When the COVID-19 pandemic struck in early 2020, every task that could adapt to a remote activity did—fitness classes, happy hours, even doctor’s visits—and, crucially, the workday.
But plenty stayed in-person, partly depending on the task or job. A Pew Research Center survey conducted in October 2020 found that 71% of people who could do their jobs remotely were working remotely. Still, lower-income workers were less likely to be doing so, regardless of what their job duties were.
Geography mattered, too: Cities were more likely to have remote-friendly jobs, according to an OECD analysis, but many rural areas sought to attract workers who could now work from anywhere.
The shift to remote work didn’t completely end once offices reopened for in-person work: According to another survey from Pew Research Center, 59% of respondents were still working remotely in 2022.
ClickUp used Census Bureau data from the 2021 American Community Survey to find the county in each state with the largest percentage of people working from home at least some of the time.
Of course, the reason many workers are choosing to telework is different in 2023 than it was in March 2020. In the same 2022 Pew Research Center survey, respondents said working from home made it easier to balance their personal lives with work and meet deadlines. Fewer remote workers said they were concerned about being exposed to COVID-19 than in 2020.
Furthermore, a 2022 survey conducted by McKinsey and Company found that of the professionals surveyed who had the opportunity to work from home, 87% took advantage of it. A flexible working arrangement was even cited as the third-most powerful motivator to look for a new job.
So what is the state of remote work across the country? Nearly 18% of Americans who responded to the 2021 Census Bureau American Community Survey said they worked from home at least some during the previous week. That’s 27.6 million people—roughly triple the 9 million who said they worked from home in 2019.
Of course, the amount of remote workers varies from state to state: Nearly half of District of Columbia professionals worked remotely in 2021, with nearly a quarter of workers in Washington, Maryland, Colorado, and Massachusetts also logging on at home.
In this analysis, ties were broken by the number of workers in a county. Single-year American Community Survey estimates were only available for about 620 counties—those with populations over 65,000—out of over 3,000 nationwide, but were used instead of five-year estimates due to the extreme changes in work-from-home trends over the past few years. States are listed here in alphabetical order.
Keep reading to discover where most people work from home in your state.
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- Alabama: Madison County
- Alaska: Anchorage Municipality
- Arizona: Maricopa County
- Arkansas: Benton County
- California: San Francisco County
- Colorado: Boulder County
- Connecticut: Fairfield County
- Delaware: New Castle County
- Florida: Seminole County
- Georgia: Fulton County
- Hawaii: Hawaii County
- Idaho: Ada County
- Illinois: DuPage County
- Indiana: Hamilton County
- Iowa: Dallas County
- Kansas: Johnson County
- Kentucky: Oldham County
- Louisiana: Orleans Parish
- Maine: Cumberland County
- Maryland: Montgomery County
- Massachusetts: Middlesex County
- Michigan: Washtenaw County
- Minnesota: Washington County
- Mississippi: DeSoto County
- Missouri: St. Charles County
- Montana: Gallatin County
- Nebraska: Douglas County
- Nevada: Washoe County
- New Hampshire: Hillsborough County
- New Jersey: Somerset County
- New Mexico: Santa Fe County
- New York: New York County
- North Carolina: Orange County
- North Dakota: Cass County
- Ohio: Delaware County
- Oklahoma: Tulsa County
- Oregon: Multnomah County
- Pennsylvania: Chester County
- Rhode Island: Newport County
- South Carolina: York County
- South Dakota: Minnehaha County
- Tennessee: Williamson County
- Texas: Travis County
- Utah: Salt Lake County
- Vermont: Chittenden County
- Virginia: Arlington County
- Washington DC
- Washington: King County
- West Virginia: Monongalia County
- Wisconsin: Dane County
- Wyoming: Natrona County
- The Future of Work is Here
Alabama: Madison County
- People working from home within county: 19.2% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 193,623
- People working from home statewide: 9.6% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 2.2 million
Alaska: Anchorage Municipality
- People working from home within county: 12.6% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 145,508
- People working from home statewide: 10.3% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 343,883
Bonus: The top patent earners by state
Arizona: Maricopa County
- People working from home within county: 23.8% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 2.2 million
- People working from home statewide: 20.7% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 3.3 million
Arkansas: Benton County
- People working from home within county: 21.5% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 145,609
- People working from home statewide: 9.7% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 1.3 million
California: San Francisco County
- People working from home within county: 45.6% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 438,943
- People working from home statewide: 21.4% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 17.8 million
Colorado: Boulder County
- People working from home within county: 36.3% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 172,868
- People working from home statewide: 23.7% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 3.0 million
Connecticut: Fairfield County
- People working from home within county: 23.5% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 479,278
- People working from home statewide: 19.5% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 1.8 million
Delaware: New Castle County
- People working from home within county: 23.6% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 275,885
- People working from home statewide: 18.6% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 455,993
Florida: Seminole County
- People working from home within county: 25.6% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 240,502
- People working from home statewide: 16.6% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 9.9 million
Georgia: Fulton County
- People working from home within county: 36.3% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 558,580
- People working from home statewide: 18.2% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 5.0 million
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Hawaii: Hawaii County
- People working from home within county: 13.0% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 82,140
- People working from home statewide: 10.7% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 668,446
Idaho: Ada County
- People working from home within county: 20.0% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 254,309
- People working from home statewide: 13.3% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 889,536
Illinois: DuPage County
- People working from home within county: 26.7% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 468,211
- People working from home statewide: 19.3% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 6.0 million
Indiana: Hamilton County
- People working from home within county: 27.4% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 187,363
- People working from home statewide: 11.9% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 3.2 million
Iowa: Dallas County
- People working from home within county: 27.4% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 59,377
- People working from home statewide: 13.4% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 1.6 million
Kansas: Johnson County
- People working from home within county: 27.1% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 329,827
- People working from home statewide: 13.8% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 1.4 million
Kentucky: Oldham County
- People working from home within county: 21.4% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 33,386
- People working from home statewide: 11.5% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 2.0 million
Louisiana: Orleans Parish
- People working from home within county: 17.8% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 164,397
- People working from home statewide: 8.4% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 1.9 million
Maine: Cumberland County
- People working from home within county: 26.3% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 161,823
- People working from home statewide: 17.7% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 660,465
Maryland: Montgomery County
- People working from home within county: 37.1% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 540,481
- People working from home statewide: 24.0% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 3.1 million
Massachusetts: Middlesex County
- People working from home within county: 32.3% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 866,649
- People working from home statewide: 23.7% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 3.5 million
Michigan: Washtenaw County
- People working from home within county: 29.5% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 183,684
- People working from home statewide: 16.4% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 4.5 million
Minnesota: Washington County
- People working from home within county: 32.3% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 140,694
- People working from home statewide: 20.9% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 2.9 million
Mississippi: DeSoto County
- People working from home within county: 10.2% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 91,372
- People working from home statewide: 6.3% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 1.2 million
Missouri: St. Charles County
- People working from home within county: 22.6% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 216,203
- People working from home statewide: 14.7% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 2.9 million
Montana: Gallatin County
- People working from home within county: 18.0% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 66,583
- People working from home statewide: 14.0% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 522,807
Nebraska: Douglas County
- People working from home within county: 19.1% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 303,363
- People working from home statewide: 12.8% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 1.0 million
Nevada: Washoe County
- People working from home within county: 14.2% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 245,560
- People working from home statewide: 13.0% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 1.4 million
New Hampshire: Hillsborough County
- People working from home within county: 22.7% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 233,146
- People working from home statewide: 19.3% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 733,129
New Jersey: Somerset County
- People working from home within county: 31.4% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 178,934
- People working from home statewide: 22.1% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 4.4 million
New Mexico: Santa Fe County
- People working from home within county: 24.3% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 69,704
- People working from home statewide: 15.2% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 877,399
New York: New York County
- People working from home within county: 36.5% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 793,149
- People working from home statewide: 19.6% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 9.0 million
North Carolina: Orange County
- People working from home within county: 35.2% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 71,761
- People working from home statewide: 18.8% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 4.9 million
North Dakota: Cass County
- People working from home within county: 13.7% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 107,722
- People working from home statewide: 8.9% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 397,892
Ohio: Delaware County
- People working from home within county: 32.1% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 116,974
- People working from home statewide: 14.8% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 5.5 million
Oklahoma: Tulsa County
- People working from home within county: 14.0% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 311,061
- People working from home statewide: 10.4% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 1.8 million
Oregon: Multnomah County
- People working from home within county: 32.1% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 425,906
- People working from home statewide: 22.7% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 2.0 million
Pennsylvania: Chester County
- People working from home within county: 29.1% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 280,530
- People working from home statewide: 18.7% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 6.1 million
Rhode Island: Newport County
- People working from home within county: 23.2% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 42,058
- People working from home statewide: 17.5% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 533,088
South Carolina: York County
- People working from home within county: 18.5% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 137,482
- People working from home statewide: 11.7% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 2.3 million
South Dakota: Minnehaha County
- People working from home within county: 14.7% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 109,606
- People working from home statewide: 11.1% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 445,606
Tennessee: Williamson County
- People working from home within county: 31.3% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 131,742
- People working from home statewide: 14.0% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 3.2 million
Texas: Travis County
- People working from home within county: 36.2% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 731,623
- People working from home statewide: 16.3% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 13.6 million
Utah: Salt Lake County
- People working from home within county: 23.5% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 613,545
- People working from home statewide: 20.0% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 1.6 million
Vermont: Chittenden County
- People working from home within county: 26.4% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 91,678
- People working from home statewide: 19.6% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 327,910
Virginia: Arlington County
- People working from home within county: 48.8% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 142,653
- People working from home statewide: 22.3% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 4.3 million
Washington DC
- People working from home within county: 48.3% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 354,033
- People working from home statewide: 48.3% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 354,033
Washington: King County
- People working from home within county: 38.3% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 1.2 million
- People working from home statewide: 24.2% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 3.7 million
West Virginia: Monongalia County
- People working from home within county: 16.1% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 50,715
- People working from home statewide: 10.2% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 707,299
Wisconsin: Dane County
- People working from home within county: 24.4% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 313,158
- People working from home statewide: 14.8% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 2.9 million
Wyoming: Natrona County
- People working from home within county: 7.3% of workers
- Total number of workers within county (age 16+): 38,741
- People working from home statewide: 8.9% of workers
- Total number of workers statewide (age 16+): 283,628
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