Most rural communities have no idea how many of their residents already work remotely for employers elsewhere — quietly bringing high-paying jobs home with them. Botetourt County, Virginia, set out to find the number, and brought in RGI to make sense of it.
The Digital Workforce 360° method
RGI combined the county's 2023 survey of 415 remote workers with thirteen in-depth interviews, asset mapping of the county's supportive programs, and a custom Maturity Matrix assessment benchmarking how well the community supports remote work across broadband, housing, healthcare, childcare, and amenities.
The engagement also produced a draft “Certified Remote Work Community” framework and a roadmap, which RGI presented to the County Board of Supervisors.
A hidden economic engine
The analysis estimated roughly 1,807 remote workers — about 10% of the county's workforce — earning an average of around $93,000 and generating approximately $166 million in annual payroll, supporting an estimated 600 local jobs. By that measure, remote work rivals the county's largest traditional industries.
RGI carried the findings to a national stage, presenting at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond's “Investing in Rural America” conference in Roanoke in May 2024.
“What county wouldn't be excited to be able to find it has an industry of maybe 2,000 people?”
