According to a report by international real estate advisor Savills, cities with a smaller population are offering workers in the digital economy the highest quality of life. Austin, San Francisco and Dublin rank in Savills’ top Tech Cities, offering residents all the benefits of city living, but on a small footprint.
According to a report by international real estate advisor Savills, cities with a smaller population are offering workers in the digital economy the highest quality of life. Austin, San Francisco and Dublin rank in Savills’ top Tech Cities, offering residents all the benefits of city living, but on a small footprint.
By measuring cost of living, working hours, quality of life and city buzz, which includes the number of restaurants, theatres, bars and clubs per head of population, the Savills Tech Cities research programme has found that some cities with less than one million inhabitants have managed to attract a significant creative population. Shorter commutes (the average commute for tech cities employees is just 31 minutes), easier access to amenities, lower levels of crime and pollution and a better work/life balance allow residents to experience the urban lifestyle of a larger city with all the benefits of a smaller, more reachable environment.
Dublin is a prime example of this, coming fourth on Savills quality of life ranking and eighth overall, the city has a population of just over 500,000 (and with an urban area population of just over 1 million) and has surprised many with its recent growth in the tech sector. Dublin proves that ‘urban buzz’ is integral to the tech industry. Dublin’s Web Summit, Europe’s largest tech conference, has seen the city emerge on to the international stage as a prime destination for start-ups and entrepreneurs.
Yolande Barnes, Director of Savills World Research, comments: “A variety of small world cities are proving capable of punching above their weight as they continue to attract human talent - the currency of the new world economy. The digital community’s focus on quality of life means workers in this sector can be drawn to the cities with smaller populations if the lifestyle on offer is right and the city works for them. Small places can win by offering a life that mega cities just can’t. A greater sense of community, short, safe cycle commutes and cheaper real estate are lifestyle factors which the big world cities cannot deliver so easily.”
Quality of life ranking and overall Savills Tech Cities ranking