MIAMI—The industrial market in Florida is more than recovering—it may be set to lead the nation as so-called megapolitan areas rise up and serve as hubs that allow logistics companies to optimize their real estate portfolios. So says a new report from CBRE.

The commercial real estate firm reports companies are heavily scrutinizing transportation costs in East Coast and West Coast seaports—and inland cities with strong transportation links—locating facilities in markets best able to serve established and emerging megapolitan areas. Florida may lead the charge.

“Distribution and fulfillment users need a real estate footprint that allows them to move freight through the U.S. transportation network as fast as economically feasible,” says Scott Marshall, executive managing director of industrial services for the Americas at CBRE. “Future location decisions will largely be driven based on population growth—the East Coast and West Coast ports with the infrastructure and transportation links to serve the largest and fastest growing regions in the country will also be home to strong-performing industrial real estate markets.”