Pools of young tech talent are flocking to burgeoning tech cities beyond major U.S. metros, a new report by JLL reveals.
As more STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) graduates enter the market, a large portion of the highly skilled talent is emerging beyond traditional tech hubs to markets like Indiana, Idaho and Alabama.
While San Jose remains a leader in attracting the most talent and boasts the highest number of STEM degrees, Columbus, Indiana, came in second. The city, which is home to Purdue Polytechnic Institute, is also only an estimated 45 miles north of Indianapolis’ tech center.
Huntsville, Alabama, came in third on the list. The city houses both NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and Cummings Research Park, which is the second-largest research park in the U.S.
This is positive news for the commercial real estate industry, which derived 22% of its overall U.S. office leasing from the tech sector this year and could experience even more growth in the coming years as tech adoption continues to gain momentum across the country, according to JLL.
