Everyone knows about the major U.S. tech hubs like Silicon Valley and New York City — you might even be tired of hearing about them. Yet just like the technology landscape is ever-evolving, so too are places where these innovations happen.
As the cost of living in major tech hubs skyrockets and tech job opportunities become scarcer, small and medium hub-politan areas across the U.S. are subtly taking shape as America’s next emerging tech hubs. Many of these growing hubs offer a rare combination of lower cost of living and high-quality tech wages, providing a burgeoning opportunity for tech professionals.
This growth is more than just good news for tech workers; it can benefit whole communities and investment in local businesses and residents, leading to opportunities far beyond the tech world.
To find the hubs where the tech industry is quietly but exponentially growing, we analyzed employment and wage data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) for tech industries in 145 small and medium U.S. hub-politan areas.
Just like how new technologies can catch us off guard, some of the emerging U.S. tech hubs might be quite unexpected. Find out which hubs are the future tech capitals of American innovation and if you might live near one of these emerging technological powerhouses!
Key takeaways
- Top emerging tech hubs include Flint, MI, Brownsville, TX, and Racine, WI.
- Top 20 emerging hubs added 19,020 tech jobs since 2018.
- Average weekly wage for top 20 hubs increased by $409, reaching $1,753 in 2023.
- Brownsville, TX, saw the highest employee growth with a 125% increase, adding 929 jobs.
- Flint, MI, experienced the largest wage growth, with a 114% rise, reaching $2,044.
The Top Emerging High-Tech Hubs
Silicon Valley may hold the crown for now, but the future of tech innovation is spreading its wings across the U.S. These new and emerging tech hubs aren’t slouches, either — they’ve added 19,020 tech jobs since 2018, with no signs of slowing down.
Take Flint, Michigan, for example. Once known primarily for its auto industry, Flint is experiencing a tech renaissance. The city's MI Tech Hub Initiative is attracting investment and fostering an environment for tech businesses to innovate.
The University of Michigan's commitment to STEM pathways and the presence of the Great Lakes Tech Center are further fueling Flint's tech fire. And Flint’s tech pros have seen a huge spike in their income — a massive 114% rise, resulting in an average weekly wage of $2,044, the largest of any city on our list (though other top hubs aren’t far behind, paying out an average of $1,753 in 2023).
This surge isn't limited to big-name universities or established tech giants, either. Brownsville, Texas, bordering Mexico, is another unexpected name on the rise. The city's proximity to international trade routes and a growing entrepreneurial spirit are propelling Brownsville's tech sector. It also boasts the largest employee growth of any city in the analysis, with a 125% increase in tech jobs since 2018.
Even smaller cities are getting in the game. Racine, Wisconsin, on the shores of Lake Michigan, has seen its own tech boom, with a 91% increase in jobs since 2018. Racine's manufacturing heritage is transforming with new initiatives focused on building a tech-savvy workforce and attracting startups.
This trend highlights a broader movement — tech innovation is no longer confined to the coasts. Astute tech talent is finding opportunities and building the future in unexpected places all over the country.
The Top Medium-Sized Emerging High-Tech Hubs
Flint and Brownsville aren't the only cities benefiting from the tech explosion. Other mid-sized metros are experiencing significant growth, the top 20 of which have added a combined 26,060 tech jobs since 2018, with an average of 1,303 new jobs per hub. El Paso, Texas, rounds out the top three, right behind Brownsville and Flint, for its surge in tech employment.
Wages have gotten a boost, too. The average weekly tech wage for the top 20 medium hubs is up by a substantial $398 since 2018, reaching $1,758 in 2023. Cities like Flint, Greeley, Colorado, and Boise City, Idaho, are leading the way in wage growth, making it rain for their tech talent.
Another emerging hub, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, might surprise some. Beyond the sunny beaches, this booming tourist destination is also attracting tech companies and pros alike with its local initiatives, like the HTC Aspire Hub. This partnership between the City of Myrtle Beach, HTC, and eMYRge provides resources, mentorship, and connections for tech startups and entrepreneurs — and it doesn’t hurt that you can catch a wave or two after work.
The Top Small Emerging High-Tech Hubs
Small cities are also getting in on the tech action, proving that innovation isn't limited to big metros. In addition to Racine, Wisconsin, where nearly 1,000 new jobs have been created since 2018, places like Manhattan, Kansas, and Sioux City, Iowa, are also witnessing significant growth in their tech sectors. Overall, the top 20 small hubs on our list have added over 6,400 tech jobs since 2018, averaging a healthy 322 new jobs per hub.
The average weekly tech wage has jumped by $320 since 2018, reaching $1,689 in 2023. Small hubs like Pittsfield, Massachusetts, are ahead of the curve, with a remarkable 44% wage increase that brings their weekly average up to a very competitive $2,339.
Rising wages and growing jobs make small hubs increasingly attractive for tech professionals, especially if they’re seeking high-quality opportunities alongside a potentially lower cost of living.
With the tech hub landscape ever-changing and new hubs emerging in unexpected locations, the next wave of technologists is also on the rise. This growth will mean more opportunities for tech professionals and more accessibility to cutting-edge services for everyday tech users. However, as tech continues to evolve, the importance of safeguarding personal data is also exponentially rising.
Conclusion
At Secure Data Recovery, we not only monitor tech emergence but specialize in protecting and restoring your high-value files. The need for reliable data protection and restoration services becomes crucial as new tech hubs emerge, bringing innovation and people closer together. Whether you’re a leading tech professional at the forefront of innovation or a user of the latest technological advancements, ensuring your data is secure is paramount.
We specialize in protecting and restoring your high-value files, whether you live in a current or emerging tech hub or not. From hard drive recovery to our vast range of other data recovery services, our tech team can restore data on Mac, iPhone, SSD, Android, and many more essential devices. With over 15 years of experience, we’ve seen it all, and there is not much that our team can’t handle!
Methodology
In June 2024, we used the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Quarterly Census of Employment Wages (QCEW) program to gather data classified by the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) for every metropolitan statistical area (MSA) in the U.S. for the third quarter of 2023 (latest data available) and Q3 2018. We focused on tech industries by examining employees and wages for specific NAICS-classified industries. Examples of these industries include telecommunications, engineering, computer systems design, scientific research, and more.
We separated and classified MSAs by their 2023 census population to focus on small and medium emerging metros. Populations under 250,000 people are classified as small hubs, and medium hubs are classified by populations between 250,000 and 1,000,000. We then calculated the five-year employment and wage growth by MSA across all the industries in our analysis. To control for misleading outliers, we only included metros with 1,000 or more tech employees by September 2023 in the study.
