If you or someone in your family works from home, where you live matters more than you might think. Internet costs, home size, and how many people around you are doing the same thing all add up.
WalletHub just released its 2026 rankings of the best and worst states for remote work. They looked at factors like the share of remote workers in each state, internet costs, home size, and how crowded homes tend to be.
Utah Comes Out on Top
Utah ranked number one overall, with a score of 70.07. The state has some of the lowest electricity costs in the country and what the study calls “reasonable” internet pricing.
There’s another advantage too. Utah has the biggest homes in the country, with an average size of 2,459 square feet. More space means a better chance of having a dedicated room set aside just for work, which makes a real difference in keeping your work life and home life from blending together.
Rounding out the top five are Delaware, Connecticut, Maryland, and Massachusetts.
The Full 2026 Rankings
Here is how every state stacked up, including Washington, D.C.:
| Rank | State | Total Score | Work Environment Rank | Living Environment Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Utah | 70.07 | 9 | 1 |
| 2 | Delaware | 67.25 | 4 | 18 |
| 3 | Connecticut | 66.64 | 6 | 7 |
| 4 | Maryland | 65.65 | 3 | 31 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | 65.65 | 5 | 30 |
| 6 | New Jersey | 65.31 | 2 | 40 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | 64.92 | 7 | 20 |
| 8 | Washington | 63.99 | 12 | 11 |
| 9 | Virginia | 63.24 | 11 | 14 |
| 10 | North Carolina | 62.84 | 15 | 12 |
| 11 | Minnesota | 62.40 | 17 | 8 |
| 12 | Tennessee | 62.19 | 21 | 4 |
| 13 | Georgia | 61.18 | 28 | 3 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | 61.14 | 10 | 35 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | 60.83 | 8 | 41 |
| 16 | Ohio | 60.49 | 13 | 32 |
| 17 | Nevada | 60.21 | 20 | 23 |
| 18 | Arizona | 60.16 | 22 | 19 |
| 19 | District of Columbia | 59.83 | 1 | 50 |
| 20 | Oregon | 59.38 | 26 | 22 |
| 21 | Texas | 59.31 | 27 | 13 |
| 22 | Kentucky | 59.17 | 24 | 26 |
| 23 | Colorado | 59.09 | 31 | 10 |
| 24 | South Carolina | 58.00 | 32 | 9 |
| 25 | Florida | 57.46 | 25 | 34 |
| 26 | New York | 57.20 | 14 | 44 |
| 27 | Nebraska | 57.18 | 37 | 5 |
| 28 | Wisconsin | 57.04 | 19 | 38 |
| 29 | Michigan | 56.89 | 16 | 43 |
| 30 | Illinois | 56.70 | 18 | 42 |
| 31 | Kansas | 56.45 | 36 | 17 |
| 32 | California | 56.35 | 23 | 39 |
| 33 | Indiana | 56.06 | 33 | 24 |
| 34 | Alabama | 55.36 | 34 | 27 |
| 35 | Louisiana | 54.83 | 35 | 29 |
| 36 | Missouri | 54.06 | 38 | 28 |
| 37 | South Dakota | 53.51 | 42 | 21 |
| 38 | North Dakota | 53.35 | 48 | 2 |
| 39 | Idaho | 53.14 | 43 | 16 |
| 40 | Maine | 52.88 | 29 | 45 |
| 41 | Vermont | 50.99 | 41 | 37 |
| 42 | New Mexico | 50.96 | 44 | 33 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | 50.94 | 46 | 15 |
| 44 | Iowa | 49.39 | 39 | 46 |
| 45 | Mississippi | 49.22 | 47 | 25 |
| 46 | Arkansas | 49.12 | 45 | 36 |
| 47 | Wyoming | 49.15 | 49 | 6 |
| 48 | Hawaii | 48.24 | 30 | 49 |
| 49 | West Virginia | 45.86 | 40 | 47 |
| 50 | Montana | 35.03 | 50 | 48 |
| 51 | Alaska | 22.45 | 51 | 51 |
Alaska Finishes Last, Again
For the second year in a row, Alaska ranked dead last. The state has a very low share of residents who work remotely. And when it comes to internet costs, Alaska is the most expensive state in the country, roughly five times higher than Connecticut, which has the cheapest internet on average.
That gap is not a surprise to anyone familiar with the state. Internet service in rural parts of Alaska has historically been slower and more expensive than in more populated areas of the country.
Whether you’re still working a few hours a week from home or thinking about where to settle down, your state’s internet costs and home size can have a bigger impact on your daily comfort than you’d expect. It’s worth knowing where yours stands.