Work From Your Apartment, Not the Office: Remote Jobs in NYC

<Highlight> Remote jobs in NYC have become the new normal. Recent data shows 96% of professionals choose remote and hybrid arrangements to protect their mental health. The workplace has transformed dramatically—89% of employers now provide flexible work options. </Highlight>

Manhattan workers save $12.4 billion each year by working remotely. The numbers make sense when US commuters spend about $8,466 yearly on travel—almost 19% of their annual income. The data shows that just 11% of Manhattan workers go to the office full-time, while 7% have switched completely to working from home.

These changes have altered the map of NYC's commercial sector. Manhattan's median rent saw a slight 0.2% increase to $4,250 in April compared to last year. Yet only 8% of office employees who worked in NYC before the pandemic now return to office five days a week. The situation raises concerns since commercial real estate has traditionally generated 25% of NYC's yearly tax base.

This piece will show you how to join fellow New Yorkers who work remotely. You'll learn about opportunities with 5-year-old companies and ways to launch your own telehealth business right from your apartment.

<Highlight> Ready to find the best remote jobs in NYC? Scroll down now! </Highlight>

Key Takeaways

Remote Work Dominates NYC: 96% of NYC professionals prefer remote or hybrid work for mental health, with 89% of employers offering flexible options.

Economic Impact: Remote work saves Manhattan workers $12.4 billion annually, primarily through reduced commuting costs and time.

Office Trends: Only 8% of Manhattan workers are in the office full-time; hybrid work is the dominant model (69%).

Work-Life Benefits: Remote workers save up to 72 minutes daily on commuting and reduce their carbon footprint by up to 54%. They also gain more time for personal life and family.

Remote Opportunities: Telehealth is growing, with platforms like Bask Health enabling healthcare professionals to launch remote practices from home.

Remote Work Skills: Employers seek tech and soft skills (e.g., adaptability, communication). Familiarity with tools like Slack, Zoom, and Asana is essential.

Flexibility for Future Careers: Remote work allows NYC workers to balance careers and personal life, with potential for greater autonomy and business growth.

The evolution of remote work in NYC

Manhattan's busy streets used to be packed with millions of people heading to their corporate offices. Today, these same streets paint a different picture as working from home has changed the way New York's professionals work.

From Wall Street offices to home desks

Wall Street companies always pushed for everyone to work in the office. They thought it was crucial to mentor people and work together. JPMorgan's CEO Jamie Dimon worried that working from home "actually slows down decision-making" and doesn't have the "spontaneous learning and creativity" you get in person. Goldman Sachs' CEO went further and called it "an aberration that we're going to correct as soon as possible."

In spite of that, the city adapted its stance. Mayor Eric Adams pushed the work-from-home pilot program to 2025. City employees can now work from home up to two days each week. The program started with 16,500 non-union employees and grew to include 40,000 workers across 40 agencies.

How the pandemic changed work culture

COVID-19 forced more than half of American workers to work from home overnight. New York City lost 957,000 jobs during March and April 2020. The recovery looked different across the city—Manhattan bounced back more slowly than other boroughs.

New York City now tops the list of major U.S. cities where people are returning to offices. Office visits in April 2025 dropped by just 5.5% compared to April 2019. Other big cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, and San Francisco stayed 42% to 44% below their pre-pandemic numbers.

A 2025 survey by the Partnership for New York City shows 57% of Manhattan office workers now come to work on regular weekdays. This number represents 76% of pre-pandemic attendance. Real estate companies see the highest attendance at 85%, while financial services and law firms both sit at 62%.

Hybrid vs fully remote: what's the difference?

Hybrid work lets employees split their time between office and home. Most people come in 2-3 days each week. Working fully remote means no office time at all—people can work from anywhere.

Most NYC employers (69%) have picked the hybrid model. Just 8% of Manhattan workers stay fully remote. Gallup's research suggests people work best with 2-3 office days per week.

Hybrid schedules give people more freedom, less time stuck in traffic, and better balance between work and life. People still get to work together in person sometimes. Fully remote jobs offer complete freedom to work from anywhere, but people might feel lonely and find it harder to work together.

What remote work means for your lifestyle

Remote work isn't just another way to do your job—it completely changes how you live. The change from office life to home-based work creates waves that reshape how we spend each day.

Saving time and money on commuting

NYC commuting takes a big chunk out of your day. Remote workers save between 55-72 minutes each day by skipping their commute. This time adds up to 9.5 full days every year that people used to waste traveling back and forth.

Money savings are huge too. Manhattan workers spend $4,661 less each year in their old office areas. They also save on work clothes, lunch outings, and other job expenses—which puts $2,000 to $12,000 back in many professionals' pockets yearly.

The environment wins too. Remote workers cut their carbon footprint by up to 54% compared to office workers. People who work from home 2-4 days a week reduce their footprint by 11-29%.

Balancing work with personal life

People use their extra time wisely. Research shows they put 40% of their saved commute time into work. The rest goes to:

Fun activities (over 2 more hours daily)

Sleep (about 1 extra hour)

Family care (10-36 extra minutes)

This freedom lets people watch their kids' events, help family members, or handle personal errands without taking time off. Working from home also cuts stress by removing commute worries and reducing exposure to office illnesses.

Choosing where to live based on flexibility

Remote work has changed how people pick their homes. About 5 million workers moved between 2020-2022 because they could work from anywhere. This movement helped push U.S. house prices up by 23.8% from December 2019 to November 2021.

NYC remote workers now look beyond regular rentals. Co-living spaces built for remote professionals come with easy leases, work areas, and ready-made communities. These places usually include fast internet, comfortable office furniture, and features that make working from home easier.

Bask Health and the rise of remote telehealth

<Highlight> Telehealth has emerged as one of the most dynamic sectors for remote jobs in NYC. Market projections show it will reach $851 billion by 2032. Bask Health leads this development by transforming how healthcare professionals work remotely. </Highlight>

Bask Health's mission and model

Bask Health has created a vertically integrated primary care platform that delivers a personalized, end-to-end healthcare experience. We began a mission to help entrepreneurs and healthcare professionals launch direct-to-consumer telehealth companies without coding skills or major capital investment. Our no-code builder works like a "Shopify for telehealth" and manages everything from HIPAA compliance to patient management. The platform has served over 750,761 patients, processed 1,325,189 orders, and managed more than $178 million in transactions.

Benefits of telehealth for professionals

NYC professionals can find several unique advantages when they move away from traditional work settings:

Location freedom: Launch a HIPAA-compliant virtual clinic from your apartment without a physical storefront

Passive income potential: Use asynchronous tools that help you earn while you're not actively working

Global patient reach: Grow your practice beyond geographic boundaries

Work-life autonomy: Run your business during hours that match your natural productivity

Healthcare professionals now have more flexibility than in traditional settings. Bask Health believes healthcare professionals should not need a development team or venture capital to create something extraordinary.

How to start a telehealth business from NYC

Starting a telehealth business in NYC requires knowledge of several key elements. Public Health Law §2999-cc defines which professions qualify as telehealth providers. The laws of the patient's location typically apply to telehealth encounters.

A successful launch needs:

A business model that sets your service apart

Deep understanding of your target audience

Proper licensing in states where you'll practice

Regulatory requirements exist for starting a telehealth business. However, platforms like Bask Health make the process easier by providing flexible, secure, and fully remote infrastructure. Our system includes built-in provider networks, automated prescription fulfillment, and simplified payment processing.

What to know before applying for remote jobs

Landing a well-paying remote job in NYC depends on your understanding of market trends and what employers want. These significant factors will improve your chances of success when you submit your application.

Understanding pay based on location

Location-based compensation is still common in remote positions. Companies that base salaries on where employees live will pay you according to NYC's cost of living, whatever your location. Some companies use their headquarters' location to measure compensation instead.

This creates unique challenges and opportunities for New Yorkers. Colorado now requires companies with at least one employee in the state to show salary ranges in job posts—this includes remote positions. New York and California have similar transparency laws that affect remote work.

The numbers show 67% of job seekers rank salary information as their top priority in job listings. You should research if potential employers offer location-agnostic pay or adjust it based on location before sending applications.

What employers look for in remote candidates

NYC employers value specific skills in remote workers. Technical skills top the list, especially data skills, coding (Python and JavaScript), and cloud computing expertise (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud).

Soft skills matter just as much—over 70% of NYC employers see adaptability and critical thinking as vital to remote success. Strong communication, self-motivation, and time management skills are the foundations of remote work.

Your resume should include keywords from the job description to stand out. Applications that match descriptions by 50%+ get 60% more responses. Active networking through virtual career fairs with NYC employers helps too, as referred candidates are 50% more likely to get interviews.

Common tools and platforms used remotely

Remote workers need various digital tools to stay productive. Slack helps team communication through organized channels. Zoom and Microsoft Teams make virtual meetings possible with features like screen sharing and breakout rooms.

Project management software like Asana tracks tasks and deadlines. Google Drive and Dropbox provide cloud storage that lets teams work together in real time.

Tools like 1Password keep sensitive information safe across platforms. Knowledge of these tools will substantially improve your remote work experience.

Tips for staying productive at home

A dedicated workspace tells your brain it's time to work. Regular work hours build structure and discipline.

Start your day by listing 1-3 priority tasks to focus on results. Take breaks every 90 minutes to recharge.

Clear boundaries with family members during work hours lead to better performance. Good nutrition and hydration play a key role—workers with poor diets are 66% more likely to see drops in productivity.

Conclusion

Remote work has revolutionized New York City's professional world. The numbers tell a compelling story—89% of employers now offer flexible work arrangements, Manhattan workers save $12.4 billion yearly by working remotely, and only 11% of workers commute to the office full-time. This change goes beyond a passing trend and marks a lasting development in New Yorkers' approach to their careers.

The perks of remote work stretch way beyond the reach of just saving money. NYC professionals save 55-72 minutes each day by skipping commutes, cut their carbon footprint by a lot, and strike a better work-life balance. They can now spend more time on personal goals while growing professionally.

Telehealth emerges as one of the most promising fields for remote work. At Bask Health, we've built a platform that enables healthcare professionals to start their own telehealth businesses without coding skills or major investments. Our "Shopify for telehealth" has served over 750,000 patients because we believe healthcare entrepreneurs don't need a development team or venture capital to create something extraordinary.

The switch to remote work takes some getting used to. Remote professionals must build strong communication skills, practice self-discipline, and master technical tools. They need a dedicated workspace, regular hours, and firm boundaries with family members.

The future of NYC's work culture points toward flexibility. You might choose a hybrid setup with occasional office visits or go fully remote—the traditional five-day office week seems outdated for most professionals. Remote work gives NYC residents the freedom to shape careers that enhance their lives instead of consuming them.

Working from your apartment instead of commuting ended up being more than just convenient—it lets you reclaim your time, reduce stress, and possibly start your own business. NYC's remote revolution is in full swing, and it shows no signs of slowing down.

References

Cornell University. (2023, September). Lifestyle impacts and green benefits of remote work. Cornell Chronicle. https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2023/09/lifestyle-impacts-green-benefits-remote-work

Nucamp. (n.d.). What remote job listings should New York City residents keep an eye on? Nucamp Blog. https://www.nucamp.co/blog/coding-bootcamp-new-york-city-ny-what-remote-job-listings-should-new-york-city-residents-keep-an-eye-on

Select Software Reviews. (2023, August 29). Location-based salaries vs. remote: What’s the difference? Select Software Reviews. https://www.selectsoftwarereviews.com/blog/location-based-salaries-vs-remote

Waldman, A. (2023, March 11). 5 years since the COVID pandemic struck NYC: 5 ways it changed how we live and work. Gothamist. https://gothamist.com/news/5-years-since-the-covid-pandemic-struck-nyc-5-ways-it-changed-how-we-live-and-work