ALBANY, N.Y. — New York’s technology economy extends well beyond New York City, and a new national analysis from CBRE is putting a spotlight on smaller markets that could offer new opportunities for employers, technology workers and people considering where to relocate.
In its newly released Scoring Tech Talent 2026 report, CBRE examines the changing geography of the North American technology workforce as artificial intelligence reshapes hiring, workplace strategies and corporate real estate decisions.
One of the report’s most significant longer-term trends may be taking place outside the continent’s largest technology hubs.
CBRE separately analyzed 25 up-and-coming U.S. and Canadian technology markets, looking for smaller or less-established cities capable of providing companies with additional talent pools, geographic expansion opportunities and potential cost efficiencies.
Among the U.S. cities appearing in this broader group of opportunity markets are Albany and Rochester, New York, alongside markets including Providence and Las Vegas.
For New Yorkers — and professionals considering relocating to the state — the findings provide another indication that technology career opportunities are becoming increasingly geographically diverse.
New York's Technology Map Is Expanding
New York City remains an enormous force in technology employment.
In fact, CBRE's 2026 report found that the New York Metro area is now the largest tech talent market, with its total technology workforce surpassing that of the San Francisco Bay Area. New York Metro also ranked No. 4 overall among North America's top technology talent markets.
But Albany and Rochester tell another part of the story.
Instead of competing solely on workforce size with major technology centers such as New York City, San Francisco, Seattle and Austin, smaller markets can offer employers different advantages.
CBRE argues that fostering talent development in lesser-known markets can give companies access to additional workers as they expand geographically, uncover new opportunities and seek greater cost efficiency.
That could become increasingly important as companies rethink where they locate technology employees and how much they are willing to spend for talent and office space.
Albany Offers a Different Technology Proposition
For relocators, Albany's inclusion is particularly notable because the Capital Region has developed an economy that reaches far beyond its traditional role as the center of New York State government.
The region has built a significant semiconductor, nanotechnology and advanced manufacturing ecosystem, supported by research institutions, universities and public-private investment.
That gives technology professionals considering Albany a different employment proposition than they might find in a traditional software-centered technology hub.
The Capital Region also offers access to employers and institutions across government, healthcare, education, financial services, advanced manufacturing and technology.
For companies, that combination could provide access to specialized workers without requiring every position to be based in one of America's largest and most expensive metropolitan areas.
For relocators, it creates the possibility of pursuing a technology-related career while considering a smaller metropolitan region with suburban, urban and more rural housing options.
Rochester Adds Another Upstate New York Tech Market
Rochester's presence among the opportunity markets further strengthens the case for looking beyond New York City when evaluating technology careers in the Empire State.
The Rochester region has longstanding connections to optics, imaging, photonics, engineering, manufacturing and research, giving the area a technical foundation that differs from many emerging technology markets.
The presence of major higher-education and research institutions also contributes to the region's ability to educate and develop skilled workers.
For someone relocating to New York, that can make Rochester particularly interesting if employment opportunities and housing affordability are being considered together.
Rather than evaluating New York solely through the cost structure of the New York City metropolitan area, workers can compare employment opportunities across several distinct regional economies.
AI Is Changing Where Technology Jobs Are Growing
CBRE's findings arrive as artificial intelligence rapidly changes the technology labor market.
The number of workers with AI-related skills across the United States and Canada increased 45% year over year to approximately 751,000 as of mid-2026, according to CBRE.
Meanwhile, total U.S. tech talent employment increased 1.8% in 2025, representing approximately 108,760 additional jobs.
The type of technology jobs being created is also changing.
Data scientist employment increased 12.4% in 2025, while employment for computer and information systems managers and technology and engineering professionals also grew.
At the same time, companies have been eliminating some non-AI positions and concentrating hiring around workers with specialized artificial intelligence, data and technical skills.
That transformation could create opportunities for cities with universities, engineering programs, research institutions and specialized technology ecosystems.
Technology Jobs Aren't Limited to Technology Companies
Another important consideration for relocators is that technology employment increasingly crosses industry boundaries.
Software developers, data scientists, cybersecurity professionals, engineers and information systems managers can work for banks, hospitals, manufacturers, universities, government agencies, logistics companies and professional services firms — not just traditional technology companies.
CBRE's analysis defines technology talent through occupations rather than simply looking at employees working for technology companies.
That distinction is especially relevant in markets such as Albany and Rochester, where major regional industries can generate demand for technology workers even without the presence of a Silicon Valley-style concentration of major consumer technology companies.
Smaller Markets Could Benefit From the Search for Cost Efficiency
Cost is another reason opportunity markets matter.
CBRE estimates that the combined annual labor and real estate cost for a hypothetical 500-person technology company occupying 60,000 square feet of office spacevaries dramatically depending on location.
Across the markets analyzed in the primary study, that cost ranged from approximately $36 million to $91 million annually.
Labor represents a particularly significant expense.
As businesses search for highly skilled employees while controlling operating costs, smaller technology markets could become more attractive for corporate expansions, satellite offices and specialized operations.
That doesn't mean established technology centers are disappearing.
Instead, companies may increasingly operate across multiple locations — maintaining a presence in major hubs while expanding into markets where talent, universities, specialized industries and operating costs create a favorable combination.
What This Means for People Considering Moving to New York
For prospective residents, CBRE's findings reinforce an important point: New York's employment landscape cannot be evaluated by looking at New York City alone.
A technology professional considering the state could potentially choose among dramatically different lifestyles.
New York City provides access to one of the world's largest concentrations of technology, finance, media, professional services and corporate employers.
Albany offers the Capital Region's combination of technology, government, higher education, semiconductor research and advanced manufacturing.
Rochester brings its own concentration of optics, photonics, engineering, research, healthcare and advanced manufacturing expertise.
Those differences can give relocating workers more flexibility when balancing career opportunities, housing costs, commute times and quality of life.
Upstate New York Could Play a Bigger Role in the Next Technology Cycle
The broader implication of CBRE's opportunity-market analysis may be particularly important for Upstate New York.
Technology growth does not necessarily have to follow the same geographic pattern as previous decades.
The rise of artificial intelligence, semiconductor investment, advanced manufacturing and increasingly technology-intensive industries means cities with strong research institutions and specialized workforces may have new opportunities to attract employers.
Albany and Rochester already possess many of those underlying assets.
Their inclusion among the opportunity markets identified in CBRE's latest technology talent analysis gives businesses, investors and prospective residents another reason to watch both regions.
For families and professionals considering moving to New York, the takeaway is increasingly clear: some of the state's most interesting economic opportunities may be developing hundreds of miles beyond Manhattan.
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