Top-ranked city for tech jobs is nowhere near Silicon Valley
Workforce ready and willing to move
Silicon Valley has long been the home of high-tech dreamers, but the next generation of them is just as likely, if not more so, to come from Austin, Texas or Raleigh, N.C.
According to the second annual Tech Town Index released by CompTIA, younger tech workers are putting a particular focus on quality of life when considering their next big move, pushing them to pursue jobs in parts of the country with a lower cost of living.
Nearly 80 percent have already relocated or would consider doing so for a new job in an area that's less expensive, has a desirable climate or shorter commute times, according to CompTIA.
Austin, the capital of Texas and home of the South by Southwest music festival, tops the list.
Raleigh, North Carolina, claimed second place, with San Jose, California, coming in at number three. Meanwhile, Charlotte, N.C., which was the top-ranked tech town in 2018, dropped to sixth place.
"The clear takeaway is that there are opportunities for challenging, rewarding and well-paying tech jobs across the U.S.," said Nancy Hammervik, executive vice president for industry relations at CompTIA. "Whether you're working in IT today, or contemplating employment in tech, there's a great chance that you can find a locale that offers you the opportunity to attain your career aspirations while living in an environment that accommodates your lifestyle preference."
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CompTIA looked at 20 metropolitan areas with populations over 250,000 where demand for tech workers is greatest, and ranked them by cost of living, number of tech job postings and projected job growth over the next 12 months and the next five years.
In the three months ending in September, there were nearly 900,000 core tech job postings, according to CompTIA's analysis of data from Burning Glass Technologies Labor Insights. Over the next five years, CompTIA projected a growth rate of 16 percent for industry positions.
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