The Mile High City is a start-up haven, with an attraction to talent, connectivity and culture. (Photo: Shutterstock).
Tom Kalinski, RE/MAX of Boulder
BOULDER – The Boulder-Denver Metro area may see a continuing uptick in high tech workers, if Silicon Valley’s tech workers fulfill on their longing.
More than two-thirds of Silicon Valley workers see themselves pursuing their tech careers outside of the industry’s epicenter, according to a survey conducted recently by Indeed Prime. Survey results show that Denver ranks as the No. 2 place that many see as a good place to move.
Not that the Bay Area is being surpassed as the nation’s most vibrant tech center. But some tech workers are beginning to feel little or no need to live in the Bay Area, the survey shows.
The shift is strikingly age related, with almost half of millennial tech workers still firmly rooted in the view that it’s important or very important to live and work in Silicon Valley.
Among Generation X, the number drops to 32.5 percent and for Baby Boomers it bottoms out to a mere 10.2 percent still holding tight to the belief that living in the Bay Area is important in continuing their high-tech career.
As a result, some tech workers are eastward bound, finding opportunities in Denver and the Midwest, Northeast, and South.
The Mile-High City metro is so top of mind that a survey of 100 California tech workers showed nearly half were prepared to move to Denver and places like it.
Denver is drawing start-ups seeking talent, connectivity and culture. That migration includes Boulder and its newly minted $150 million Google office complex. Scott Heimes, CMO of Denver-based SendGrid, says a big draw to the city are the beautiful outdoors, active culture and the vibrant residents.
The top five cities ranked as upcoming tech meccas are listed below.
1. Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City was recently ranked by Entrepreneur as the top startup destination outside of San Francisco or New York City.
2. Denver, Colorado
The Mile-High City is a start-up haven, with an attraction to talent, connectivity, and culture.
3. Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta’s total tech jobs have grown by 46.7 percent since 2010 – almost 20 percentage points above the national average.
4. Portland, Oregon
Portland’s tech talent pool grew almost 30 percent from 2010 to 2013, outpacing Silicon Valley by nearly 10 percentage points over the same period.
5. Seattle, Washington
Seattle tech workers are known for making top-notch salaries of more than $110,000 per year.
For the full article visit forbes.com/sites/falonfatemi/2017/03/23/5-u-s-cities-poised-to-become-tomorrows-tech-meccas/#99dec5721324.
For the survey, visit blog.indeed.com/2016/07/06/is-silicon-valley-still-top-tech-hub/#.V31YChQrLaY
By Tom Kalinski, RE/MAX of Boulder. Tom Kalinski is the owner and founder of RE/MAX of Boulder. Call 303.441.5620 or e-mail: [email protected], boulderco.com.
