Montana's Struggles With Work-from-Home Opportunities

As remote work continues to shape the post-pandemic economy, Montana ranks near the bottom nationally for work-from-home conditions, according to a new analysis from our friends over at WalletHub.

About 12% of full-time employees work entirely from home, while another 27% do hybred word between multiple locations. But the effectiveness of those arrangements often depends on where workers live.

WalletHub compared states using 12 metrics, including internet costs, cybersecurity, home size and the share of residents working remotely. Montana ranked 50th overall, placing near the bottom in both work and living environment categories.

Source: WalletHub

Chip Lupo said remote work can offer major benefits but comes with tradeoffs tied to location.

“Working from home can save people a lot of money on transportation expenses, as well as make their work environment a lot more comfortable and their hours more flexible,” Lupo said. “However, things like energy costs, internet speed, home sizes and how many people live together can greatly impact people’s savings and productivity.”

Montana’s low ranking is driven largely by high internet costs, limited broadband access in rural areas and fewer households suited for remote work. While electricity costs are relatively low, connectivity challenges remain a significant barrier.

North Dakota came in 38th across the nation, having low utility costs but facing limited remote-work participation.

South Dakota came in at 37th, balancing affordability with moderate infrastructure challenges.

Minnesota stands out as a regional leader, ranking 11th overall due to stronger infrastructure, higher remote-work adoption and better cybersecurity conditions. Meanwhile, Idaho ranked 39th and Wyoming 47th, both facing similar rural connectivity limitations as Montana.

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Lupo said that while remote jobs can be done from anywhere, “certain states make the practice much better than others.”

Best States for Remote Work

Overall 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	49.16	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