Unexpected Tech Hubs in the Midwest [Infographic]

While the middle of America may have a reputation as “flyover country” to some, the fact is that many Midwestern cities are in the middle of a tech renaissance. With costs much lower than any coastal metropolis, these cities are fast becoming a magnet for talent and opportunity. Here are some of the most attractive.

Kansas City, Missouri

The history of Kansas City, Missouri, may be defined by jazz-age smoky nightclubs and distinctive barbecue, but its present is more influenced by one thing: Google. The company unrolled its ambitious gigabit Google Fiber program in KC first, and predictably, the startups followed the bandwidth. Garmin and Sprint both operate here, with local government initiatives to keep the town on the smart track making a convincing case for continued investment. A low cost of living, combined with nightlife in the Power & Light District and an annual tech conference, Compute Midwest, draws more and more techies to the City of Fountains.

Omaha, Nebraska

With a history rooted in the meatpacking industry and rail transportation, Omaha, Nebraska, has long been a surprisingly quiet economic powerhouse hidden in the Great Plains. Now, with a combination of internet firms like PayPal and older giants like Conagra working out of the city, the demand for computer skills is higher than ever. The city that Warren Buffett has long called home has a low cost of living, great local culture, and access to excellent educational and childcare options to entice both new degree holders looking for a start and established coders looking for somewhere to raise a family.

Indianapolis, Indiana

A strong push toward building out robust infrastructure by companies like Taylored Systems, providers of data, security, and voice solutions, has led Indianapolis, Indiana, on the road to tech greatness. Among the strongest companies to take advantage of these civic improvements, international customer solutions giant Salesforce has aggressive plans to expand in the city — but there is plenty of room for new players to establish themselves, as well.

Located near several top universities like Purdue University, this Midwestern city is a great place to hire the brightest new tech geniuses coming out of school. But more experienced computer workers needn’t fret, as reasonably low rents make Indianapolis a very friendly place to relocate to.

Detroit, Michigan

For a long time, Detroit, Michigan, has suffered from a stigma as a crime-ridden and depressed city. But those same perceived failures have created opportunities by driving down cost of living and property to astounding degrees. All the city needed new businesses to drive investment back in, and the push toward smart cars and autonomous driving has provided this, with the old auto giants doing a more tech-related retooling. With Amazon and Twitter setting up shop in the city, as well, the Motor City now offers new opportunities to those with the right skills and the right attitude.

Living a great and fulfilling life needn’t involve beaches and huge-city rents. In the techie Midwest, you can find opportunity married to low costs and easy living.

The infographic below provides a more insightful information on up-and-coming tech hubs in the USA.

Published by Kidal Delonix (1197 Posts)

Kidal Delonix is a contributor to Mr. Hoffman's blog. The views and opinions are entirely his/her own and may not reflect Mr Hoffman's views.