Updated Oct 11, 2025 10:04 PM EDT
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After nearly a year of working from home, plenty of us are counting down to the day we can return to an office regularly and see coworkers again. (Miss you, Team Domino!) But some companies have shifted their plans indefinitely, which is why it might be time to hunt for a bigger house in a place with a saner cost of living.
A new PC Magazine report reveals the top towns to relocate to if you’re tired of paying steep rent in a city that doesn’t even require you to be there for your job. For every spot on the list, the median home price sits under $500,000, and each comes wired with high-speed Internet so you can stay connected to colleagues (and stream HBO Max without buffering). We’ve rounded up some of the standouts, plus a favorite listing in each that we’d snap up before someone else does.
Philadelphia
Just a few hours from one of the priciest cities in the country, Philadelphia serves up a far more manageable cost of housing and living. It’s also a quick ride away, so when offices reopen full-time, you can hop a train in for those can’t-miss meetings.
An apartment with room to spread out and take in city views for a fraction of what Manhattan would charge feels like a worthy trade.
Chattanooga, Tennessee
After stringing a citywide fiber-optic network in 2010, local leaders have spent years drawing tech companies and remote workers to town. Housing stays affordable, the Southern cooking is legendary, and the connections are so fast the place is dubbed Gig City for its gigabit Internet speeds.
This four-bedroom home is already twice the size of most apartments for any newcomer, but the vaulted ceilings and backyard make it feel even roomier.
Springfield, Vermont
Springfield counts just 9,400 residents, yet the downtown area still has plenty to offer. You’ll find larger plots of land and more square footage than most major cities afford, and even after the pandemic, if you crave an office, coworking spots like BRIC are available.
Picture this: Instead of ordering delivery to avoid the city snow, you could sip coffee in your own backyard and build a snowman before drifting back to one of your three bedrooms.
Kaysville, Utah
Just north of Salt Lake City, this town delivers a lot: art spots like Canyon Gallery, cocktail bars like Twigs Bistro, sweeping mountain views, and easy access to the Great Salt Lake. As for home values, a median price of $440,000 still nets an average of 8.2 rooms (!) per house, far outpacing other options on the list.
For the same price you’d pay for a place riddled with hidden issues, this new-build home arrives squeaky-clean, and the neighborhood keeps appreciating in value.
Lenexa, Kansas
There’s a reason Dorothy pined for her home state—probably because she didn’t have a charming brick Colonial for under $400,000. Lenexa also sits just 20 minutes from downtown Kansas City, where bars, restaurants, and barbecue help soften the blow of leaving any big city.
Montour Falls, New York
Set against the Finger Lakes region in the northern part of the state, this town sits in the heart of New York’s wine country. As lovely as the wine is, the gigabit broadband is even better for anyone building a new office in their now-roomier home. The median price here is just $137,000 for 1.5 rooms, meaning the value is remarkable for anyone chasing more space.
This newly renovated house is ready for a wine cellar that doubles as the backdrop for your next Zoom call.
Phoenix
It’s tempting to watch snowdrifts pile up outside windows across America and dream of a life where February calls for just a light jacket. Phoenix delivers on that wish, while still offering an urban downtown, a college town in nearby Tempe, and plenty of housing deals.
This Spanish-style house sits on a corner lot with a covered patio out back to maximize shade when the weather heats up.
Our Winter Renovation issue is here! Subscribe now to step inside Leanne Ford’s latest project—her own historic Pennsylvania home. Plus discover our new rules of reno.
Tim Latterner
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