Established tech talent hubs like San Francisco, Seattle, and Toronto as well as emerging cities like Dayton, Huntsville and Colorado Springs will likely continue along a steady growth trajectory after holding steady for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new report from CBRE.

The firm's most recent annual Scoring Tech Talent Report shows that the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, Washington, D.C., Toronto, and New York City metro are the top overall North American tech markets, followed by Boston, Austin, Atlanta, Los Angeles/Orange County, and Ottawa.  The top emerging tech markets were Dayton, Huntsville, Colorado Springs, Omaha, and Des Moines.

"Tech talent concentration—the percentage of total employment—is a barometer of how 'tech' the market is and in its growth potential," the report notes. "Tech talent comprises 11.6% of total employment in Ottawa and 10.9% in the San Francisco Bay Area—the highest concentrations and more than double the 50-market average of 5.5% tech talent density. Toronto, Waterloo and Seattle round out the top five most concentrated tech markets, ranging from 9.4% to 10.2% of their total employment. This sizeable concentration of highly skilled workers offers an environment conducive to innovation."