wurk»home {Your career. Your say.}

 Locals aren’t too thrilled to hear the news nor are they surprised, but Durango, Colorado has been named one of the top 50 cities to live in the U.S. by Men’s Journal, and it is all due to the cities telecommuting friendly infrastructure.

From The Daily Times:

Writers and editors for Men’s Journal from across the country nominated 300 towns they considered excellent places to call home, said Kestenbaum, adding many were reluctant to name towns they considered well-kept secrets. To be considered a good telecommunity, towns needed to be desirable, have appropriate infrastructure such as high DSL and wireless capabilities, and a culture where many people work outside the office.

“You don’t want to be the only one picking up your kid from a soccer game not in a suit because you’re not coming from the office,” she said.

Durango isn’t a telecommunity by accident, said Greg Caton, assistant city manager. Its remote location challenges businesses that transport goods, so the city intentionally acquired infrastructure that would promote telecommuting.

He named several ways telecommuting positively affects the community. For instance, it brings money into the local economy without much environmental impact, unlike industrial jobs. People who work from home keep down rush-hour traffic and, Caton said, they help put Durango on the map when they travel outside the community for meetings.