One American Tech Hub Added 117,000 Jobs The Last Decade

The geography of the tech industry is no longer limited to Silicon Valley or a handful of major cities. In recent years, smaller and less established markets have emerged as rapidly expanding centers for software, hardware, and innovation-driven business.

Many of the tech hubs with the fastest growing populations have drawn investment through a mix of low costs, favorable tax policies, and proximity to universities. Others have benefited from pandemic-era migration and remote work dynamics. Common themes include startup activity, venture capital influx, and the development of dedicated innovation districts.

Of the 40 tech cities with greatest population growth in the past decade, nine are in the Seattle metro area, and seven are in the San Francisco metro area. The Los Angeles and Atlanta metro areas are each home to four, while Denver is home to three. While many of the fastest-growing tech cities are suburbs of major cities with existing tech sectors, several — like Yulee, Florida and Plumas Lake, California — exist far outside of any Silicon Valley equivalent.

The tech-heavy cities growing in population tend to have expensive real estate and high rates of remote work. In 36 of the 40 cities on the list, the percentage of adults who work remote is greater than the 13.5% national average. In 38 of the cities, the median home value is greater than the $303,400 national figure. A closer look at the data reveals the tech hubs gaining the most residents.

To determine the tech hubs gaining the most residents, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed five-year data from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey. Cities were ranked based on raw change in population from 2013 to 2023. Only cities where at least 5.0% of the workforce is employed in the information sector were considered. Supplemental data on median household income and industry composition are also from the U.S. Census Bureau.

40. Newcastle, WA

Raw population growth, 2013 to 2023: +2,346 residents
Workers employed in information sector: 6.2%
Median household income: $162,646
Total population, 2023: 12,945
Most concentrated industries: Management of companies and enterprises, information, professional, scientific, and technical services, retail trade, real estate and rental and leasing

39. Plumas Lake, CA

Raw population growth, 2013 to 2023: +2,366 residents
Workers employed in information sector: 6.0%
Median household income: $114,083
Total population, 2023: 8,424
Most concentrated industries: Utilities, public administration, information, agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, construction

38. Meridian, CO

Raw population growth, 2013 to 2023: +2,464 residents
Workers employed in information sector: 6.4%
Median household income: $90,496
Total population, 2023: 5,058
Most concentrated industries: Information, real estate and rental and leasing, professional, scientific, and technical services, accommodation and food services, finance and insurance

37. Lone Tree, CO

Raw population growth, 2013 to 2023: +2,536 residents
Workers employed in information sector: 6.8%
Median household income: $125,699
Total population, 2023: 14,136
Most concentrated industries: Management of companies and enterprises, information, professional, scientific, and technical services, wholesale trade, finance and insurance

36. Murphy, TX

Raw population growth, 2013 to 2023: +2,589 residents
Workers employed in information sector: 5.4%
Median household income: $165,109
Total population, 2023: 21,001
Most concentrated industries: Management of companies and enterprises, information, finance and insurance, professional, scientific, and technical services, wholesale trade

35. Fairwood, WA

Raw population growth, 2013 to 2023: +2,657 residents
Workers employed in information sector: 5.7%
Median household income: $84,911
Total population, 2023: 10,439
Most concentrated industries: Utilities, information, construction, educational services, transportation and warehousing

34. Arcola, VA

Raw population growth, 2013 to 2023: +2,671 residents
Workers employed in information sector: 8.3%
Median household income: $133,992
Total population, 2023: 2,858
Most concentrated industries: Information, professional, scientific, and technical services, finance and insurance, public administration, construction

33. Redondo Beach, CA

Raw population growth, 2013 to 2023: +2,720 residents
Workers employed in information sector: 5.2%
Median household income: $144,588
Total population, 2023: 69,814
Most concentrated industries: Information, real estate and rental and leasing, professional, scientific, and technical services, arts, entertainment, and recreation, wholesale trade

32. Willow Street, PA

Raw population growth, 2013 to 2023: +2,721 residents
Workers employed in information sector: 7.3%
Median household income: $106,867
Total population, 2023: 10,010
Most concentrated industries: Information, utilities, real estate and rental and leasing, other services, except public administration, administrative and support and waste management services

31. Johns Creek, GA

Raw population growth, 2013 to 2023: +2,763 residents
Workers employed in information sector: 5.0%
Median household income: $160,185
Total population, 2023: 82,115
Most concentrated industries: Professional, scientific, and technical services, information, wholesale trade, real estate and rental and leasing, finance and insurance

30. Stevenson Ranch, CA

Raw population growth, 2013 to 2023: +2,982 residents
Workers employed in information sector: 6.7%
Median household income: $146,404
Total population, 2023: 21,317
Most concentrated industries: Information, real estate and rental and leasing, arts, entertainment, and recreation, professional, scientific, and technical services, public administration

29. Lely Resort, FL

Raw population growth, 2013 to 2023: +3,627 residents
Workers employed in information sector: 5.8%
Median household income: $100,163
Total population, 2023: 8,296
Most concentrated industries: Information, accommodation and food services, finance and insurance, retail trade, public administration

28. Newark, CA

Raw population growth, 2013 to 2023: +4,006 residents
Workers employed in information sector: 5.2%
Median household income: $164,909
Total population, 2023: 47,145
Most concentrated industries: Information, professional, scientific, and technical services, manufacturing, wholesale trade, administrative and support and waste management services

27. Yulee, FL

Raw population growth, 2013 to 2023: +4,062 residents
Workers employed in information sector: 6.1%
Median household income: $82,718
Total population, 2023: 15,521
Most concentrated industries: Information, accommodation and food services, public administration, transportation and warehousing, retail trade

26. Redwood City, CA

Raw population growth, 2013 to 2023: +4,182 residents
Workers employed in information sector: 6.7%
Median household income: $150,840
Total population, 2023: 82,423
Most concentrated industries: Information, professional, scientific, and technical services, administrative and support and waste management services, management of companies and enterprises, construction

25. Camino Tassajara, CA

Raw population growth, 2013 to 2023: +4,289 residents
Workers employed in information sector: 5.1%
Median household income: $00
Total population, 2023: 6,395
Most concentrated industries: Real estate and rental and leasing, professional, scientific, and technical services, information, mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction, manufacturing

24. Decatur, GA

Raw population growth, 2013 to 2023: +4,783 residents
Workers employed in information sector: 5.6%
Median household income: $140,480
Total population, 2023: 24,470
Most concentrated industries: Information, professional, scientific, and technical services, real estate and rental and leasing, educational services, management of companies and enterprises

23. Dunwoody, GA

Raw population growth, 2013 to 2023: +4,875 residents
Workers employed in information sector: 5.6%
Median household income: $109,116
Total population, 2023: 51,563
Most concentrated industries: Management of companies and enterprises, information, professional, scientific, and technical services, finance and insurance, real estate and rental and leasing

22. San Mateo, CA

Raw population growth, 2013 to 2023: +4,954 residents
Workers employed in information sector: 6.3%
Median household income: $152,669
Total population, 2023: 103,555
Most concentrated industries: Information, professional, scientific, and technical services, administrative and support and waste management services, management of companies and enterprises, finance and insurance

21. Berkeley, CA

Raw population growth, 2013 to 2023: +6,186 residents
Workers employed in information sector: 5.1%
Median household income: $108,558
Total population, 2023: 120,223
Most concentrated industries: Information, professional, scientific, and technical services, educational services, arts, entertainment, and recreation, real estate and rental and leasing

20. Mountain View, CA

Raw population growth, 2013 to 2023: +6,886 residents
Workers employed in information sector: 14.9%
Median household income: $179,917
Total population, 2023: 82,363
Most concentrated industries: Information, professional, scientific, and technical services, manufacturing, management of companies and enterprises, educational services

19. Martha Lake, WA

Raw population growth, 2013 to 2023: +6,909 residents
Workers employed in information sector: 5.5%
Median household income: $132,130
Total population, 2023: 22,740
Most concentrated industries: Information, professional, scientific, and technical services, construction, health care and social assistance, manufacturing

18. Hoboken, NJ

Raw population growth, 2013 to 2023: +7,411 residents
Workers employed in information sector: 7.5%
Median household income: $176,943
Total population, 2023: 58,340
Most concentrated industries: Finance and insurance, information, professional, scientific, and technical services, real estate and rental and leasing, management of companies and enterprises

17. Milton, GA

Raw population growth, 2013 to 2023: +7,538 residents
Workers employed in information sector: 5.5%
Median household income: $151,235
Total population, 2023: 41,305
Most concentrated industries: Real estate and rental and leasing, information, professional, scientific, and technical services, wholesale trade, finance and insurance

16. Issaquah, WA

Raw population growth, 2013 to 2023: +7,865 residents
Workers employed in information sector: 8.3%
Median household income: $153,786
Total population, 2023: 39,472
Most concentrated industries: Information, professional, scientific, and technical services, retail trade, arts, entertainment, and recreation, real estate and rental and leasing

15. Blackwells Mills, NJ

Raw population growth, 2013 to 2023: +9,800 residents
Workers employed in information sector: 5.4%
Median household income: $248,149
Total population, 2023: 10,220
Most concentrated industries: Management of companies and enterprises, information, finance and insurance, arts, entertainment, and recreation, manufacturing

14. Sunnyvale, CA

Raw population growth, 2013 to 2023: +10,140 residents
Workers employed in information sector: 12.0%
Median household income: $181,862
Total population, 2023: 153,455
Most concentrated industries: Information, professional, scientific, and technical services, manufacturing, educational services, retail trade

13. Milpitas, CA

Raw population growth, 2013 to 2023: +10,521 residents
Workers employed in information sector: 5.3%
Median household income: $176,822
Total population, 2023: 78,216
Most concentrated industries: Information, professional, scientific, and technical services, manufacturing, management of companies and enterprises, arts, entertainment, and recreation

12. Santa Clara, CA

Raw population growth, 2013 to 2023: +11,422 residents
Workers employed in information sector: 9.2%
Median household income: $173,670
Total population, 2023: 129,239
Most concentrated industries: Information, professional, scientific, and technical services, management of companies and enterprises, manufacturing, educational services

11. Parker, CO

Raw population growth, 2013 to 2023: +13,725 residents
Workers employed in information sector: 6.5%
Median household income: $129,342
Total population, 2023: 60,115
Most concentrated industries: Information, management of companies and enterprises, finance and insurance, professional, scientific, and technical services, wholesale trade

10. Bothell, WA

Raw population growth, 2013 to 2023: +14,390 residents
Workers employed in information sector: 5.2%
Median household income: $132,232
Total population, 2023: 48,610
Most concentrated industries: Management of companies and enterprises, information, professional, scientific, and technical services, real estate and rental and leasing, other services, except public administration

9. Kirkland, WA

Raw population growth, 2013 to 2023: +15,779 residents
Workers employed in information sector: 7.1%
Median household income: $143,533
Total population, 2023: 91,614
Most concentrated industries: Information, professional, scientific, and technical services, management of companies and enterprises, real estate and rental and leasing, retail trade

8. Sammamish, WA

Raw population growth, 2013 to 2023: +18,609 residents
Workers employed in information sector: 5.0%
Median household income: $227,273
Total population, 2023: 66,375
Most concentrated industries: Professional, scientific, and technical services, management of companies and enterprises, information, real estate and rental and leasing, retail trade

7. San Francisco, CA

Raw population growth, 2013 to 2023: +18,820 residents
Workers employed in information sector: 6.3%
Median household income: $141,446
Total population, 2023: 836,321
Most concentrated industries: Information, professional, scientific, and technical services, management of companies and enterprises, finance and insurance, real estate and rental and leasing

6. Redmond, WA

Raw population growth, 2013 to 2023: +20,216 residents
Workers employed in information sector: 7.2%
Median household income: $162,099
Total population, 2023: 75,721
Most concentrated industries: Professional, scientific, and technical services, management of companies and enterprises, information, real estate and rental and leasing, retail trade

5. Bellevue, WA

Raw population growth, 2013 to 2023: +21,990 residents
Workers employed in information sector: 6.6%
Median household income: $161,300
Total population, 2023: 151,199
Most concentrated industries: Professional, scientific, and technical services, information, management of companies and enterprises, real estate and rental and leasing, retail trade

4. Dublin, CA

Raw population growth, 2013 to 2023: +22,900 residents
Workers employed in information sector: 5.8%
Median household income: $205,046
Total population, 2023: 70,542
Most concentrated industries: Professional, scientific, and technical services, information, management of companies and enterprises, utilities, finance and insurance

3. Los Angeles, CA

Raw population growth, 2013 to 2023: +30,636 residents
Workers employed in information sector: 6.5%
Median household income: $80,366
Total population, 2023: 3,857,897
Most concentrated industries: Information, arts, entertainment, and recreation, real estate and rental and leasing, other services, except public administration, administrative and support and waste management services

2. Santa Clarita, CA

Raw population growth, 2013 to 2023: +51,655 residents
Workers employed in information sector: 5.3%
Median household income: $119,926
Total population, 2023: 229,021
Most concentrated industries: Information, arts, entertainment, and recreation, public administration, real estate and rental and leasing, utilities

1. Seattle, WA

Raw population growth, 2013 to 2023: +116,759 residents
Workers employed in information sector: 5.7%
Median household income: $121,984
Total population, 2023: 741,440
Most concentrated industries: Information, professional, scientific, and technical services, management of companies and enterprises, real estate and rental and leasing, arts, entertainment, and recreation