Cynthia Rollins, working remotely for a software company in San Francisco, found herself cramped in her small apartment during the 2020 lockdowns.
That’s when she stumbled upon Tulsa Remote, a program offering $10,000 to encourage remote workers to move to Tulsa, Oklahoma. Despite not knowing anyone in Tulsa, she decided to take the leap and relocated in November 2020.
Interestingly, while Tulsa Remote requires participants to stay for at least a year, 88% choose to extend their stay, as per the program’s report.
Tawny Ann De La Peña, a former journalist turned personal coach and a Tulsa Remoter since 2021, expresses her love for Tulsa, ranking it higher than other vibrant cities she’s lived in like New York City and LA.
CNBC Make It explored the experiences of three Californians who embraced remote work and moved to Tulsa, all of whom have no regrets about their decision.
The trend of moving out of California, especially post-pandemic, has been significant. From April 2020 to July 2022, 700,000 more people left California than moved in, a trend dubbed the “California Exodus.”
For Rollins, life in Tulsa has been surprisingly easy. She highlights the lack of parking stress and the convenience of getting around, with everything in Tulsa reachable within 20 minutes.
This ease significantly reduced her stress levels compared to her life in San Francisco, where navigating the city was more challenging.
De La Peña also appreciates the reduced stress in Tulsa, noting the city allows her the space to work on her business without the constant hustle of a full-time job and traffic battles. In Tulsa, she finds the freedom to build her business and take breaks as needed.
