or Jackson , Wyoming — were already seeing increased visitation and growth . Now this movement of people to places for recreational reasons — called “ amenity migration ”— has taken off .

In recent meetings with corporate leaders , Rumore learned that they expect between 50 % and 80 % of employees to stay remote , many of whom hold six-figure salaries . “ What does it do to a community when the average income of a local employee is $ 40,000 ,” she asks , “ and all of a sudden , you have a mass in-migration of people who have average incomes of $ 150,000 ?”

What happens ? A sort of small-town gentrification — and , inevitably , an increase in prices . In Flathead County , Montana , for example , monthly real estate closings nearly doubled in 2020 , and the median home-sale price jumped almost $ 50,000 in five months .

Rumore , who launched the Gateway and Natural Amenity Region Initiative , says some communities have tools to ensure equitable growth , like zoning and ordinances , but she is worried about towns that aren ’ t prepared for such an influx of new residents and the

Currently

of job holders in the United States are fully remote and an additional

are occasionally remote

SOURCE : GALLUP

Fewer than

employers want to return to the office as it was before

SOURCE : PwC

strain it will create . “ Rural development experts said this year we ’ ll be where they expected us to be in 15 years ,” according to Rumore . “ Once [ the towns ] get discovered , they start to have big-city problems ”— like congestion , unaffordability , and infrastructure constraints .

If Zoom Towns want to retain these new residents and keep local ones , they need adequate infrastructure ( increased tax revenue can help with that ) such as reliable broadband and

power , and farsighted city planning . Bhagyashree Pancholy ’ s remote work consultancy All Remotely helps companies migrate their workforce online . When COVID-19 hit , she was researching how rural communities across her home state of Rajasthan , India — already a favorite destination for expats — could gain remote workers . “ The access to stable , fast Internet connection was a real problem [ for all workers ],” Pancholy says . “ But I also had this problem in the middle of Iowa .”

Stefan Palios , a journalist and consultant who specializes in remote work , is moving himself — from Toronto to Windsor , Nova Scotia . He advises town planners to take stock of the amenities they offer , such as affordable housing or great natural vistas , then be proactive , and not to take a perceived urban exodus for granted . “ What can you offer that nobody else can ?” he asks .

BURLINGTON , VERMONT , IS 100 MILES FROM MONTREAL ’ S INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AND 200 MILES FROM BOSTON ’ S . NEARLY ONE-THIRD OF THE POPULATION IS IN THEIR 20s .