Florida is officially the worst state in America to work from home, new research reveals.
- Florida is officially America’s worst state to work from home, with the slowest WIFI speed in the whole of the country, and combined monthly internet and electricity bills well above the national average.
- New Mexico and Arizona are ranked as the two best states to work from home, with some of the fastest WIFI speeds and lowest combined gas and electricity costs in the country.
Florida has the slowest internet speed in the entire country (93 Mbps), and combined monthly electricity and internet bills of $263.17: well above the national average of $197.59 a month for internet and electricity.
The research by Digital Directory Express used the latest data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) and World Population Review to analyze the WIFI speeds, electricity bills and internet costs of each state in the US. Each state was assigned a score according to its rank in each of these categories, to determine the worst and best areas in the US to work from home.
Top Ten Worst States to Work From Home |
||||
| State | Total internet and electricity costs per state | Average internet speed (Mbps) per state | Rankings Totaled | Index |
| Florida | $262.17 | 93 | 93 | 1 |
| Arizona | $275.19 | 230.4 | 89 | 2 |
| South Carolina | $235.57 | 221.4 | 85 | 3 |
| Maryland | $226.14 | 193.9 | 84 | 4 |
| Hawaii | $272.46 | 285.1 | 81 | 5 |
| California | $223.49 | 230.1 | 77 | 6 |
| Delaware | $202.20 | 205.2 | 76 | 7 |
| New Jersey | $195.89 | 110.5 | 75 | 8 |
| Alabama | $264.71 | 314.6 | 73 | 9 |
| Georgia | $220.66 | 261.8 | 73 | 9 |
Top Ten Best States to Work From Home |
||||
| State | Total internet and electricity costs per state | Average internet speed per state | Rankings Totaled | Index |
| New Mexico | $146.48 | 505.6 | 8 | 49 |
| North Dakota | $143.32 | 451 | 8 | 49 |
| Washington | $144.62 | 408.2 | 15 | 48 |
| Iowa | $154.32 | 425.9 | 16 | 47 |
| Nebraska | $161.34 | 433.3 | 17 | 46 |
| Oregon | $164.90 | 430.8 | 19 | 45 |
| Colorado | $155.46 | 351.1 | 24 | 44 |
| Minnesota | $160.54 | 373.4 | 25 | 43 |
| Pennsylvania | $181.76 | 427.8 | 28 | 42 |
| South Dakota | $176.66 | 397.7 | 30 | 40 |
Ranked: The worst and best states to work from home |
||||||||
| State | Average monthly internet bills per state | Average monthly electricity bills per state | Total internet and electricity costs per state | Electricity and internet bills state rank | Average internet speed per state | Internet speed state rank | Rankings Totaled | Index |
| Florida | $42.50 | $219.67 | $262.17 | 43 | 93 | 50 | 93 | 1 |
| Arizona | $35.00 | $240.20 | $275.19 | 48 | 230.4 | 41 | 89 | 2 |
| South Carolina | $37.50 | $198.08 | $235.57 | 41 | 221.4 | 44 | 85 | 3 |
| Maryland | $42.50 | $183.64 | $226.14 | 37 | 193.9 | 47 | 84 | 4 |
| Hawaii | $44.99 | $227.47 | $272.46 | 47 | 285.1 | 34 | 81 | 5 |
| California | $42.50 | $180.99 | $223.49 | 35 | 230.1 | 42 | 77 | 6 |
| Delaware | $34.99 | $167.21 | $202.20 | 31 | 205.2 | 45 | 76 | 7 |
| New Jersey | $37.49 | $158.40 | $195.89 | 26 | 110.5 | 49 | 75 | 8 |
| Alabama | $42.50 | $222.21 | $264.71 | 45 | 314.6 | 28 | 73 | 9 |
| Georgia | $37.50 | $183.17 | $220.66 | 34 | 261.8 | 39 | 73 | 9 |
| Kentucky | $47.50 | $149.80 | $197.29 | 27 | 226 | 43 | 70 | 11 |
| Texas | $42.50 | $234.48 | $276.97 | 49 | 344.6 | 18 | 67 | 12 |
| Mississippi | $42.50 | $205.63 | $248.13 | 42 | 322.3 | 25 | 67 | 12 |
| Connecticut | $40.00 | $237.41 | $277.40 | 50 | 396.1 | 13 | 63 | 14 |
| North Carolina | $37.50 | $191.51 | $229.01 | 39 | 324.9 | 23 | 62 | 15 |
| Indiana | $42.50 | $146.93 | $189.43 | 24 | 270 | 38 | 62 | 15 |
| Rhode Island | $49.99 | $212.56 | $262.55 | 44 | 347 | 17 | 61 | 17 |
| Kansas | $57.50 | $169.51 | $227.01 | 38 | 325.7 | 22 | 60 | 18 |
| Virginia | $35.00 | $164.38 | $199.38 | 28 | 304.2 | 31 | 59 | 19 |
| Idaho | $50.00 | $109.84 | $159.84 | 10 | 191.7 | 48 | 58 | 20 |
| Massachusetts | $34.99 | $188.56 | $223.55 | 36 | 331 | 21 | 57 | 21 |
| New Hampshire | $34.99 | $155.85 | $190.84 | 25 | 293.4 | 32 | 57 | 21 |
| Wisconsin | $45.00 | $129.85 | $174.85 | 17 | 244.3 | 40 | 57 | 21 |
| Tennessee | $50.00 | $159.38 | $209.38 | 33 | 324.9 | 23 | 56 | 24 |
| Missouri | $42.50 | $140.32 | $182.82 | 22 | 288.7 | 33 | 55 | 25 |
| West Virginia | $37.50 | $135.86 | $173.36 | 16 | 278.3 | 35 | 51 | 26 |
| Nevada | $40.00 | $227.76 | $267.76 | 46 | 469.7 | 3 | 49 | 27 |
| Louisiana | $42.50 | $190.34 | $232.84 | 40 | 414.9 | 9 | 49 | 27 |
| New York | $34.99 | $164.60 | $199.59 | 29 | 334.1 | 20 | 49 | 27 |
| Ohio | $37.50 | $147.38 | $184.88 | 23 | 317.9 | 26 | 49 | 27 |
| Illinois | $42.50 | $135.00 | $177.50 | 19 | 312.5 | 30 | 49 | 27 |
| Alaska | $57.50 | $11.05 | $68.55 | 1 | 203.2 | 46 | 47 | 32 |
| Michigan | $40.00 | $130.41 | $170.40 | 15 | 316.9 | 27 | 42 | 33 |
| Arkansas | $42.50 | $158.62 | $201.12 | 30 | 401.2 | 11 | 41 | 34 |
| Wyoming | $54.98 | $85.09 | $140.06 | 3 | 273.2 | 37 | 40 | 35 |
| Maine | $41.82 | $137.99 | $179.81 | 20 | 334.6 | 19 | 39 | 36 |
| Montana | $45.00 | $94.60 | $139.60 | 2 | 277.1 | 36 | 38 | 37 |
| Utah | $42.50 | $109.56 | $152.06 | 7 | 314.1 | 29 | 36 | 38 |
| Oklahoma | $39.97 | $167.17 | $207.14 | 32 | 506.7 | 1 | 33 | 39 |
| South Dakota | $54.95 | $121.71 | $176.66 | 18 | 397.7 | 12 | 30 | 40 |
| Vermont | $48.48 | $120.01 | $168.49 | 14 | 351 | 16 | 30 | 40 |
| Pennsylvania | $34.99 | $146.77 | $181.76 | 21 | 427.8 | 7 | 28 | 42 |
| Minnesota | $37.50 | $123.04 | $160.54 | 11 | 373.4 | 14 | 25 | 43 |
| Colorado | $37.50 | $117.96 | $155.46 | 9 | 351.1 | 15 | 24 | 44 |
| Oregon | $39.99 | $124.91 | $164.90 | 13 | 430.8 | 6 | 19 | 45 |
| Nebraska | $40.00 | $121.34 | $161.34 | 12 | 433.3 | 5 | 17 | 46 |
| Iowa | $35.00 | $119.32 | $154.32 | 8 | 425.9 | 8 | 16 | 47 |
| Washington | $49.98 | $94.65 | $144.62 | 5 | 408.2 | 10 | 15 | 48 |
| New Mexico | $25.00 | $121.48 | $146.48 | 6 | 505.6 | 2 | 8 | 49 |
| North Dakota | $47.18 | $96.14 | $143.32 | 4 | 451 | 4 | 8 | 49 |
| US Average | $197.59 | 319.82 | ||||||
Arizona ranks as the second worst state to work from home, with the third highest combined electricity and internet costs in the country ($275.19 per month, far higher than the national average of $197.59 a month), and some of the slowest WIFI speeds in America: 230.4 Mbps, compared with the national average speed of 319.8 Mbps.
South Carolina is the third worst state for remote working in the US. In South Carolina, WIFI speeds are an average of just 221.4 Mbps, far slower than the US average of 319.8 Mbps. South Carolina also has some of the highest electricity and internet costs in America, with residents paying an average of $235.57 for combined internet and electricity per month, well above the US average ($197.59). Maryland, California and Hawaii also rank in the top five worst states to work from home.
At the other end of the scale, New Mexico and North Dakota both top the list of best states to work from home in America. Both New Mexico and North Dakota have exceptionally fast WIFI speeds: New Mexico at 505.6 Mbps (the second fastest in the country) and North Dakota at 451 Mbps, compared to the national average speed of 319.8Mbp. North Dakota and New Mexico also enjoy lower electricity and internet bills than the rest of the nation, with a combined monthly total of $146.48 and $143.32 respectively, compared to the national average of $197.59. Washington, Iowa and Nebraska also rank as some of the best states to work from home.
Sam Rogers, spokesperson for Digital Directory Express said: “Just over one third of workers in the US now work from home, according to Pew Research Center, and it’s a trend that shows no signs of slowing down. But it is striking to see the inequality across different states when it comes to basics like internet speed, which is absolutely vital for home working, as well as the need for affordable cooling and heating (depending on the season) when you’re staying in the house all day. If we want to mobilize what is now over 14 percent of our workforce, it’s important that states invest in improving key issues like internet speed and work to make bills manageable, especially in a heatwave that is forcing households to increase their spending on Air Conditioning to stay cool and function in the home”.
Sources: All data gathered from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), World Population Review, and Go Banking Rates
We hope you have found this data and analysis useful and insightful.
Imelda Perez
Credit: Digital Directory Express digitaldirectoryexpress.com
