Since the pandemic, many businesses are embracing work-from-home positions, however people who are allowed to work from home may not always have the best environment for doing so. A new report from WalletHub, “The Best States to Work from Home,” compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 12 key metrics in order to highlight which areas are thriving and which are struggling in the current economy.

According to the report, the best work-from-home conditions include low costs, reasonable comfort and a high level of security. It also considered factors like how large and how crowded homes are in the state. Together, these metrics show how feasible working from home is in terms of cost, comfort and safety.

The results:
 
10 Best States for Working from Home:

1. New Jersey
2. District of Columbia
3. Delaware
4. Connecticut
5. Massachusetts
6. Utah
7. Texas
8. Washington
9. Maryland
10. New York

 
10 Worst states for working from home:

42. West Virginia
43. New Mexico
44. Hawaii
45. Wyoming
46. Oklahoma
47. Arkansas
48. North Dakota
49. Montana
50. Mississippi
51. Alaska

Key Findings:

• The District of Columbia has the highest share of the labor force working from home, 12.30%, which is 4.1 times higher than in Mississippi, the state with the lowest at 3.00%.
• New Hampshire has the highest share of households with a broadband internet subscription, 79.90%, which is 1.6 times higher than in Mississippi, the state with the lowest at 50.10%.
• Connecticut has the highest share of households with access to broadband speeds over 25 Mbps, 98.70%, which is 1.5 times higher than in Mississippi, the state with the lowest at 65.40%.
• Kentucky has the lowest amount lost per victim as a result of internet crime, $1,847.51, which is 18.4 times lower than in North Dakota, the state with the highest at $33,953.87. 
• North Dakota has the lowest residential retail price of electricity, 9.35 cents per kWh, which is 3.8 times lower than in Hawaii, the state with the highest at 35.57 cents per kWh. 

The takeaway:
 
“Beyond the concerns of management and workers,” says Stuart Eimer, the Department of Sociology co-chair at Widener University, “it is interesting to note that many Mayors are urging companies to bring their workers back. Working from home has been disastrous for all sorts of business that relied on workers as customers, whether it is mass transit and cleaning services or restaurants and flower shops.”
 
“If they do offer [a work-from-home alternative],” Says Susan Bisom-Rapp, a professor of law at California Western School of Law, “employers must consider cybersecurity issues, think about how to maintain their company culture, and provide mechanisms to foster employee commitment.” 
 
On the advantages and disadvantages of working from home, Robert J. Gitter, professor of economist at Ohio Wesleyan University, says, “One certainly saves money on commuting costs, childcare, meals away from home, and office clothing that are no longer needed. Further, a person with a half-hour commute each day now has an extra five hours a week where they are not commuting. The downsides include social isolation and the lack of the gains that come about from interacting with others.”
 
To view the full report visit: 
https://wallethub.com/edu/best-states-for-working-from-home/72801

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