Program in Indiana combines cash payment, free coworking, and housing-related incentives to attract self-employed professionals authorized to work in the United States and willing to exchange large centers for a smaller community in the American interior.
Switzerland County, in the American state of Indiana, offers a package of $10,200 to attract remote workers who agree to transfer their primary residence to the county within six months.
Announced by the MakeMyMove platform, the initiative combines cash payment, free access to coworking, and benefits related to home purchase, in a strategy aimed at new residents with already established income.
The program targets full-time employed professionals who can maintain the same position after the move, as well as freelancers capable of retaining clients or portfolios even while living in another region.
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According to the published rules, the candidate must be at least 18 years old, live outside Indiana, prove a minimum income of $50,000 per year, and meet the community’s required criteria.
Among the incentives, the most direct benefit is the payment of $5,000 in cash to help with the relocation of those approved in the selection process.
In addition to this amount, the package includes a one-year coworking membership at the TEC Center, up to $2,000 in credits for home closing costs through a partnership with Ruoff Mortgage and Phillips Development, and a discount of $2,000 on a residential lot in the Oyo Vista subdivision.
Sponsored by the Switzerland County Economic Development Corporation, the program is part of a local economic development strategy and seeks to increase the arrival of residents with income, consumption, and potential for permanence in the region.
Who can receive the incentive in Switzerland County
The selection does not equate to an automatic payment for anyone interested in changing address, as candidates undergo analysis and need to demonstrate that they meet the program’s conditions.
According to MakeMyMove, Switzerland County recruits remote workers capable of maintaining their current occupation, proving eligibility, and transforming the county into their primary residence within the stipulated timeframe.
There is also a relevant limitation for families or groups wishing to move together, as the platform informs that, in most programs, only one person per residence can qualify.
With this rule, the initiative avoids the accumulation of benefits in the same household and directs resources to the arrival of new homes, not to multiple registrations linked to the same address.
For readers outside the United States, the most important point is the requirement to be legally authorized to work in the country, a necessary condition to participate in the application.
The package does not replace a visa, employment authorization, or American immigration rules, and approval depends on the applicant’s ability to prove all the requirements disclosed by the platform.
County of 10,000 Inhabitants Bets on Remote Work
In southeastern Indiana, Switzerland County is located in an area connected to the Ohio River and small communities of the American interior, distant from the typical dynamics of large urban centers.
The program’s page reports a population of 10,019 people, a figure used by MakeMyMove to present the local profile to candidates interested in living in a less populated region.
In the platform’s description, the county appears as a community with festivals, local events, preserved historical centers, and expanding resources for residents and professionals working remotely.
Highlighted points include a new YMCA unit and the Education & Technology Center, cited as part of the local infrastructure for those seeking a quieter routine without giving up basic services.
A report by Local 12, published in August 2025, presented Vevay, a city located in Switzerland County, as one of the Indiana communities that have adopted the offer of money for remote workers.
The publication also mentioned the state’s partnership with MakeMyMove to encourage moves to participating communities, within a growing competition for residents with their own income.
Why Small Communities Offer Money to New Residents
The logic of the program differs from the traditional attraction of companies, factories, or large employers because part of the intended income already accompanies the professional before the move.
Instead of relying solely on local job creation, smaller communities try to attract people who can consume, pay taxes, and participate in the economy without immediately seeking employment in the region.
With the expansion of remote work, this type of strategy has gained ground in the United States and brought smaller municipalities closer to professionals willing to live outside major centers.
MakeMyMove presents itself as a relocation marketplace where communities advertise packages for workers, teachers, nurses, police officers, and other profiles, according to local needs.
Indiana appears on the platform among the states with several participating communities, including programs that combine cash payments, housing support, and adaptation benefits.
In content about relocation, MakeMyMove cites Switzerland County as one of the locations offering $5,000 in cash, in addition to support related to home purchase.
Still, the payment represents only part of the proposal, as the package design indicates an interest in attracting residents with plans for permanence.
By including coworking, mortgage credit, and residential lot discount, Switzerland County signals that it seeks people willing to create more lasting ties, not just spend a season in the county.
How the application to the program works
The process presented by MakeMyMove starts with an initial application and proceeds through stages of analysis, pre-approval, requirement verification, and formal offer made by the community.
After this phase, the participant needs to complete the move and meet the program’s conditions to access the incentives announced on the Switzerland County page.
The minimum income of $50,000 annually helps to define the desired profile, focusing the selection on candidates with structured work and the ability to sustain themselves.
This cut shows that the county seeks residents capable of boosting the local economy and remaining in the region, especially in a community trying to compete with larger cities for the attention of flexible professionals.
Although the total value of $10,200 is the main attraction, the offer depends on approval, documentary proof, and compliance with the program’s specific rules.
In practice, the move requires financial planning, legal work authorization in the United States, and willingness to live in a community of about 10,000 inhabitants.

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