In markets like California, New York, and Massachusetts, it’s even higher.

So what’s happening?

People aren’t just choosing where they want to live.
They’re getting pushed.

Out of city centers.
Further from offices.
Sometimes 2 to 4 hours outside of major metros.

And when you pair that with cost-of-living trends, a pattern becomes very clear.

The talent pool has shifted geographically.

But many companies haven’t adjusted how they hire.

They still want people within commuting distance to “build culture.”

Culture absolutely matters.

But here’s the tension.

At the same time, a lot of companies are holding the line on 3–4 days in the office.
Or they won’t hire remotely at all.

Because the thinking is simple.
“If I can’t see you, I don’t know if you’re working.”

And that’s where the gap is getting wider.

Because the talent you want?

A lot of them aren’t willing to make that trade anymore.

When we say, “just come in a few days a week,” what we’re really asking for looks like this:

$2,000 to $3,000 a month in childcare
$300 to $500 a month in gas and commuting
$100 to $300 in parking, tolls, and wear and tear

Plus 12 to 16 hours a month in the car

And then there’s the part you can’t put a number on.

Missed dinners.
Less time with family.

For some candidates, this isn’t preference.

It’s a $2,500 to $4,000+ per month decision.
Plus a lifestyle tradeoff.

So when companies say,
“We’re struggling to find talent in the Bay Area… New York… Boston…”

It may not be a talent problem.

It may be an economic problem.

And underneath all of this, there’s another layer most leaders don’t love to talk about.

Trust.

A lot of CEOs still aren’t fully bought into remote work.

We see it with clients we support.

But once they get exposed to high-level talent working this way, something interesting happens.

The stress on the business decreases.

Because the focus shifts from “are they working?”
to “they’re delivering.”

And that’s when things start to click.

This isn’t really a remote vs in-office problem.

It’s a measurement problem.

Sales is easy. There’s a number.
But for marketing, engineering, operations, project teams… what does great actually look like?

What are they accountable to?

If you can’t define performance, you default to visibility.

“Just be here so I know you’re working.”

The companies figuring this out are doing it differently.

They’re building roles around outcomes, not presence.

Clear expectations.
Clear targets.
Clear ownership.

So whether someone is in the office or not, you know if they’re performing.

And here’s what the best operators understand right now:

They’re hiring where talent actually lives.
They’re designing culture intentionally, not geographically.
They’re prioritizing the right person over the closest person.

Because hiring someone just because they’re local rarely strengthens culture.

Great people don’t need to be watched.

They need trust, clarity, and a mission worth showing up for.

The market has already shifted.

The companies that adapt to where talent lives are the ones that are going to win.