Economy

However You Slice It, the Geographic Disparity in Tech Jobs Is Growing

The number of U.S. tech opportunities is increasing. But to stop their concentration in a few cities, some policy experts are now calling for government intervention.
Marie Patino/Bloomberg (Source: Brookings Institution)

In the last decade, the tech industry has boomed, bringing the number of U.S.tech jobs to 3.5 million. But the gaping divide between a few large “superstar” cities — well-connected metropolises with high income — and other smaller urban areas is getting even wider.

This geographic gap remains even when you broaden the definition of what counts as a “tech job,” according to a new Brookings Institution report produced for the American Enterprise Institute.