2020 Tech Towns Resilient Despite Uncertainty As Remote Work Grows

2020 taught us one thing: Expect the unexpected. Except maybe when it comes down to CompTIA’s Tech Town Index. The third annual report ranks the top 20 US locations for IT professionals to live and work. It provides guidance on where opportunities intersect with affordability for both workers and companies. The 2020 report covers remote work and how it is affecting the landscape of Tech Towns across America. We can learn from 2020 that we should expect the unexpected, except perhaps when it comes to CompTIA 2020 Tech Town Index.
Even with the COVID-19 pandemic there is still a need for skilled and tech-ready workers nationwide. This may be more so than ever because the tech industry has been crucial in connecting communities around the world this year. It allows employees to continue to work, businesses to continue serving customers, and students to keep learning. In spite of Americans suffering from job losses and salary cuts in America, technology jobs are still in high demand. There have been 3,782,409 IT job openings in the United States in the past 12 months.
The 2020 Tech Town Index is a testament to the reliability of our previous reports. This third installment provides IT professionals, as well as those working in the technology business, guidance on where opportunities intersect with affordability and quality life. The list has largely remained the same, with the familiar Tech Towns remaining resilient in the face unprecedented change and challenge.
2020 Tech Town Index Rankings
Austin, Texas
Dallas, TX
Raleigh, NC
San Jose, CA
Charlotte, NC
Seattle, WA
San Francisco, CA
Atlanta, GA
Huntsville, AL
Denver, CO
Washington, DC
Boulder, CO
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
Columbus, OH
Colorado Springs, CO
Boston, MA
Baltimore, MD
Madison, WI
San Diego, CA
Trenton, NJ
The full report is available to download. Remote work is changing how we see technology careers and where they can be done from. In other words, you can do them at your home, rather than in an office building. The CompTIA Tech Town Index 2020 is a collection of interesting factors.
Tech in Texas: Strong showing
CompTIA analyzed job posting data for a 12-month period (August 2019 – July 2020), and identified 20 metropolitan areas that have more than 250,000 people. These are the areas where there is the greatest demand for tech workers. The cities were then ranked according to cost of living, number and projected job growth for the next year and the next five years. The full report contains more information about the methodology.
For the second consecutive year, Austin, Texas takes the top spot, with Dallas at No. 2–a strong argument in favor of the rise of the tech industry in the Lone Star State.
It is also worth noting Dallas jumped the most in the 2020 rankings, moving up from No. 7 in 2019. For the third consecutive year, Raleigh is ranked number three with Charlotte, San Jose and Seattle close behind.
Columbus (No. Columbus (No. 18). Washington, D.C., again wins the prize for shear opportunities, this time with a staggering 260,025 IT job listings. Although Tampa and Jacksonville, Florida’s tech hubs, didn’t make it onto the 2019 list this year due to their inability to make the cut, Jacksonville is given an honorable mention for only missing the 2020 list.
There has been some movement in the rankings. Some cities that were dropped from the index last year have made a comeback this year, such as Madison (No. 18) and Trenton (20). 20). For a variety of reasons, other cities have been placed higher or lower than they were on the list. San Francisco, for example, is now No. 7 where the high cost to live (the highest on our list), continues to affect its ranking.
The CompTIA Tech Towns have been solid bases for IT professionals to live and work. Despite the strength of these tech communities, the story about where tech professionals choose to live and work is changing.
Remote Work Factor
Remote work has been on the tech sector’s radar for at least 10 years. The willingness of the workforce to move for the right job and the right place has been documented. However, IT pros have more options.
Many organizations are now rethinking how they do business and realizing the benefits of remote work as the COVID-19 epidemic continues. A recent CompTIA membership survey of tech companies found that 65% believe that their company will allow more employees to work remotely.