needs a local job, which is a different requirement from a remote one.
In 2026, a relocation incentive or moving reimbursement is generally taxable income. The federal exclusion for moving expenses stays suspended, except for active-duty military moves and some intelligence-community moves. Figures here use this site's wage-tax calculator on top of the household shown. They are an estimate, not a tax return.
Salary needed to live in each metro·Where $60,000 goes furthest·Jobs that pay you to relocate·Best cities for remote workers
Questions
Which cities pay you to move in 2026?
Tulsa Remote, Ascend WV, Choose Topeka, Muncie (MakeMyMove), Paducah Remote Workers Incentive, Fond du Lac County (MakeMyMove), Basecamp Greater Wausau, West Memphis (MakeMyMove), Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend, Maine Student Loan Repayment Tax Credit, NHSC Loan Repayment Program. Each row links to the rules and to what you would keep after tax and rent. Verified Oct 9, 2026.
Which programs do not require a job?
Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend (No job required). Most of the others need a remote job you already have. Choose Topeka needs a job, local or remote depending on the track.
Are relocation incentives taxable in 2026?
In 2026, a relocation incentive or moving reimbursement is generally taxable income. The federal exclusion for moving expenses stays suspended, except for active-duty military moves and some intelligence-community moves. Figures here use this site's wage-tax calculator on top of the household shown. They are an estimate, not a tax return.
What happened to programs that ended?
Northwest Arkansas Life Works Here, Remote Shoals, Vermont Worker Relocation Grant are closed. They stay listed so an old article still lands on a current answer instead of a city that is no longer paying.