AND MOVE TO MORE RURAL PARTS OF THE COUNTRY AND WORK REMOTELY. YOU CAN ACTUALLY CALL IT INFLATION RELOCATION. FOR MILLIONS OF AMERICANS, THE COST OF LIVING COMES AT A HIGH PRICE. FROM FOOD TO HOUSING. BUT WHAT IF YOU COULD MOVE TO A PLACE WHERE PRICE INCREASES AND THE PACE OF LIFE WERE BOTH SLOWER? THAT'S THE SHINY OFFER COMING FROM STATES IN DOZENS OF SMALL TOWNS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, TARGETING REMOTE WORKERS. TULSA, OKLAHOMA, FOR EXAMPLE OFFERING $10,000 TO WORKERS WILLING TO MOVE THERE FOR A YEAR. AND THIS INDIANA SUBURB OFFERING A $5,000 GRANT, FREE GOLF, PLUS COFFEE WITH THE MAYOR. IT IS THE KIND OF OFFER THE EISENBERG FAMILY TOOK UP TWO YEARS AGO TO MOVE HERE AFTER BEN'S BUSINESS TOOK A HIT DURING THE PANDEMIC. >> WE LOST HALF OUR BUSINESS, HAD TO LET STAFF GO. WE'RE LAYING IN BED LOOKING AT THIS BEAUTIFUL HOUSE GOING, WE'RE UNDERWATER. I HEARD ABOUT THIS AND THOUGHT, I'LL APPLY FOR IT. >> THANKS TO A PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE WING-TO-WING UNIVERSITY, WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY AND THE STATE. WHAT ARE SOME THINGS YOU NOTICED MORE EXPENSIVE IN MARYLAND, LESS EXPENSIVE NOW HERE. >> WHEN I GO TO THE GROCERY BILL, MY GROCERY BILL IS LESS OVERALL. >> OUR HOUSEHOLD BUDGET IS DOWN. THE MOVIE THEATER IS HALF OF WHAT IT WAS IN MARYLAND. IT IS LIKE $6 TO GO TO A MOVIE. THE BIGGEST THING WAS ALL OF THE THINGS WE COULD DO OUTSIDE FOR FREE. >> Reporter: FREE AND FUN. >> WE'RE OUT ON BIKES. WE LIKE TO GET ON THE RIVER AND GO KAYAKING. >> Reporter: HOW MUCH OF THIS WERE YOU ALL DOING BACK IN BALTIMORE? >> NONE OF IT. >> NONE OF IT, YEAH. >> Reporter: AND ALL OF THIS IS FREE. >> ALL OF IT'S FREE. >> Reporter: THE STATE'S GOVERNOR SAYS HE AND HIS FAVORITE FURRY FRIEND WANT TO WELCOME EVEN MORE FAMILIES LIKE THE EISENBURGS. >> YOU'RE BASICALLY SAYING YOU COME TO LIVE IN WEST VIRGINIA AND WE'LL GIVE YOU ALL THESE LITTLE PERKS AND EVERYTHING. ISN'T THAT RIGHT, BABY DOLL? >> Reporter: ARE THERE ANY DOWN SIDES? DO YOU HEAR FROM LOCAL RESIDENTS SAY NOW HOUSING COSTS ARE GOING UP? >> TO BE HONEST, THEY'RE HAPPY ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THEIR PROPERTY VALUES HAVE ESCALATED. THEY KNOW FOR US TO HAVE MORE AND MORE OPPORTUNITY IN WEST VIRGINIA, YOU HAVE GOT TO HAVE MORE PEOPLE. YOU HAVE GOT TO HAVE A BIGGER TAX BASE. THAT'S ALL THERE IS TOO IT. >> Reporter: NEARLY 50,000 APPLICATIONS FOR THIS PROGRAM HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED WITH 96% OF THOSE ACCEPTED CHOOSING TO STAY AFTER ONE YEAR. AND NATIONWIDE, NEARLY 60 TOWNS ARE OFFERING SIMILAR DEALS, WITH SEARCH TRAFFIC IN ONE RELOCATION WEBSITE TRIPLING SINCE 2021. >> THEY MIGHT BE LOOKING FOR SOMEPLACE MORE AFFORDABLE THAT THEY COULD HAVE MORE SPACE. BEYOND THAT, THEY'RE LOOKING FOR COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS. >> Reporter: CONNECTIONS THAT HELPED BEN GET A NEW BUSINESS FOCUSED ON OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES UP AND RUNNING IN A PLACE HIS FAMILY NOW CALLS HOME. WHEN YOU FIRST APPLIED TO THIS PROGRAM, AT SOME POINT DID YOU WONDER, LIKE, IS THIS A SCAM? YOU WILL GIVE ME MONEY TO MOVE? >> YEAH, DEFINITELY THOUGHT ABOUT THAT. I'M SURE THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT THINK IT'S A SCAM. IT'S NOT. WE'RE HERE. WE'RE LIVING PROOF. >> Reporter: WAS IT WORTH IT? >> I WOULDN'T GIVE ANYTHING UP FOR THIS. IT IS JUST A GREAT PLACE. >> Reporter: YEAH. AND PRETTY FUN FACT. THEIR PARENTS CAME TO VISIT, THE EISENBERGS' PARENTS AND DECIDED TO MOVE TO WEST VIRGINIA, TOO. THEY WERE CHARMED. SO NOW THE WHOLE FAMILY IS THERE. THE KIDS, AS YOU SAW, THEY SAY IT WAS THE BEST DECISION FOR THEM, TOO. IN FACT, THE WEST VIRGINIA ORGANIZERS DO WANT TO STRESS TO EVERYONE WATCHING THAT THIS ISN'T JUST ONE TOWN YOU CAN MOVE TO. THEY HAVE FOUR DIFFERENT AREAS ALL ACROSS THE STATE AND ALL HAVE A LITTLE SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO OFFER. REMEMBER, THERE IS OTHER PROGRAMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. >> ALMOST HEAVEN, WEST VIRGINIA. >> I GREW UP THERE. YOU SAID YOUR PARENTS DID. >> MY PARENTS, YEAH. >> IT IS A GREAT STATE. >> USED TO BE WILD AND WONDERFUL. >> REMEMBER? I STILL HAVE THE BUMPER STICKER. I CAN SEE IT. >> YOU ARE STILL WILD AND WONDERFUL. >> THANKS, SAVANNAH. >> BY THE WAY, BIG THANKS TO THE GOVERNOR'S DOG. >> ISN'T THAT CUTE?
