The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a major shift towards remote work. While working from home has its benefits for certain individuals, including no commute time, a better work-life balance, and increased productivity, it can be hard for parents—especially mothers—to work from home while juggling family responsibilities. Additionally, not all occupations are conducive to remote work. A recent study by University of Chicago researchers shows that 37 percent of jobs in the U.S. are able to be performed entirely at home, but this varies substantially across cities. When considering working parents, Census Bureau data combined with data from the aforementioned study show that about 34 percent hold remote-friendly jobs.

According to occupational data from the U.S. Census Bureau, working mothers are more likely than working fathers to work in remote-friendly jobs. Over 40 percent of working mothers work in remote-friendly jobs compared to just 27 percent of working fathers. However, several studies show that working from home is harder for moms than it is for dads. As schools and day care centers closed during the pandemic, the gender gap in household chores and child care has widened. Research indicates that women working from home are more likely to take on a disproportionate share of housework and child care, while men are more likely to report an increase in productivity.

Due to differences in local economies, there is significant variation in the share of jobs that can be performed at home across cities and states. For instance, places that rely heavily on agriculture, manufacturing, retail, and hospitality tend to have fewer jobs that can be performed at home, while areas with more business and professional jobs tend to have a large share of jobs that can be done remotely. At the state level, the Northeast tends to have more working parents in remote-friendly jobs with New Jersey and New Hampshire boasting the highest shares at 40.1 and 38.6 percent, respectively. At the opposite end of the spectrum, North Dakota and Nevada have the lowest shares of working parents in remote-friendly jobs, at 27.4 and 25.9 percent, respectively.