Is the grass greener somewhere else? Communities lure new residents with cash incentives

When Davida Gaffney’s lease in Oakland, California, ended last spring, she had a “come to Jesus moment.”

The 42-year-old loved living near her sister in the city, but she struggled to find a place with the creature comforts she and her 13-year-old daughter wanted. Apartments with outdoor space and in-unit laundry cost more than $3,000 a month.

Dismayed by the real estate market and ready for a change, Gaffney googled “towns that will pay you to move.” She stumbled on a program in Rooks County, Kansas that would pay her $5,000 in cash to relocate and offered a number of other benefits, including an income tax waiver, a pass to state parks and a lunch with the area’s economic development director.

“The quality of life for me working at home, raising a kid on my own, having space to develop this home, this garden, this yard – it's been huge,” Gaffney, a content marketer, said. “I couldn't afford to do it many other places.”

Read the full USA Today article here.