For the second consecutive year, three Colorado cities have been honored as Top Tech Towns, showcasing the state's widespread innovation.
According to a new study released today by CompTIA, the trade association for the IT industry, Denver, Boulder and Colorado Springs were named top 20 tech towns in the U.S.
Denver topped the list for Colorado cities, checking in at No. 9, with Boulder at No. 14, and Colorado Spring close behind at No. 16.
Based on job posting data over a 12-month period, CompTIA looked at 20 metropolitan areas with populations over 250,000, where demand for tech workers is greatest. The cities were then ranked based on cost of living, number of postings for open IT positions and projected job growth over the next 12 months and the next 5 years.
Denver is down a spot from last year, as Boulder jumped up from No. 19 and Colorado Springs rose from No. 20.
The state's thriving economy and work-life balance were primary factors in these three cities landing on the list, although they each offer standout attributes.
Denver ranked highly in projected growth in IT jobs over the next five years, coming in third on the list at 11%. The study reported that 60,548 tech jobs were posted in the last 12 months, up from 50,897 a year ago.
Local IT incomes have also boomed since last year, coming in at $97,719 a year, compared to $90,958 a year ago.
Boulder's rankings jump can largely be attributed to its job growth, boasting 7,500 new tech jobs posted last year alone, up 1,600 from last year’s study. IT salaries have also grown, as the median annual salary of $99,772 has increased nearly $10,000 since 2017.
It's a similar story in Colorado Springs, as job growth accounts for the city's boost in the rankings. Colorado Springs companies posted nearly 13,200 technology jobs, about 4,700 more than at the time of last year’s report. Additionally, the number of IT jobs is expected to grow by 6% more in the next 5 years.
The report also highlighted Colorado Springs' ability to offer competitive compensation, $94,881 in 2018, at a cheaper cost of living than its Colorado counterparts.
Colorado joined California and North Carolina as the only states to have three cities make the list.
Check out the entire list below, with last year's ranking in parentheses:
1. Austin, Texas (3)2. Raleigh, N.C. (2)3. San Jose, Calif. (4)4. Seattle, Wash. (7)5. San Francisco, Calif. (5)6. Charlotte, N.C. (1)7. Dallas, Texas (6)8. Atlanta, Ga. (9)9. Denver, Colo. (8)10. Huntsville, Ala. (10)11. Washington, D.C. (11)12. Columbus, Ohio (NR)13. Durham-Chapel Hill, N.C. (15)14. Boulder, Colo. (19)15. Boston, Mass. (17)16. Colorado Springs, Colo. (20)17. San Diego, Calif. (NR)18. Jacksonville, Fla. (NR)19. Tampa, Fla. (NR)20. Baltimore, Md. (16)
