Houston plugs in as 3rd cheapest city in America for remote workers

report

Working remotely in Houston is far more affordable than many other U.S. cities. Photo via Getty Images

Houston's bustling telework industry is earning a new reputation as one of the most affordable in the country. A recent study by online retailer The Perfect Rug has revealed Houston is the No. 3 cheapest U.S. city center for remote work.

The report ranked the top 10 largest U.S. cities based on population data, the number of coworking spaces and cafes per capita, statewide average internet speeds, average apartment rent prices, and more.

Houston falls third to the far west Texas city of El Paso (No. 1), and Austin (No. 2).

When it comes to finding the best place to work remotely, Houston has an abundance of options including coffee shops, coworking spaces, and local library branches. According to the report's data, there are about six coworking spaces and 16 cafes per capita in the city, but Houstonians know best that there is a much wider variety of places to work from "home" than whatever number a study determines.

The average internet speed in Texas is 425.9 mbps (megabits per second), which is the fourth-highest internet speed out of the six total states (and the District of Columbia) mentioned in the study. Pennsylvania, Washington, and Washington, D.C. all have faster average internet speeds, at 430.8, 451, and 473.8 mpbs, respectively.

The Perfect Rug also calculated the average costs for meals, coffee, and monthly rent in Houston:

  • $1,196 per month – Average apartment rent cost in central Houston
  • $15 per hour – Average cost for a desk at a coworking space
  • $18 – Average cost for a meal
  • $5.32 – Average cost for a coffee
Furthermore, Houston-based remote workers are technically saving on fuel costs compared to those who have to commute into the city daily for their jobs.A spokesperson for The Perfect Rug said Texas cities like El Paso, Austin, and Houston are far more popular for "budget-conscious" remote workers partially because rent costs are far lower in comparison to many other U.S. cities.

"On the other hand, cities like Washington, D.C., and Seattle, while more expensive, compensate with faster internet speeds and a higher density of workspaces, which can enhance the remote work experience," the spokesperson said. "Finding the right balance between cost and amenities is key for remote workers seeking both productivity and affordability."

Elsewhere in Texas, San Antonio ranked as the fifth most affordable city for teleworkers, followed by Dallas (No. 7).

The top 10 cheapest U.S. cities for remote workers are:

  • No. 1 – El Paso, Texas
  • No. 2 – Austin, Texas
  • No. 3 – Houston, Texas
  • No. 4 – Seattle, Washington
  • No. 5 – San Antonio, Texas
  • No. 6 – Washington, D.C.
  • No. 7 – Dallas, Texas
  • No. 8 – Denver, Colorado
  • No. 9 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • No. 10 – Nashville, Tennessee

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This article originally ran on CultureMap.
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Houston's not so hot for remote workers, as it turns out. thumbor.forbes.com

Houston caught slacking in Forbes study on best cities for remote workers

WFH woes

With many companies encouraging — or commanding — that remote workers return to the office in 2023, more and more Americans are seeking employment opportunities that will give them the freedom to work from elsewhere.

Houston is (remotely) clocking in as the No. 49 best city for remote workers in 2023, according to a study by Forbes Advisor. The study examined 100 U.S. cities and metro areas, and ranked them based on the earning potential of remote workers, internet access, lifestyle amenities, worker friendliness, living costs, and more.

The Bayou City did get some points for providing a quality lifestyle, the report found. Of the cities with the best access to arts, entertainment, and dining establishments, Houston came in No. 8 — outpaced slightly by No. 4 Dallas-Fort Worth.

"Remote work saves workers time and money on commuting and office clothing, while keeping their morale and productivity levels high," the report said. "Ideally, you’d live in a place with an affordable cost of living, high earning potential, reliable internet connection, low taxes, a low unemployment rate, and various entertainment options."

Out of All of Texas, only one region makes the top 10. San Antonio-New Braunfels, Texas, snagged the No. 6 spot. Here's yhe top 10 U.S. metro areas for remote workers are:

  • No. 1 – Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, Florida
  • No. 2 – Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, Indiana
  • No. 3 – Omaha-Council Bluffs, Nebraska-Iowa
  • No. 4 – Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • No. 5 – Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, Michigan
  • No. 6 – San Antonio-New Braunfels, Texas
  • No. 7 – Jacksonville, Florida
  • No. 8 – Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida
  • No. 9 – Tuscon, Arizona
  • No. 10 – Cleveland-Elyria, Ohio

Houston ranks in dead last when compared to the other Texas cities in the top 50. Behind San Antonio is Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, ranked No. 15 nationally. Austin-Round Rock ranks as the third overall best metro area in Texas for remote workers at No. 39.

Austin did great in one category — internet access — but it seems that earning potential and lifestyle amenities just couldn't keep up. for Austinites, it's all in the Wi-Fi: a remote worker's most important tool.

Austin's average internet download speed is 425.90 Megabits per second (Mbps), and when coupled with the wide variety of free Wi-Fi hotspots around the city, Austin earned No. 3 in the category for "cities with the best internet access." And we do like to take advantage of that at restaurants and bars around town.

Rounding out the ranking was El Paso at No. 46, sneaking ahead of Houston, and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission gets an honorable mention at No. 85.

The full study can be found on forbes.com.

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This article originally ran on CultureMap.

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6+ can't-miss Houston business and innovation events in March

where to be

Editor's note: March brings the return of some of Houston’s signature innovation events, plus insightful talks and celebrations in honor of Women's History Month. Here’s what not to miss and how to register. Please note: this article may be updated to include additional event listings.

March 3-4 — Houston MedTech Rodeo

Head to Armadillo Palace for the annual Houston MedTech Rodeo. The casual, Texas-themed conference brings together 350 medtech professionals who come from over 10 countries and 15 states to highlight Houston's growing medtech ecosystem. The event will feature panel discussions, startup showcases, networking sessions—plus, armadillo races, mechanical bull riding and live country music.

The event begins March 3 at Armadillo Palace on Kirby Drive. Register here.

March 4 – Humans of Healthcare

Houston Methodist Center for Innovation will present its new quarterly speaker series, Humans of Healthcare. The series will feature a panel of experts who will share about their career paths and discuss the nuances of the health care industry. This month's session will focus on IT. The panel will be moderated by Houston Methodist's Director of Innovation Murat Uralkan.

The event is Wednesday, March 4, from 5-6 p.m. at the Ion. Register here.

March 5 — The Future of Women in STEM

Celebrate Women's History Month at SUPERGirls SHINE Foundation's The Future of Women in STEM event, presented in partnership with the Ion. The event will feature speakers and panelists, including Kalila Winters Hines, senior public affairs advisor for Holland & Knight; Dr. Natacha Chough, NASA Johnson Space Center Flight Surgeon; and Andrea Course, rocket scientist and founder of Course Investments.

The event is Thursday, March 5, from 8:30-10 a.m. at the Ion. Register here.

March 10-12 — World Hydrogen & Carbon Americas

S&P Global Energy brings together two leading events—Carbon Management Americas and World Hydrogen North America—to form a new must-attend event for those in the hydrogen and carbon industries. More than 800 senior leaders from across the energy value chain will attend this event featuring immersive roundtable discussions, hands-on training, real-world case studies and unparalleled networking opportunities.

This event begins March 10 at the Marriott Marquis Houston. Register here.

March 20 — Ideas to Impact Accelerator Graduation and Showcase

Join Impact Hub Houston as it celebrates its inaugural Ideas to Impact Accelerator cohort. The 16-week accelerator is designed to help early-stage entrepreneurs validate their business models, strengthen confidence and gain traction. Hear short pitches and network with founders and mentors.

The event is Friday, March 20, from noon-2 p.m. at the Ion. Register here.

March 23-27 — CERAWeek 2026

CERAWeek 2026 will focus on "Convergence and Competition: Energy, Technology and Geopolitics." The industry's foremost thought leaders will convene in Houston to cultivate relationships and exchange transformative ideas during the annual event. CERAWeek 2026 will explore breakthroughs, cross-industry connections and powerful partnerships that are accelerating the transformation of the global energy system. 2026 highlights include an appearance by tech magnate Bill Gates.

This event begins March 23. Register here.

March 24-25 — 2026 Energy Venture Day and Pitch Competition

The Energy Venture Day and Pitch Competition, co-hosted by the Rice Alliance, Ion, HETI and TEX-E, offers two days of exciting pitches from more than 40 global energy ventures that are transforming the industry. On Tuesday, March 24, you can attend a fast-paced pitch preview event at the Ion, followed by the official Pitch Competition at 1 pm on Wednesday, March 25, at the George R. Brown Convention Center.

March 30-April 4 — H-Town Roundup

Celebrate innovation, entrepreneurship and collaboration at Houston Exponential's sixth-annual H-Town Roundup. During the free event series, previously known as Houston Tech Rodeo, attendees can expect insightful talks, workshops and networking events at venues across the city.

This event begins Monday, March 30. Register here.

Intuitive Machines secures $175M equity investment to fuel growth

space funding

Houston-based space infrastructure and services company Intuitive Machines has secured a $175 million equity investment from unidentified institutional investors. The investors received shares of Class A stock in exchange for their funding.

Publicly held Intuitive Machines (Nasdaq: LUNR) says it plans to use the capital to help build revenue and invest in technology, including communications and data-processing networks.

“We are building a scalable infrastructure platform from low-Earth orbit to the moon and into deep space,” Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemus said in a news release. “With this investment, we can accelerate the integration of the combined company’s collective capabilities to deliver next-generation data, communications, and space-based infrastructure services.”

Intuitive Machines says the $175 million investment will improve its ability to secure deals for satellite systems, the proposed Golden Dome missile defense system and the proposed Mars telecommunications orbiter.

As the company pursues those deals, it’s seeking partners to develop space-based data centers.

The $175 million equity stake comes on the heels of Intuitive Machines completing its $800 million cash-and-stock purchase of Lanteris Space Systems. Intuitive Machines bought the satellite manufacturer from private equity firm Advent International.

In the third quarter, which ended Sept. 30, Intuitive Machines posted a $10 million net loss on revenue of $52.4 million.

Rice to revolutionize lymphatic disease research and more news to know

Trending Topics

Editor's note: We're looking back at the five biggest innovation headlines from the second half of February 2026, which include exciting Rice research advancements and Apple doubling down on production in Houston. Below are the five most-read InnovationMap stories from Feb. 16-28, 2026.

1. Rice University lands $18M to revolutionize lymphatic disease detection

Rice University scientists are pioneering two technologies to better diagnose and treat complex lymphatic anomalies. Photo via Getty Images.

An arm of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has awarded $18 million to scientists at Rice University for research that has the potential to revolutionize how lymphatic diseases are detected and help increase survivability. Continue reading.

2. Tech giant Apple doubles down on Houston with new production facility

Apple doubles down on Houston with new production facility, training centerPhoto courtesy Apple.

Tech giant Apple announced that it will double the size of its Houston manufacturing footprint as it brings production of its Mac mini to the U.S. for the first time. The company plans to begin production of its compact desktop computer at a new factory at Apple’s Houston manufacturing site later this year. The move is expected to create thousands of jobs in the Houston area, according to Apple. Continue reading.

3. Houston startup debuts new drone for first responders

Paladin Drones has revealed its next-gen emergency response drone, Knighthawk 2.0. Photo courtesy Paladin.

Houston-based Paladin Drones has debuted Knighthawk 2.0, its new autonomous, first-responder drone. The drone aims to strengthen emergency response and protect first responders, the company said in a news release. “We’re excited to launch Knighthawk 2.0 to help build safer cities and give any city across the world less than a 70-second response time for any emergency,” said Divyaditya Shrivastava, CEO of Paladin. Continue reading.

4. XSpace adds 3 Houston partners to fuel national expansion

XSpace, an innovative commercial real estate company, has partnered with three Houston firms to help grow its footprint. Rendering via xspacegroup.com

Texas-based XSpace Group has brought onboard three partners from the Houston area to ramp up the company’s national expansion. The new partners of XSpace, which sells high-end multi-use commercial condos, are KDW, Pyek Financial and Welcome Wilson Jr. Houston-based KDW is a design-build real estate developer, Katy-based Pyek offers fractional CFO services and Wilson is president and CEO of Welcome Group, a Houston real estate development firm. Continue reading.

5. Houston doctor wins NIH grant to test virtual reality for ICU delirium

Dr. Hina Faisal will test the effects of VR games on patients coming out the ICU, thanks to a recent NIH grant. Photo via Getty Images.

Think of it like a reverse version of The Matrix. A person wakes up in a hospital bed and gets plugged into a virtual reality game world in order to heal. While it may sound far-fetched, Dr. Hina Faisal, a Houston Methodist critical care specialist in the Department of Surgery, was recently awarded a $242,000 grant from the National Institute of Health to test the effects of VR games on patients coming out of major surgery in the intensive care unit (ICU). Continue reading.

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