A recent study by OnePoll found that 79% of Americans report being more interested in workcations now compared to two years ago. This is an ongoing trend where professionals work remotely while enjoying a vacation-like environment, contributing to improved work-life balance.
To help these professionals in their pursuit of a work-life balance Iceland’s flagship airline, Icelandair, has updated its yearly study that uncovers the best cities around the world for a wellness workation. It includes the top U.S cities that focus on promoting physical and mental well-being. The cities are compared against a list of livability factors, such as internet speed, cost of living, and overall quality of life, to reveal which is best for remote workers who want to travel, work, and prioritize wellness.
The study reveals Jacksonville, Florida, as the best U.S. city for a wellness workcation. The town ranks top for quality of life and internet download speed and ranks highly among U.S. cities for climate, commuter time, and cost of living.
These cities represent the top 10 U.S. locations for a wellness workcation.
Jacksonville, FL
Jacksonville, Florida, tops the list with an overall wellness workcation score of 75.3 out of 100. As Florida’s largest city, Jacksonville is known for its stunning beaches, architecture, and restaurants.
San Diego, California, with a score of 75, claims second place, closely trailing Jacksonville. The city is renowned for its favorable climate and has many attractions to offer. Some popular attractions include Balboa Park, which is a cultural park with museums, gardens, and theaters, and the San Diego Zoo, which is one of the most famous zoos in the world.
Not far behind, Kansas City, Missouri, secures the third position with a score of 72.7. As Missouri’s largest city, Kansas City is well known for its vibrant music scene, particularly jazz and blues, and its distinctive style of barbecue.
For an extended list of the top 25 U.S. cities for wellness workcation, please refer here.
Top Cities for Quality of Life
Securing the top position, Jacksonville receives recognition for its excellent park system and education scene, achieving a score of 173.7. This ranking, evaluated on the Quality of Life Index out of 240, considers factors such as infrastructure, environmental sustainability, and education.
Orlando, FL
Following closely is Orlando with a score of 172.7, attributed to its focus on public transit and sustainability. Known for its vibrant culture and green initiatives, Kansas City claims the third spot at 171.3.
Top Cities for Health and Safety
In the Health and Safety Index, Pittsburgh tops the list with 89, followed by Boston and San Diego at 87 and 72 respectively. These scores, out of 100, reflect the cities’ healthcare systems, safety measures, and commitment to residents’ well-being.
Best Cities for Digital Connectivity
This image is freely available for use (Photo by Luca Bravo on Unsplash)
New York City, NY
Leading the list in average internet download speed (in Mbps), Jacksonville sets a high standard at 179.9 Mbps. New York isn’t far behind with 173.5 Mbps, and Cleveland makes a strong showing at 163.3 Mbps.
Each city offers a unique work-life balance that caters to the needs of modern remote workers. Icelandair encourages professionals to consider these destinations for their next wellness workcation.
If you’re interested in covering the top global destinations for wellness workcation, feel free to explore the list here.
Notes to the Editors
Media Contacts:
- James Murray – [email protected]
- Gautham Marthandan – [email protected]
About Icelandair:
Icelandair is Iceland’s flagship airline, connecting travelers between Europe and North America. With a legacy spanning over 80 years, Icelandair provides exceptional service and convenient connections for passengers traveling to and from Iceland, serving as a gateway between these continents.For more information, visit www.icelandair.com.
Methodology: To reveal the best cities for a wellness workcation, we collated a list of top U.S. cities and ranked them based on the following factors:
| Quality of life index (higher is better) | The Climate Index, ranging from -100 to +100, estimates a location’s overall climate attractiveness. While a score of 100 represents moderate temperatures and low humidity favored by many, individual preferences for colder, warmer, or more humid climates may vary. Hence, the index serves as a general guideline rather than an absolute measure. |
| Safety Index (lower is better) | An estimation of the overall level of crime in a given city or country. Crime levels lower than 20 are very low, and crime levels higher than 80 are very high. |
| Cost of living (lower is better) | A relative indicator of consumer goods prices, including groceries, restaurants, transportation, and utilities. The cost of Living Index does not include accommodation expenses such as rent or mortgage. |
| Health Care Index (higher is better) | An estimation of the overall quality of the healthcare system, healthcare professionals, equipment, staff, doctors, cost, etc. |
| Traffic Commute Index (lower is better) | A composite index of time consumed in traffic due to job commute, estimation of time consumption dissatisfaction, CO2 consumption estimation in traffic, and overall inefficiencies in the traffic system. |
| Internet Speed (higher the better) | Internet speed by city data is current as of March 2023. Cities are ranked by median download speeds, at the time of testing. |
| Climate Index (higher the better) | The Climate Index, ranging from -100 to +100, estimates a location’s overall climate attractiveness. While a score of 100 represents moderate temperatures and low humidity favored by many, individual preferences for colder, warmer, or more humid climates may vary, so the index serves as a general guideline rather than an absolute measure. |
| Pollution Index (lower is better) | The survey gathers input from individuals who have resided in or visited the city within the past three years. The resulting value, ranging from 0 to 100, represents their perception of a particular factor. A score of 0 indicates a very low perception, while a score of 100 signifies a very high perception. |
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