Top Cities to Move to for Tech Jobs in 2025
Thinking of relocating for higher pay, better career opportunities, or a stronger tech ecosystem? These are the US cities hiring for tech roles right now—and paying well.
🚀 Why Location Still Matters in 2025
Despite the rise of remote work, geography remains key:
- Job density and local tech ecosystems meaning more roles and networking opportunities.
- Salaries often vary by region—even fully remote companies may adjust pay by location.
- Top employers and events cluster in tech hubs, increasing visibility and community access.
In 2025, AI and cloud-related roles dominate hiring, making cities with strong infrastructure and companies prime pull targets oai_citation:0‡Course Report.
🔍 Top Cities for Tech Jobs in 2025
Seattle / Bellevue / Redmond, WA
- Seattle hosts over 290,000 tech workers, second only to the Bay Area, with Amazon and Microsoft as anchors oai_citation:1‡Wikipedia.
- Median tech wages exceed $150K/year, with high premiums relative to cost of living oai_citation:2‡CIO.
- Strong growth in AI, cloud, and software engineering job listings.
San Francisco Bay Area / San Jose, CA
- Home to tech giants, startups, and VC ecosystems.
- Salaries typically span from $140K to $160K, with tens of thousands of job postings on Indeed each month oai_citation:3‡Liquid Web oai_citation:4‡Fullstack Academy.
- Still retains top-tier opportunity despite cost of living.
Austin, TX
- Known as “Silicon Hills,” home to Dell, Apple, IBM, Meta, Google, and Amazon facilities oai_citation:5‡Wikipedia.
- Lower cost of living compared to coastal hubs.
- Fast-growing tech startup scene and strong inbound migration.
Charlotte, NC
- Charlotte ranks high in job growth and tech wage premium—6.7% of the workforce in tech with rising opportunity oai_citation:6‡CIO.
- Major employers establishing tech hubs: Honeywell, Microsoft, Credit Karma.
Denver, CO & Salt Lake City, UT
- Denver: Median tech wage ~ $123K, solid cost-of-living balance, and tech sector growth over 3% annually oai_citation:7‡CIO.
- SLC: ~8.5% of workforce in tech with $13B economic impact regionally oai_citation:8‡CIO.
📊 Job Growth & In-Demand Roles
According to Robert Half and WEF 2025 reports, the fastest-growing tech roles include:
- AI/ML engineer
- Data engineer
- DevOps/cloud engineer
- Systems administrator
- Network / security engineer oai_citation:9‡Robert Half.
Indeed data also shows cities like Seattle and San Francisco topping job posting volumes and salary averages.
🧾 Other Emerging Destinations Worth Watching
- Nashville, TN: Oracle and Amazon building major tech campuses — strong future hiring with affordability oai_citation:10‡Wikipedia.
- Tulsa, OK: Attracting remote workers via incentive programs, emerging tech vitality low cost-of-living oai_citation:11‡SFGATE.
💰 Comparison Table: Tech Markets
| Metro Area | Focus Industries | Median Tech Salary | Job Growth 2024–25 | Cost of Living Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle / Bellevue | Cloud, AI, gaming | ~$150K+ | High | High |
| San Francisco / SJ | Startups, AI, fintech | ~$140K–160K | Very high | Very High |
| Austin, TX | Software, infrastructure | ~$120K | High | Moderate |
| Charlotte, NC | Finance-tech, SaaS | ~$110K | Moderate-high | Lower |
| Denver / SLC | Cloud, security, SaaS | ~$120K–123K | Growing | Moderate |
| Nashville, TN | GC, enterprise tech | ~$100K | Emerging upward | Lower |
🧭 How to Choose the Best City for You
- Check job postings on Indeed or LinkedIn in your role — count postings per city.
- Compare salaries adjusted for cost-of-living using Numbeo or Payscale.
- Think about local community & networking events—tech meetups, hackathons, conferences.
- Consider remote flexibility—many remote roles still base offers on location.
🔗 Related Reading
✅ Ready to Make the Move?
Start by:
- Listing 3 cities you’d consider moving to
- Searching for your current skillset job listings in each
- Comparing job volume, salary, and cost adjusted
- Planning visits or talking to locals via Reddit/LinkedIn
👉 Explore Tech Training & Resume Resources
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