Denver, Colorado, tops the list of the 10 hottest emerging tech cities in the U.S. Credit: Thinkstock Cities with fast emerging tech hubsWhile Silicon Valley remains the heart of the U.S. technology industry, emerging cities across the country claim growing tech scenes and plenty of opportunity for IT professionals and their families. The 2016 Homes.com New Tech City Index ranks these emerging cities based on a number of metrics including the number of technology jobs per thousand; the average technology job wage; total number of people employed within the technology industry; and the average home price and the home price changes over the past five years. Here are their top ranked emerging cities for technology workers based on proprietary Homes.com data as well as data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Federal Housing Finance Agency.Denver, Colo.Image by ThinkstockDenver’s combination of high salary, solid opportunity for tech jobs and relatively affordable housing all combine to put it at the top of the list for emerging tech cities.Framingham, Mass.Image by ThinkstockFramingham, a suburb of Boston (and CIO.com’s hometown), has the highest average tech salary on the list, and the highest number of tech jobs per 1,000. Home prices aren’t growing as fast as some other emerging tech cities, either.Oakland, Calif.Image by ThinkstockThe city next door to the City by the Bay is a tech hub in its own right, with high salaries and an explosion of average home price growth to match. [ Related story: Why companies are hiring from the Silicon Prairie ]Atlanta, Ga.Image by ThinkstockWith great salary potential, steady employment levels and a slow-growing, affordable housing market, Atlanta’s a great choice for tech professionals.Boston, Mass.Image by ThinkstockBoston has a thriving tech scene, especially around Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a lot of growth in the biotechnology sector. Though average housing prices are high, growth in that area isn’t as high as in some other emerging tech cities.Austin, TexasImage by ThinkstockThe Live Music Capital of the World is also a growing hub for technology. Great salaries and high tech employment levels seem to be driving housing prices upward, with a huge explosion in growth over the last five years. [ Related story: 10 fastest-growing tech skills ]Santa Ana, Calif.Image by ThinkstockCalifornia real estate has always been at a premium, and Santa Ana is no exception. But a high average tech salary and a solid number of tech jobs makes it a great option for IT professionals.Baltimore, Md.Image by ThinkstockBaltimore is one of the most affordable cities on the list, with an average home price of under $200,000 and a slow growth rate. Tech salaries are toward the high end of the range covered by this list.Durham, N.C.Image by ThinkstockDurham offers high tech salaries, affordable housing with a slow rate of home price growth and one of the highest tech employment levels on the list. [ Related story: 10 interview questions to ask remote workers ]Boulder, Colo.Image by ThinkstockThough the average housing price cracks the million-dollar mark, salaries are near the top of the range for this list, and Boulder has one of the highest levels of tech employment on the list. Related content opinion Why all IT talent should be irreplaceable Forget the conventional wisdom about firing irreplaceable employees. Because if your employees aren’t irreplaceable, you’re doing something wrong. By Bob Lewis Oct 03, 2023 5 mins Hiring IT Skills Staff Management case study ConocoPhillips goes global with digital twins Initial forays into using digital twins across its major fields has inspired the multinational hydrocarbon exploration and production company to further adopt the technology across its entire portfolio. By Thor Olavsrud Oct 03, 2023 8 mins CIO Mining, Oil, and Gas Digital Transformation brandpost ST Engineering showcases applications of new technologies to stay ahead of disruption By Jane Chan Oct 03, 2023 7 mins Generative AI Digital Transformation Innovation news Nominations extended for CIO100 ASEAN Awards 2023 By Shirin Robert Oct 02, 2023 2 mins IDG Events IT Leadership Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe