Want $10K and a Bike? Move Here

If remote work opportunities don't already have you pondering a move, Northwest Arkansas is offering perks, including $10,000 and a free bike. The Northwest Arkansas Council says it will invest "more than $1 million over six months to attract top talent to the region" as part of an initiative funded by the Walton Family Foundation, per the Arkansas Times. The council is looking for professionals and entrepreneurs in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math, age 24 and older, who live out of state but can buy or lease a house in Benton or Washington County within six months. "Northwest Arkansas has one of the fastest growing economies in the country, but we must increase our STEAM and entrepreneurial talent to ensure economic growth in the future," council president Nelson Peacock tells Forbes, noting there are 10,000 job openings in the area.

Recipients, selected through an interview process, will receive $10,000 plus a free street or mountain bike with which to explore 162 miles of paved trails and 322 miles of mountain biking trails, per Travel and Leisure. Or if you'd rather spend your time indoors, you can opt for a free annual membership at various cultural institutions, including a local theatre, the Walton Arts Center, the Walmart Arkansas Music Pavilion, and the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. "We are seizing the opportunity to capture attention at this time when many employers have extended work from home opportunities and employees ... are reconsidering where they are living and what they are prioritizing," says Peacock. You can apply at the initiative's website, which touts the low cost of living and per capita income that's "14% higher than the national average." (More Arkansas stories.)