Lori Mattias and her husband relocated from Atlanta to St. Augustine, Florida, in 2023, seeking relief from traffic and a slower pace of life. They join others, like Mike Waldron, who moved from Boston, contributing to a trend of remote workers turning the historic tourist town into a top remote work hub. St. Augustine, known for its Spanish architecture and historical sites, has seen its remote workforce nearly triple from 8.6% in 2018 to around 24% in 2023, ranking it among the highest in the U.S.
The population surge, driven in part by the pandemic’s impact on work flexibility, has led to significant challenges, particularly in affordable housing. Many new residents are wealthier individuals who can purchase homes in cash, inflating the local real estate market and making it difficult for essential workers like teachers and police officers to afford living in the county. Median home prices rose from $405,000 in 2019 to nearly $535,000 in 2023, exacerbating housing affordability issues.
Economic development officials attribute this influx to families leaving higher-cost areas in search of better living conditions and in-person education for their children. While St. John’s County’s public schools are highly rated, the local workforce struggles amidst rising housing costs, with key workers needing significantly higher salaries to afford homes. The flexibility of remote work, supported by improved technology, has enabled many to relocate to St. Augustine, reshaping the community’s demographics.
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