The redistribution of corporations and their talent across the United States : analyzing the emerging trend of demographic and corporate migration from gateway markets to smaller ones

Abstract

Corporations and their employees, often referred to as talent, have historically been concentrated in gateway markets in the United States. In particular, the San Francisco and New York metro areas have become ubiquitous hubs for the technology and financial services industries, respectively. These markets, however, are becoming increasingly expensive and cost prohibitive for employers and employees alike, spurring the migration of both parties to smaller markets. Smaller markets provide corporations the opportunity to better align employee incomes and costs-of-living, often while providing cost savings to corporations and a better quality of life to employees. Corporations' propensity to position headcount and footprint growth in non-gateway markets is increasing, both driven by and driving further demographic migration to these smaller markets. The growth of firms outside of gateway markets will provide opportunities for smaller markets to participate in future corporate growth.

This thesis studies recent population and corporate migration trends to these emerging hub markets, evaluates the various factors that corporations consider when deciding how and where to physically grow their footprints, and evaluates the resulting pattern of corporate development in these new hub markets, aiming to provide a level of understanding to developers and investors performing diligence these new markets for investment. COVID-19 will likely accelerate these trends as workforce distribution becomes more commonplace, driven by the COVID-disruption-forced implementation of more sophisticated, strategic real estate planning at corporations across the technology and financial services industries.

These corporations' quickly-evolving policies regarding remote work and telecommuting, employee demands to live in more affordable and livable markets, and corporate desires to reduce personnel, operating, and tax expenses, will result in further distribution of corporations and their talent across the country.