Fastest Growing Tech Hub in the U.S.

Greater Seattle has long been known for serving as the headquarters for Amazon and Microsoft, and this innovative history continues to foster a dynamic and world-class ecosystem of AI, Cloud, Cybersecurity, BioTech, Fintech, Mobility, VR/XR and other IoT-related companies. Today, the technology industry generates a stunning total annual economic impact of $298 billion and 2.2 million jobs for the state of Washington.

Tech is driving future growth in Greater Seattle

According to a recent report by the real estate brokerage firm CBRE, 14 new “mega leases” propelled the region past the Bay Area for most new tech office space leases in the United States in 2020. This is in addition to record-breaking VC funding, sizzling startup growth and massive expansion projects from the world’s most recognized brands

Amazon's Regional Expansion

Amazon has committed to 25,000 new jobs in Bellevue, Washington as part of an expansion of its Puget Sound headquarters with more than 6.6 million square feet of space leased, planned and under construction for the company there. It is, by far, one of the largest post-COVID economic development opportunities in the U.S.

Microsoft Renovates Redmond Campus

Microsoft is rebuilding its Redmond campus to include 17 new buildings, 6.7 million square feet of renovated work space, $150 million in transportation infrastructure improvements, public spaces, sports fields and green space. When this project is complete, the main campus will be comprised of 131 buildings — including the equivalent of 180 football fields of new and renovated space — workspace for 47,000 employees, plus room to expand operations and add up to 8,000 more people.

T-Mobile Refreshes Headquarters

T-Mobile recently completed a $160 million refresh of its headquarters in Bellevue, Washington. The company employs approximately 8,000 people and maintains a 1.5 million square foot real estate footprint in the Puget Sound region, which includes its national technology lab and Tech Experience 5G Hub.

Google Grows in Greater Seattle

Google is moving forward with plans for two new campuses in Kirkland, Washington in addition to its existing 375,000 square foot facility there. The company has more than 5,750 employees total in the region working on everything from Android technology to cloud computing.

Meta's Northwest Menlo Park

Meta is also expanding its footprint in the region. The portfolio now includes four leased buildings totaling about 1.2 million square feet, plus the company purchased a 6-acre, 400,000 square-foot complex from REI in Bellevue’s Spring District. This brings Meta’s Spring District commitment to about 1.6 million square feet.

Tech Talent

Greater Seattle offers one of the highest proportions of tech talent in the U.S. and leads the nation in brain gain by attracting world-class talent with an unmatched quality of life.

  • #1 MOST INNOVATIVE PUBLIC UNIVERSITY (UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, SOURCE: REUTERS, 2019)
  • HIGHEST NET PERCENTAGE IN TECH TALENT (SOURCE: CBRE, 2019-2020)
  • MOST EDUCATED BIG CITY IN THE U.S. WITH 63% OF RESIDENTS OVER THE AGE OF 25 WITH A DEGREE (SOURCE: U.S. CENSUS, 2017)
  • RANKED #1 METRO IN THE NATION FOR STEM PROFESSIONALS (SOURCE: WALLETHUB, 2022)
  • WORKFORCE OF 2.1 MILLION STRONG GAINING NEARLY 20,000 NEW WORKERS EVERY YEAR FROM OTHER DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL CITIES (SOURCE: EMSI, 2021)
  • MILLENNIAL POPULATION (AGED 22 TO 36) GREW THE FASTEST AMONG MAJOR TECH MARKETS SINCE 2014, NEARLY 22% (SOURCE: CBRE, 2021)
  • #1 U.S. CITY WITH THE MOST OPPORTUNITY FOR JOB SEEKERS (SOURCE: LINKEDIN, 2021)
  • TOP 10 MOST INNOVATIVE REGION IN THE WORLD (SOURCE: JLL, 2022)

Video Game Industry

Washington state ranks No. 2 in the nation for annual video game industry economic output. The industry supports a total of 48,808 jobs and generates an economic output of $11.6 billion. Amazon Games, Big Fish, Bungie, Double Down Interactive, Microsoft, Nintendo, Twitch and Wizards of the Coast are just a few household names that take interactive gaming and events to the global stage.

Future Workforce

There are 10 education institutions in the region with specific tracks for gaming and design, plus an eSports league:

  • Bellevue Community College Digital Media Arts
  • Centralia College eSports
  • DigiPen Institute of Technology
  • Edmonds Community College Game Development
  • Highline College
  • Lake Washington Digital Gaming
  • Shoreline Community College
  • Skagit Valley
  • The Academy of Interactive Entertainment: Seattle
  • University of Washington Gaming
  • Washington State Game Studies and Design

Learn More

Explore Greater Seattle's top employers in Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Computing and Cybersecurity.

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Like so many people who have moved here from elsewhere in the world, I’ve never wanted to live anywhere else. It has become an amazingly diverse and cosmopolitan and just interesting place to live.

Brad Smith
President, Microsoft