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HOUSTON — Houston has a growing reputation for being one of the top technology hubs in the United States’ Southern region.
According to a report by CommercialCafe, Southern metros are attracting investment, companies and talent. A study that ranked the top 20 Southern metro areas with populations of more than 200,000 by evaluating factors like tech job density, median earnings and overall quality of life revealed that Houston took the number nine spot for having a growing presence of tech companies in 2024.
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The report revealed that Houston led in tech patent output, which was almost 8,700 within five years. Tech employment in the Houston area grew by 32.2% with median tech earnings being about $95,990 on average. According to data, the median tech earnings grew by 17.6%.
Other Texas cities that were mentioned included Austin, which was ranked number two and reported 48.6 tech businesses per 1,000, and Dallas, which was ranked number four and moved up from sixth in latest year’s rankings, reportedly driven by a 25.9% growth in tech company presence.
“For small to medium-sized tech companies, these markets offer opportunities to build their brand quickly and tap into local talent pools not yet dominated by larger, household-name firms,” the report stated. “It also means talent doesn’t have to leave smaller metros for bigger destinations, which creates a win-win for companies seeking skilled workers and professionals looking to build careers closer to home.”
The complete list from one to 20 is as follows:
- Washington, D.C.
- Austin, TX
- Raleigh, NC
- Dallas, TX
- Huntsville, AL
- Baltimore, MD
- Durham, NC
- Atlanta, GA
- Houston, TX
- Charlotte, NC
- Charlottesville, VA
- Fayetteville, AR
- Wilmington, NC
- Richmond, VA
- Palm Bay, FL
- Roanoke, VA
- Crestview, FL
- Tampa, FL
- Jacksonville, FL
- Orlando, FL
Source: CommercialCafe