Muncie is newest city to attract remote workers with financial incentives to move

Muncie is the latest city to sign onto a state initiative that encourages remote workers to move to Indiana with financial incentives.  IPR’s Stephanie Wiechmann reports.

Muncie wants to attract up to 45 remote workers by 2023.  Those fully employed people that move to the city under the program will receive a $5,000 stipend.

The program has a total of $500,000 in funding – half from the state and half from Muncie Mayor Dan Ridenour’s EDIT fund.

The state program launched this summer in West Lafayette, with workers encouraged to work from the Purdue University campus.  In a statement, the state now says that location has welcomed 19 workers.

Read More: Programs To Lure Remote Workers To Indiana Have Arrived – But Do They Work?

Like other cities taking part, Muncie will be advertised on MakeMyMove.com.  Co-founder Evan Hock has said attracting remote workers is similar to using economic development dollars to attract companies.

“The same theory that says, ‘Hey, if Amazon brings that job, that’s worth X number of dollars to my community,’ applies to the remote workers.  We’re seeing American life shifting. Suddenly, these workers can choose where they want to live, and they can wield that economic power.”

In a statement, Ridenour says if families come for the program, a spouse could join the local workforce and children could enroll in local schools.  He estimates the economic impact to the city could be more than $4 million.

Muncie is being advertised on Indianapolis-based makemymove.com. (Screenshot)