Build Your Career in Ottawa: get paid to move to Ottawa
- Who it's for
- People taking a local job
- What you commit to
- Stay 12 months, Income $55,000+
- Visit before you move
- Not mentioned
- How we checked
- MakeMyMove listing
By Sol Lakein, founder of Slower Sundays.Checked October 30, 2026.How we check programs
- $7,900Total valueCash plus perks
- $296,000Typical home for saleStatewide
Who qualifies
- A remote job is not required
- A track for people who take a local job
- Household income of at least $55,000
- Staying at least 12 months
Must take a new full-time local job paying at least $55,000 (current job at least $20,000), live outside Kansas now, be 18 or older, and live in the community at least 12 months. Remote, gig and self-employed workers are not eligible.
Perks: Up to $500 appraisal lender credit for buyers, $100 Chamber currency, Chamber membership and banquet, lunch with the mayor, theater and sports passes, haircuts, pet adoption certificate
Run by: Ottawa Area Chamber of Commerce; State of Kansas
Read the official rules and apply
Listed on MakeMyMove, which handles applications for this community; the community has no program page of its own that we could find. Programs change often: confirm the amount and deadline with the program before you plan a move.
Is it worth it?
- Buying a home$29,412 a year less
The typical home in Kansas costs $296,000, against $742,000 in New York. That's about $29,412 a year less on the mortgage1,2.
- Renting instead$1,116 a month
A 2-bedroom runs $1,116 a month across Kansas, against $1,997 in New York, utilities included3.
- Program cash$6,000
The program adds $6,000 in cash, $7,900 in total value.
- Everyday prices10% cheaper than average
Everyday prices in Kansas run 9.9% below the US average. In the New York metro they run 12.6% above the US average4.
Living in Ottawa
Home values, rent, local jobs, things to do and remote jobs you can bring: our guide to moving to Ottawa.
Other Kansas programs
- Choose Topeka Relocation IncentiveTopekaOpen$15,000 cashTotal value: not stated
- Local job track
- Stay 12 months
- Live and Work Remote in Ottawa CountyOttawa CountyOpen$10,000 cashTotal value: $10,600
- Remote job
- Income $55,000+
- Live and Work Local in Ottawa CountyOttawa CountyOpen$10,000 cashTotal value: $10,600
- Local job track
- Income $55,000+
- Stay 12 months
Show 16 more
- Live and Work Remote in Labette CountyLabette CountyOpen$7,000 cashTotal value: $9,550
- Remote job
- Income $55,000+
- Live and Work Local in Labette CountyLabette CountyOpen$7,000 cashTotal value: $9,550
- Local job track
- Income $55,000+
- Stay 12 months
- Live and Work Remote in NeodeshaNeodeshaOpen$7,000 cashTotal value: $13,800
- Remote job
- Income $55,000+
- Live and Work Remotely in OttawaOttawaOpen$6,000 cashTotal value: $7,900
- Remote job
- Income $55,000+
- Live and Work Remote in KingmanKingmanOpen$5,000 cashTotal value: $12,600
- Remote job
- Income $55,000+
- Stay 12 months
- Work Local in KingmanKingmanOpen$5,000 cashTotal value: $12,600
- Local job track
- Income $55,000+
- Stay 12 months
- Live and Work Remote in HutchinsonHutchinsonWaitlist$5,000 cashTotal value: $15,500
- Remote job
- Income $55,000+
- Stay 24 months
- Live and Work Local in HutchinsonHutchinsonWaitlist$5,000 cashTotal value: $15,500
- Local job track
- Income $55,000+
- Stay 24 months
- Work Remote, Live LincolnLincoln CountyOpen$5,000 cashTotal value: $10,750
- Remote job
- Income $55,000+
- Work Local, Live LincolnLincoln CountyOpen$5,000 cashTotal value: $10,750
- Local job track
- Income $55,000+
- Stay 12 months
- Live and Work Remote in EmporiaEmporiaOpen$5,000 cashTotal value: $6,700
- Remote job
- Income $55,000+
- Live and Work Local in EmporiaEmporiaOpen$5,000 cashTotal value: $6,700
- Local job track
- Income $55,000+
- Stay 12 months
- Live and Work Remote in SalinaSalinaOpen$5,000 cashTotal value: $5,750
- Remote job
- Income $55,000+
- Find Your Next Job in SalinaSalinaOpen$5,000 cashTotal value: $5,750
- Local job track
- Income $55,000+
- Stay 12 months
- Live and Work Remote in Riley CountyRiley CountyWaitlist$5,000 cashTotal value: $7,000
- Remote job
- Income $55,000+
- Live and Work Local in Riley CountyRiley CountyWaitlist$5,000 cashTotal value: $7,000
- Local job track
- Income $55,000+
- Stay 12 months
Programs in other states
Questions people ask
How much does Build Your Career in Ottawa pay?
$6,000 cash: $6,000 cash relocation payment; package listed at up to $7,900. Source: https://www.makemymove.com/get-paid/ottawa-kansas-jobs (accessed 2026-10-30; site (C) 2026).
Who can apply to Build Your Career in Ottawa?
Must take a new full-time local job paying at least $55,000 (current job at least $20,000), live outside Kansas now, be 18 or older, and live in the community at least 12 months. Remote, gig and self-employed workers are not eligible.
Is Build Your Career in Ottawa still open?
Open when we checked on October 30, 2026. MakeMyMove page 2026-10-30: 'currently recruiting job-seekers', Apply Now, QuickApply. Confirm with the program before you plan a move.
Find the cities that fit your family
Answer a few quick questions and get your shortlist, ranked on what you care about. Free, no account.
Notes on the numbers
- 1Home prices: the typical home is the median listing price, Realtor.com via FRED, Kansas statewide; we do not have town-level data for this program yet.
- 2Mortgage: Principal and interest on the median listed home with 20% down, 30-year fixed at 7.32% (Freddie Mac 30-year fixed average, week of October 22, 2026). Excludes taxes, insurance and HOA. Rate source
- 3Rent: Census ACS 2025 1-year, median gross rent for 2-bedroom units (rent plus utilities). Census table
- 4Everyday prices and the matching salary: BEA regional price parities, 2024.
Sources for this page
- Build Your Career in Ottawa: https://www.makemymove.com/get-paid/ottawa-kansas-jobs, accessed 2026-10-30; site (C) 2026
- Home price: Realtor.com via FRED MEDLISPRIKS
- Freddie Mac 30-year fixed average, week of October 22, 2026
- © Realtor.com, Housing Inventory Core Metrics (median listing price and median listing price per square foot), retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis