With the increase in artificial intelligence (AI), the tech market is one of the most in-demand industries globally for recruitment. According to Statista Tech Trends 2025, the global IT spend is projected to reach $5.6 trillion US dollars.
Additionally, a new forecast from the International Data Corporation outlines that spending on AI, including AI-enabled applications, infrastructure, and related IT services, is expected to reach $632 billion by 2028.
If you are looking to establish a presence in the tech industry or are a tech recruitment specialist ready to hire skilled talent, there are several cities with a thriving tech scene that aren’t already overly saturated. Let’s take a closer look at the world’s top tech cities, starting with the US.
Biggest Tech Cities In The US
As the world’s largest tech and IT market, the US continues to set the pace for innovation and digital transformation. According to a US Tech Market Forecast, the US tech spend will reach $2.6 trillion in 2025, with a robust 5.6% growth. As the tech employment landscape is set to evolve, there is an opportunity for recruitment businesses that are seeking top tech talent to expand into these top tech cities.
According to the CBRE Top-Ranked Tech Talent report, the three states that remained at the top for tech talent in 2024 were the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, and the New York Metro. This data was measured by 13 metrics, including market depth, tech employment, and more. Other states that have seen an increase in the top talent scorecard rankings were Detroit, Salt Lake City, and San Diego.
If you’re considering recruiting in the US tech market, in-demand tech roles based on the CompTIA Tech Jobs Report 2025 were software developers, system engineers, and cybersecurity engineers. However, tech job popularity varies per state. With this being said, let’s explore the top up-and-coming US tech cities that are currently seeing rapid growth.
The Bay Area, San Francisco
Known for its entrepreneurial environment, the tech industry in the San Francisco Bay Area accounts for 67% of tech talent employment in the region.
In addition to being the fifth largest city in the US, the Bay Area (specifically Silicon Valley) is ranked as a major data center in the US, providing companies the confidence to invest in recruiting within this region.
Home to tech giants including Apple, Intel, Netflix, and Meta, the Bay Area has the highest average tech talent wages. Based on data from a CBRE Report, San Francisco continues to dominate the tech scene in 2025, with 75,020 tech jobs added between 2017 and 2022.
San Francisco is seeing continuous development within AI roles, with a heavy focus on energy-efficient AI architectures. Other popular roles, including data scientists ($159,696) and software engineers ($150,387), are earning some of the highest tech salaries. The high-paying tech roles, good quality of life, and tech jobs make San Francisco one of the top tech cities globally.
Seattle
Based on data from the Tech Industry Report 2024, Seattle is home to a strong tech industry, ranking number 2 in tech talent, closely behind San Francisco. The tech industry in Seattle is expected to grow another 11% between 2024 and 2029, making it one of the top tech cities within the US.
Data Scientists are expected to see a 48% projected growth between 2024 and 2034 and become one of the most in-demand jobs in Seattle, closely followed by Cybersecurity Analysts at 41% growth. This is the perfect city to advance your skills or begin your tech career.
New York
More than 360,000 people are employed in technology in New York City, and the city is home to over 25,000 tech startups.
New York has a vibrant tech scene with major hubs for fintech, media, and tech startups, making it the perfect state for businesses seeking positions within the tech industry. According to an EDC NYC 2025 Report, there are over 40,000 workers in the New York metro area with AI skills. Between July 2023 and July 2024, New York posted 14K+ AI-focused roles, an increase of 44% from the previous year, making it one of the top tech cities in the US.
Salt Lake City, Utah
CompTIA has projected the state of Utah to see the highest growth of tech occupations over the next decade. Leading this growth is the state capital, Salt Lake City, which is also referred to as the ‘Silicon Slopes’.
Based on an Axios Report, Salt Lake City experienced an increase in AI-related jobs throughout the first quarter of 2024. Companies such as Adobe and eBay both have a presence in the state, employing thousands of people. In conclusion, a supportive business environment and variation in tech jobs mean that Salt Lake City is well-positioned to continue attracting tech companies and emerging as a significant player in the tech industry.
Salt Lake City is home to leading universities and research institutions that produce a steady stream of talented graduates in fields such as computer science, engineering, and data analytics. The University of Utah is particularly renowned for its top-ranked engineering and technology programs, consistently supplying the local tech industry with skilled professionals.
Companies such as Adobe and eBay both have a presence in the state, employing thousands of people, while initiatives such as Tech Lake City and Silicon Slopes promote Salt Lake City’s thriving tech scene.
In conclusion, a supportive business environment, a highly educated workforce, and low cost of doing business, Salt Lake City is well-positioned to continue attracting tech companies and emerging as a significant player in the tech industry.
Tampa, Florida
In recent years, Tampa has emerged as one of the top tech cities, due to the state being less saturated in comparison to other popular states like New York.
Tampa Bay is the perfect state for tech startups, offering opportunities for businesses to begin their expansion success and show up on the national radar. In the past decade, the city has helped more than 500 startups, leading to thousands of new positions available. Tampa has incentives to attract businesses of all sizes.
Organisations such as Embarc Collective and Tampa Bay Innovation Center provide support to tech businesses. Companies such as Apple, Oracle, and Microsoft all have offices in the city. Tampa has a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem with co-working spaces and access to capital that creates an environment where tech companies can thrive.
With its robust infrastructure, talented workforce, and zero state income tax, Tampa has the potential to become one of the leading tech hubs in the southeastern US region in the coming decade.
Denver, Colorado
Classed as a hidden gem for tech talent, many big companies have chosen to relocate to Denver, following the city’s modern tech boom in 2018. Denver saw an increase of 6,300 tech jobs in 2022, making it the 7th largest growing metro in the US for this sector.
Along with this growth, there is room for career growth and salary increases within such a competitive market. According to Innovative Tech Charlotte, the average tech salary in Denver is $120,957, which is increasingly higher than other industries. There is a lot of opportunity here for businesses to expand their reach into this up-and-coming tech city.
Huntsville, Alabama
Ranked as the number one up-and-coming tech city in the US, Huntsville, Alabama, achieved 17.9% growth within tech employment over the last five years.
With the average tech salaries hitting $114,085, software engineers are in high demand for 2025, with an expected 22% projected growth. The city has got the perfect blend of high-tech roles, real career growth, and affordable living, making it the perfect place for startups within the IT and tech industry.
5 Top Tech Cities in Europe
Venturing into the US tech market may feel slightly overwhelming for startup businesses; however, there are emerging European tech cities that are competitive but provide a large talent pool of tech roles. Let’s explore the 5 top tech cities in Europe, which are currently seeing rapid growth.
Amsterdam, Holland
Amsterdam is a magnet for tech talent. According to a Cushman and Wakefield Tech Report, Amsterdam has over 61.7K+ tech jobs, with Analytics and Data Scientists making up the majority at 24.6K+.
Combined with their open-minded lifestyle, welcoming atmosphere, and demand for tech-related roles, Amsterdam offers the perfect work-life balance for professionals. Home to some major companies, including Booking.com, Adyen, Uber, and Stripe, the city is in demand for numerous tech roles, including software developers and data scientists. Amsterdam is a prime location for businesses that are interested in artificial intelligence, as it is one of the world’s most AI-ready cities.
In 2019, the Dutch government launched a Strategic Action Plan for AI, as they recognised that it is a key emerging sector, as many other countries are slower to adapt to AI as it continues to grow. As Amsterdam continues to evolve and cultivate its tech ecosystem, it solidifies its position as a rising star, becoming one of the top tech cities.
Madrid, Spain
With over 260K professionals dedicated to the tech sector, Madrid is the second highest concentration, making it one of the top tech cities.
According to the Cushman and Wakefield Report, Madrid is one of the most popular countries for data centre infrastructure in EMEA, a key indication of tech prominence in this city. The capital has become a priority destination for data centre investment due to its strategic location, quality digital infrastructure, and access to renewable energy.
Madrid’s tech ecosystem is valued at €34.6 billion and has produced over 2.5K startups across the city. The city ranks 23rd in Cushman and Wakefield’s ’Top 30 global markets with the deepest talent pool’ report.
Additionally, the competitive universities in Madrid contribute to the strong technology talent pool in the city. With 25% of data engineers hailing from Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM), and the remaining 19% shared between two other prominent universities. UPM is considered to be the best technical university in Spain, and the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM) is one of the oldest universities in the world.
Barcelona, Spain
Spain as a country is becoming a tech hotspot. A main contributor to this is the government’s investment in digitalisation. Spain’s Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan (RRP) is driving €40 billion in investments into AI, 5G, 6G, cybersecurity, and supercomputing. An additional €150 million in AI adoption subsidies is further accelerating demand for tech talent.
Spain also faced over 51 billion Remote Desktop Protocol attacks in 2021, one of the largest cybersecurity attacks globally in history. This, in turn, drove a surge in demand for cybersecurity professionals in Spain.
In response, Spain’s Government Digital Strategy 2026 aims to strengthen Spain’s cyber defences, with 1,800 cybersecurity companies, 600 of which are dedicated specialists. It’s no surprise that Barcelona is one of the top tech cities in Spain, where tech companies and jobs are present.
Barcelona is the 5th best startup ecosystem in Europe, behind Paris, Berlin, Stockholm and Amsterdam, based on the Startup Blink Ecosystem Awards February 2025 report. Additionally, Barcelona was ranked as the second-best place to establish a tech start-up in the EU, with 17% of founders regarding the city as an attractive hub. The city’s thriving tech start-up scene encourages businesses to begin their journey within the tech industry, allowing them to eventually have a smooth transition into international markets.
Barcelona provides numerous opportunities for tech companies, especially those focused on AI technologies. Tech events, including the Deep Tech Summit and The Barcelona AI Conference, are held across the city each year, which help build and accommodate new and advanced tech enthusiasts.
Paris, France
Ranking 6th on Cushman & Wakefield’s ‘Top 30 global markets with deepest talent pool’ report, Paris is one of the top tech cities in Europe, due to rapid growth and becoming a top destination for AI. According to data from Dealroom, nearly half of Paris’s $7.8bn VC funding was invested into AI companies including Mistral AI.
This city is home to specialised programs such as Station F Campus, which is the world’s largest startup campus, hosting over 1,000 startups and has launched over 5,000 French startups, according to Tech Funding News. Due to its thriving atmosphere and vibrant startup ecosystem, Paris will continue to sustain a strong position as one of the top tech cities.
Berlin, Germany
In 2024, the German IT services generated an approximate revenue of 51.2 billion euros, with figures predicted to increase in 2025, according to Statista.
The capital of Germany, Berlin, is one of the most popular cities for jobs and tech talent. The city has a solid foundation for businesses to thrive and establish themselves. The Berlin tech sector has a strong focus on fintech, e-commerce, and software development roles, with more than 40% of all businesses in the city working in the industry.
Between 2015 and 2017, Berlin saw a 9% rise in the number of startups being founded, positioning it higher than other European cities. Berlin start-up scene driving the main force for jobs in Germany, with 30% of all AI start-ups based in Berlin contributing to it being one of the top tech cities in Europe.
Ready to Hire Talent in Top Tech Cities?
If you’re considering recruiting workers within one of the top tech cities we’ve listed, each city has their own labour laws, tax regulations and employment requirements which will need to be met. This is where our Employer of Record service can help.
These top tech cities demonstrate that you don’t have to operate in Silicon Valley or the traditional tech hubs in the US to make connections and grow your business.
Whether you want to invest in one of the European tech cities, or have your sights set further afield within the US, Workwell Global can be your dedicated Employer of Record to help you compliantly employ workers wherever in the world.
We take on the responsibility of your workforce so that you can continue to run your business smoothly. Book a call with one of our employment experts to find out how we make hiring talent in the top tech cities, work for you.
Disclaimer: All information written here is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional and/or legal services.