Report Says Nearby New Hampshire Towns Among Top US Tech Hubs
According to the latest report from recruiting firm ZipRecruiter, an area near Boston is one of the top 10 up-and-coming tech hubs in the US. The report notes that the cities of Manchester and Nashua, New Hampshire, about 50 miles outside of Boston, have been famous in the tech industry since the 1990s, when they lead floppy disk production. Today, Dell and Hewlett Packard have offices in the area. There are more tech jobs than average in the area, with particular growth in the systems engineering and architecture fields as well as java development and IT project management. Inc. Magazine notes that Manchester-Nashua is ranked eighth in ZipRecruiter’s top 10 list, but that Boston’s tech industry is also thriving, and more developed than Manchester and Nashua’s. In 2014, there were “over $1.9 billion in Boston VC deals just in the first half of the year,” Inc notes. The New Hampshire Union Leader reported ZipRecruiter communications and content marketing manager Scott Garner said of the Manchester-Nashua area’s inclusion on the list, “That was a little surprising just in the sense it wasn’t the first thing that jumped into your mind. In New England, you might think Boston.” However, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics and jobs data examined for the report show the area is heating up for tech activity. Austin, TX was top on ZipRecruiter’s list, the Union Leader noted, followed by Raleigh-Durham, NC.
What This Means For Small Businesses
Growth of a booming tech industry in cities with close proximity to Boston is positive news for small business owners in the Boston area, particularly those who provide goods and services for tech workers. Sector growth may bring new customers and additional demand for goods and services to small businesses across a wide variety of sectors, however, and is likely to contribute to making the Boston area more startup- and small business-friendly.
Additional Reading
NFIB previously noted job growth in Boston’s tech sector.
Note: this article is intended to keep small business owners up on the latest news. It does not necessarily represent the policy stances of NFIB.
