Authored by Phil Cohen
Contrary to common belief, Silicon Valley and San Francisco are no longer the only cities where tech jobs are flourishing. Recent data has revealed that tech jobs are expanding beyond these areas, and the cities experiencing growth in the tech sector may surprise you.
In order to analyze current job creation trends, Praxis Strategy Group examined employment in industries associated with technology in 52 of the largest cities in the country. Workers that were employed in STEM (science, tech, engineering, mathematics) related fields were analyzed between 2001 -2013. The study revealed plenty of tech workers employed with businesses that appear unrelated to technology.
According to findings, the four cities creating tech jobs at the fastest rates over the past 12 years were all located in the southern half of the nation. The study revealed that the Austin metropolitan area ranked in the first place, with tech employment rates rising by 41 percent since 2001. Additionally, between 2010 and 2013, the Austin metro area took first place for the creation of tech jobs in the country.
Austin’s success within the tech industry is largely due to its affordability and high quality of life. In addition to its growing suburbs, its small urban base is also known for these desirable characteristics. Well-known throughout the country as the hometown hub for Dell, many other tech companies have been based here in recent years, ranging from AMD and IBM to Hewlett-Packard and Intel.
Much like Austin, Raleigh-Cary, N.C., the second city on the list, is a booming metropolitan area, home to a large college and the state’s capital. Again, like Austin, the area has experienced tremendous growth within the tech sector, amounting to nearly 55 percent since 2001. Global companies, including IBM, GSK, and Cisco, have contributed much to the city’s tech growth.
Coming in at third place is the Houston metro area. Although this city doesn’t have the most impressive credentials in the tech world, STEM employment has increased by 24 percent in Houston since 2001 as a result of the booming tech-savvy energy industry. Meanwhile, Nashville claims a fourth place on the list, where tech employment has increased by nearly 66 percent. The city has grown into a leading hub for hospital management and healthcare IT.
Here are the top 10 cities in the U.S. where tech is taking off
1.- Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
2.-Raleigh-Cary, NC
3.-Houston-Sugarland-Baytown, TX
4.-Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, TN
5.-San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
6.-Salt Lake City, UT
7.-Seattle, Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
8.- San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX
9.-Indianapolis-Carmel, IN
10.-Baltimore-Towson, MD