It sounds like a scam, but it isn’t: in different corners of the world, whole towns and cities are literally paying cash to anyone willing to relocate there. The reason is simple — many of these communities have been losing population for years, and with the rise of remote work, they saw an opportunity to attract new residents by offering money, scholarships, memberships, and even lunch with the mayor. So we decided to round up some of the most eye-catching cases making headlines this year, proof that yes, there really are places out there paying people to start over somewhere new.
1.Texarkana, Texas and Arkansas. City: the welcome incentive
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Texarkana is a city literally split down the middle by the Texas–Arkansas state line, and back in 2024 it launched a program called “Redi-Set-Move” to fight population stagnation. The offer includes $5,000 in cash for moving expenses, plus tuition discounts of up to 25% at local universities like the Texarkana branch of Texas A&M.
What’s striking is that more than 8,000 people have already applied to move there. One of them, Melanie Daniel, said she relocated from Memphis after growing tired of constantly repairing her old house, and that Texarkana’s response was so fast she thought it had to be a scam. Today she lives in a luxury apartment and calls it one of the best decisions she’s made.
2.Morgantown, West Virginia. City: the biggest payout in the US
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Among all the programs out there, Morgantown stands out for offering the highest cash incentive in the entire country: $12,000 for anyone who decides to settle there. It’s one of the fastest-growing cities in the state, surrounded by natural scenery that makes it appealing to people looking to escape the pace of big cities.
Beyond the cash, the program also includes free access to a co-working space and social programming designed to help newcomers make connections quickly, along with support for anyone looking to start their own business in the area.
3.Tulsa, Oklahoma. City: the pioneer of the model
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Tulsa was one of the first cities to popularize this idea, and today its “Tulsa Remote” program has already brought in more than 3,000 people thanks to a $10,000 incentive for remote workers. On top of that, there are wellness benefits, a free co-working space, and events specifically designed to help the growing community of newcomers get to know each other.
Thanks to that volume of people, Tulsa ended up building one of the most established remote-worker communities in the country, turning it into something of a case study for other cities trying to copy the model.
4.Neodesha, Kansas. Town: the one betting big on education
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This small Kansas town decided to go all in: it offers up to $15,000 toward student loan repayment for anyone who moves there, plus free college tuition for local graduates, childcare support, and property tax rebates.
It’s one of the most complete examples on this list of how these communities aren’t just targeting cash incentives, but trying to solve the expenses that weigh most heavily on a young family that’s just getting started.
5.Republic County, Kansas. Rural area: cash plus housing
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In this rural stretch of Kansas, the welcome package includes $8,000 in cash, a state income tax waiver through the 2026 tax year, and up to $35,000 in additional incentives for anyone who builds a new home in the area.
It’s one of the most generous housing-focused combos on this list, aimed specifically at attracting families who want to settle down for the long haul, not just pass through.
6.West Memphis, Arkansas. City: two paths to choose from
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In West Memphis, you actually get to choose: $5,000 in cash if you move in as a renter, or up to $10,000 if you’re planning to buy a home in the city. As if that weren’t enough, they also throw in a welcome meal with the mayor himself.
It’s a clear example of how these programs adjust the payout depending on how committed someone is willing to be to the community.
7.Danville, Indiana. Town: the cultural combo
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Danville offers a total incentive of $10,000, but adds its own twist: a ticket package to the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and another for Indy Eleven soccer games. The idea is that newcomers don’t just get money in their pocket, but reasons to get out and enjoy the local cultural scene from day one.
Like many other Indiana towns, Danville is part of a sort of regional cluster of small communities all competing, side by side, for the attention of the same pool of remote workers.
8.Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Region: the newest bet
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Cedar Rapids, the second-largest city in Iowa, jumped on this trend with a $5,000 cash bonus, plus baseball game tickets, gift cards to local restaurants, and a membership to the region’s Economic Alliance.
According to local officials, the goal isn’t just to hand over the money, but to help people feel like part of the community as quickly as possible, something they see as key to making sure newcomers actually stay long-term instead of treating the incentive as a short-term jump.
9.Albinen, Switzerland. Town: the European case with a catch
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This tiny Swiss town, tucked away in the mountains with wooden chalets dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries, went viral after the YouTube channel Yes Theory traveled there to check whether it was actually true that people were being paid to move in. The answer was yes — with a pretty significant catch. To qualify, you have to invest 200,000 Swiss francs (roughly $250,000) into building or renovating a home in the town, and commit to living there for at least ten years.
In return, those who qualify receive 25,000 Swiss francs per adult and 10,000 per child. The town, which today has only around 260 residents, has no school, no bank, and just one bus an hour — so you’d better be genuinely ready for a radical lifestyle change before signing up.
10.Plainfield, Indiana. Town: built for families
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With 36,000 residents, Plainfield offers a $5,000 relocation bonus, plus a one-year family membership to a local recreation and aquatic center, along with access to a Level 2 co-working space for the first twelve months.
It’s a perfect example of how many of these programs are no longer just thinking about the individual remote worker, but actively trying to attract entire families looking for a quieter, more affordable place to put down roots.
11.Jacksonville, Illinois. Town: the small-perks champion
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Located in central Illinois, Jacksonville offers $5,000 in cash for relocation, plus $300 in “Chamber Checks” (a kind of local spending voucher) provided by the Chamber of Commerce together with a few area banks. It also includes a free checking account and three months of complimentary fiber-optic internet.
It’s one of those examples where the focus isn’t on one big lump sum, but on stacking a bunch of smaller perks that, together, take a real bite out of the costs of settling into a new place during those first few months.
12.Hermitage, Pennsylvania. City: the western Pennsylvania pick
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Set in the heart of western Pennsylvania, Hermitage offers a $5,000 cash incentive for anyone who moves there, along with six months of free access to a co-working space and monthly coffee networking events designed to help newcomers make connections fast.
It’s one of the newer cities to jump on this trend, and it’s betting heavily on the idea that the real key isn’t just the money, but helping people build relationships as soon as they arrive.
Would you move to a town or city for an incentive like this? Do you know of any other place in the world that pays people to move there?
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