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States that pay you to move there

17 states have towns, counties or state programs that pay people to move there: 104 programs, checked one by one on October 30, 2026. 92 pay cash, up to $30,000 from Come Home to River Country. Most are small towns and counties in Indiana, Kansas, Wisconsin and West Virginia.

By Sol Lakein. Updated November 2026.

Find a program that fits you

Filter by your job, the cash you want, whether it is taking applications and whether it helps you visit first. Every detail comes from the program's own page.
Your job
Cash

104 of 104 programs match, biggest cash first.

The biggest cash offers

Cash programs only. Home-buying help is listed separately.1
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Cash offers in cities we cover in full

These programs sit in cities with a full Slower Sundays guide to costs, weather and flights.

Get new programs before they fill up

Programs open new rounds and hit their caps. We email when a program opens, reopens or changes its terms, and you get our free 12-page moving guide right away.

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Which states pay you to move? All 17, with every program

Tap a state to see each program, what it pays, its status and its main rules, or open the state page.

Indiana: 39 programs

Up to $7,500 cash · 30 open

Get paid to move to Indiana: all 39 programs and what it costs to live there

Kansas: 20 programs

Up to $15,000 cash · 16 open

Get paid to move to Kansas: all 20 programs and what it costs to live there

Wisconsin: 9 programs

Up to $30,000 cash · 7 open

Get paid to move to Wisconsin: all 9 programs and what it costs to live there

West Virginia: 7 programs

Up to $12,000 cash · 7 open

Get paid to move to West Virginia: all 7 programs and what it costs to live there

Kentucky: 5 programs

Up to $5,000 cash · 4 open

Get paid to move to Kentucky: all 5 programs and what it costs to live there

Michigan: 4 programs

Up to $5,000 cash · 2 open

Get paid to move to Michigan: all 4 programs and what it costs to live there

Georgia: 3 programs

Up to $5,000 cash · 0 open

Get paid to move to Georgia: all 3 programs and what it costs to live there

Oklahoma: 3 programs

Up to $10,000 cash · 1 open

Get paid to move to Oklahoma: all 3 programs and what it costs to live there

Pennsylvania: 3 programs

Up to $5,000 cash · 3 open

Get paid to move to Pennsylvania: all 3 programs and what it costs to live there

Arkansas: 2 programs

Up to $10,000 cash · 2 open

Get paid to move to Arkansas: all 2 programs and what it costs to live there

Illinois: 2 programs

Up to $5,000 cash · 1 open

Get paid to move to Illinois: all 2 programs and what it costs to live there

Missouri: 2 programs

Up to $5,000 cash · 2 open

Get paid to move to Missouri: all 2 programs and what it costs to live there

Alaska: 1 program

Up to $2,000 cash · 0 open

Get paid to move to Alaska: all 1 program and what it costs to live there

Maryland: 1 program

No cash amount stated · 1 open

Get paid to move to Maryland: all 1 program and what it costs to live there

New York: 1 program

Up to $4,000 cash · 1 open

Get paid to move to New York: all 1 program and what it costs to live there

Ohio: 1 program

Up to $15,000 cash · 0 open

Get paid to move to Ohio: all 1 program and what it costs to live there

Texas: 1 program

Up to $5,000 cash · 1 open

Get paid to move to Texas: all 1 program and what it costs to live there

What most programs ask for

Counted from the rules each program publishes. Each program page lists its exact rules.

How we checked. 14 programs are confirmed on their own or a government page; 75 are confirmed only by their MakeMyMove listing, because the community has no program page of its own; the rest by a 2025 or 2026 news report. We left out ended programs and single-employer signing bonuses.

Help buying a home

Down payment programs tied to moving in. They cut what you need to buy rather than paying you to move, so we do not count them as cash.

How we check programs

Every program on this site was checked one by one on October 30, 2026.

Questions people ask

Which town pays the most to move there?

In cash, Come Home to River Country in Crawford County, Wisconsin: $30,000, with conditions listed on its page. Next is Choose Topeka Relocation Incentive at $15,000.

Which state has the most programs?

Indiana, with 39 active programs, followed by Kansas with 20. Many are co-funded by the state.

Do I need a remote job?

For 52 of the 104 programs, yes. 41 have a track for people who take a local job instead.

Does Alaska pay you to live there?

Alaska pays eligible residents an annual Permanent Fund Dividend: $1,000 plus a $200 energy relief payment for 2026 (Alaska Department of Revenue). It is not a moving bonus. You must live in Alaska for a full calendar year before you can apply, so a newcomer waits more than a year for the first check. Our Alaska guide covers the rules and dates.

Are these programs still open?

78 were taking applications and 19 had a waitlist when we checked on October 30, 2026. Programs fill up and change terms, so confirm on the program page before you plan a move.

Remote job? See which of these towns fit you

The quiz boosts towns with an active program when you work remotely, then ranks them on what you care about.

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Notes on the numbers
  1. 1Some amounts come with conditions (Crawford County, WI forgives its award over time as you stay). Each program page lists its rules.