This Appalachian region is boosting its economy by paying remote workers to move there

People across a multitude of industries and professions have taken advantage of the rapidly evolving landscape of remote work around the country in recent years. Some take the opportunity to choose their own home base as a chance to move closer to family, while others opt for brand-new adventures thousands of miles from where they were raised.

Amid it all, a curious and groundbreaking initiative has emerged to reshape the geography of employment in eastern Kentucky by enticing remote workers with a compelling proposition: relocate to Appalachia and receive financial incentives to support the transition. This initiative aims to bolster the local economy and offer a transformative lifestyle shift for those looking for a change in scenery.

Shaping Our Appalachian Region (SOAR) is a nonprofit that works with Kentucky’s 54 Appalachian counties to fill in the economic gaps left by the steady decline of the coal industry, which initially served as the driving force of employment and stability in the region.

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Their goal is to champion all manner of local projects and programs that rally together these communities and march them toward a brighter and more prosperous future. One of their most extensive and latest initiatives was partnering with MakeMyMove.com to participate in a pilot program designed to bring remote workers to eastern Kentucky using cash incentives and welcome packages that include access to a number of activities and events tailored to the new residents’ individual interests.

People, not companies

The program hopes to accelerate the process of generating a livelier economy by focusing on people rather than companies, which is a much more complicated, expensive, and timely task.

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The benefit of working with remote employees is that the relocation is more affordable, and the return on investment pays off much more quickly. Colby Hall, SOAR executive director, says that the ROI for each relocating mover makes this program a no-brainer choice for the community. MakeMyMove has received more than 1,100 applications from people interested in making the leap to Appalachia, and five households have currently accepted an offer.

The new residents come from all around the country: Maryland, Florida, Arizona, and South Carolina, and they plan to bring an average household income of more than $125,000 with them.

Compared with the current average income in the region, which hovers just around $32,000, this is a massive boon to the community. In fact, MakeMyMove says that these five eastern Kentucky counties will see a sharp return on investment of around $300,000 if they meet their goal for remote workers.

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When discussing the program’s early success and bright potential for the future, Hall thanked his funding partners in the Appalachian Regional Commission and Kentucky Power for their support. “We look forward to growing the effort to more counties in SOAR’s service territory,” says Hall.

While building up the local tax base and growing the economy are noble and important goals, another benefit to the relocation program lies in the twin pillars of healthcare and education, two objectively crucial touchpoints within small, and predominantly rural, communities.

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Several counties located in eastern Kentucky have struggled to find quality workers in either field to serve the local population. Leaders within the Appalachian community have high hopes that this will change over the coming years as more people relocate to the area, and want to see it grow.

“Bringing folks into our community who already have a digital job has been a goal for us over the last two years following the pandemic,” said Dan Mosley, Harlan County judge/executive. “Finally, seeing people move here is encouraging. We live in the most beautiful place on the globe, and people in areas all across the country are realizing that. With advancements in the expansion of broadband, you can live right here in the mountains of Harlan County and work for anyone in the world if you have a digital job.”

Pedro Morgado is one of the new residents who decided to make his home in Harlan County rather than staying put in Florida. He says the hospitality in the region is unmatched, and he’s always wanted to live in the mountains. “I grew up in a very small town in South America, and [eastern Kentucky] reminds me of my childhood,” said Morgado. “But what excited me to move is the growing opportunities that the commonwealth of Kentucky offers.”

The incentives

The incentive packages for remote workers includes $5,000 to help cover relocation costs, a possible $2,500 for a spouse who can work in the education or healthcare field within the community, and a $250 welcome package for the family. The five counties currently offering the relocation deal are Floyd, Harlan, Johnson, Letcher, and Pike.

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Those interested in a move to Kentucky or finding out more about the relocation program can visit the Eastern Kentucky offer page on MakeMyMove. Communities who are considering launching similar initiatives can find out more about recruiting a remote workforce by visiting MakeMyMove for more information.

Read the original article on Livability.