Who comprises the remote workforce of Mecklenburg County?
To this day, there is much uncertainty about the future of remote work. What we do know, however, is the work-from-home shift has made a lasting impact on our communities. According to the American Community Survey, the number of people working from home across the nation more than doubled, from 9 million in 2019, to 22 million in 2023. In Mecklenburg County alone, the number almost tripled, from 62,143 in 2019, to 184,542 in 2023.
We know, however, that not all jobs can be done from home. This has led to a divide between those who work remotely and those who can’t. This split has important implications for transportation planning, economic development, quality of life, and the general well-being of those whose jobs make them more vulnerable to pandemics and other hazards.
Because of the increased prevalence of remote work, the American Community Survey has, since 2023, been able to better track the characteristics of people who work from home.
Of the five most populous counties in our region, Mecklenburg County has by far the highest percentage of workers aged 16 and older who worked from home, at 29%. The percentage of those working from home tripled between 2019 and 2023, while, at least, doubling in some of the metro’s surrounding counties.
Here are 5 facts about remote workers in our region:
1. Remote workers are about the same age as non-remote workers
In Mecklenburg County, remote workers have a median age of 39.8, which is on par with the median age of workers who drove alone to work (40.7). This is true for most of the counties in our region.
2. Women are more likely to work from home
In Mecklenburg County, the remote workforce was 49.5% male, and 50.5% female, whereas among those who drove alone to work, 51.8% were male and 48.2% were female. The gaps are even larger in the surrounding counties. For example, in Gaston County, 61% of those working from home were female, even though women accounted for only 48.4% of the total workforce.
3. Remote workers are more likely to work in management, business, science and arts occupations
In Mecklenburg County, 56% of remote workers were in management, business, science and arts occupations, compared to 50.7% of the workforce as a whole.
The concentration of workers in this sector is particularly notable in some of the surrounding counties. In Gaston County, 61.4% of remote workers are in these occupations, compared to 37.3% of the workforce. Cabarrus, Union, and York counties are similar, with about 60% of the remote workforce in management, business, science and arts occupations, compared to 30-40% of the workforce as a whole.
Meanwhile, in Mecklenburg, only seven percent of remote workers were in service occupations, compared to 12% of the workforce. Counties surrounding Mecklenburg County overall have a slightly higher percentage of workers in service occupations, and fewer remote workers.
4. Remote workers have higher median earnings
In Mecklenburg County, the median earnings for a remote worker was $62,106, compared to $53,866 for the workforce as a whole. This is significantly higher than earnings for those who carpool to work ($33,854) or take public transportation ($41,782).
In surrounding counties, the gaps are even larger. For example, in Lancaster County, South Carolina, remote workers earn an average of $72,925, compared to a median earnings of $48,607 for all workers in the county.
5. Working from home gives workers about an hour back each day
Average travel times to work in our region range from 25.8 minutes (Mecklenburg County) to 29.1 minutes (Cabarrus County), although the American Community Survey had insufficient data for many of the counties in our region. This means that those working from home have an extra hour each day they can spend on things besides commuting.
This stands out especially in contrast to those who take public transportation to work. In Mecklenburg County, their trips are about 34 minutes long, but have an average time of 54 minutes for those travelling in Cabarrus County.
Conclusion
This new data set from the American Community Survey provides valuable information on the dynamic relationship between work location and quality of life variables, particularly in an area as diverse as the Charlotte region. As data accrues in the coming years, we hope to learn more about the relationships seen here. This information will allow us to explore why women are more likely to work from home than men, how remote work changes in surrounding counties over the years, how working from home influences the calculus between commute time and housing costs, and has the number of remote workers incecreased?