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Cumberland, Md., isn\u2019t a town that might normally ping people\u2019s radars. It sits just south of the Maryland-Pennsylvania border and is roughly two and a half hours away from Washington, D.C., and Baltimore. But city officials are looking to change that, by offering prospective residents an incentive of up to $20,000<\/a>.<\/p>\n The limited-time pilot program is designed to attract more families to live within Cumberland\u2019s city limits. The city did not say how long it plans to offer the relocation bonus.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s how it breaks down. Moving to Cumberland will earn you $10,000 in relocation cash, and the city is also offering up to $10,000 in dollar-for-dollar matching for either approved renovations on an existing home or for a down payment on a newly constructed home within the city\u2019s limits.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll have to live outside of Allegany County, which includes Cumberland (the county seat)\u2014and you\u2019ll either need to work remotely full-time, be able to prove you\u2019re self-employed, or have either an existing or new job in the area.<\/p>\n Once you\u2019re accepted into the program you\u2019ll have six months to finalize your move\u2014and you\u2019re out of luck if you already have a house under contract with a realtor there.<\/p>\n Be prepared to stay a while, too. Residents who take advantage of the incentive will need to purchase a home (for at least $150,000) and make it their primary residence for five years. If something takes you away before that, you\u2019ll be responsible for paying the money back to the city.<\/p>\n Cumberland is one of the poorest metropolitan areas in the country, but it does have a rich history, serving as an outpost for George Washington in the French and Indian War and was, during the 19th century, a terminus for railroads in the state. It\u2019s also the home of Lover\u2019s Leap, where you can see both Pennsylvania and West Virginia on a clear day.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nExplore our new special issue.\u00a0<\/strong>A Wall Street legend gets a radical makeover, crypto iniquity, misbehaving poultry royalty, and more.\u00a0Read the stories.<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n