This story is free to read.

What are the best states for working at home?

Staff Photo by Dan Henry - 4/10/13. Tammy Payne, an employee at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee (BCBST), telecommutes from her Flinstone, Ga., residence early Wednesday morning. Payne has been working from home for the past three years. Staff Photo by Dan Henry - 4/10/13. Tammy Payne, an employee at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee (BCBST), telecommutes from her Flinstone, Ga., residence early Wednesday morning. Payne has been working from home for the past three years.

By Dave Flessner, compiler April 20, 2020 1 min read

Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, just 25% of all workers in the U.S. had worked from home, and only 29% were able to do so. With far more teleworkers doing some or all of their jobs at home during the COVID-19 crisis, the online personal finance service WalletHub ranked the best states to work from home, based upon the costs, connectivity, comfort and security of such work.

Georgia had the best overall living environment and ranked No. 5 overall among the 50 states. Tennessee ranked No. 12 with the fourth best living environment but only an average work environment. Alabama ranked in the middle of all states at No. 25.

(Submit your work-from-home photos here. The winner will receive a “work-from-home” bundle)

Top states:

1. Delaware

2. Washington

3. New Hampshire

4. Colorado

5. Georgia

6. Arizona

7. Utah

8. Oregon

9. North Carolina

10. South Dakota

Source: WalletHub, based upon 12 criteria, including internet access, share of workers employed at home, cost of electricity and internet service and home sizes.