Silicon Valley has long since been the place where tech professionals go to live and work. But as the industry has evolved, so has its remote-friendly nature. The pandemic also largely influenced where tech employees — and, in many cases, their companies — chose to relocate to. Folks are moving out of Silicon Valley in droves in search of cheaper cost of living, more living space, and the ability to work remotely or asynchronously.

These are just a handful of the many cities (and small towns, even) that tech professionals are relocating to.

For software engineering salary by city, click here.

Top cities for software engineers that aren’t Silicon Valley

Austin, Texas.

Few cities have seen the influx of people and business the way Austin has. The population has grown a staggering 13% just in the last four years alone, but its charm, bustling food and music scene, and promise of outdoor activities aplenty make it a great place for software engineers to lay roots. Major companies like Dell, Oracle, and now Tesla call Austin home, so there is ample opportunity for work.

BuiltIn clocks the average software engineer salary in Austin at $112,809.

New York City, New York.

New York is expensive. Arguably more so than Silicon Valley and its other Bay Area counterparts. But where New York has long since thrived on finance, fashion, and pop culture, technology is finally catching up as a New York-bred industry. With the amount of companies that lay roots in New York, there are more than enough roles for software engineers in the Big Apple. With an average salary of $132,562, it pays to make your way East.

San Diego, California.

San Diego is NorCal’s more laidback sibling, but don’t let the chill-ness fool you: it’s ripe with tech companies and open roles for software engineers. According to salary.com, the cost of living in San Francisco is over 37% higher than it is in San Diego. If you enjoy year-round warm weather, coastal living, and a more relaxed lifestyle (that you can afford better), San Diego may be the place for you.

Indeed notes the average base salary for a software engineer in San Diego is somewhere north of $100,000, prior to cash bonuses and other compensation.

Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina.

The Carolinas have been eyed by top tech founders for decades: wide, open land for building office space, affordable cost of living, and great tax benefits. Many companies have already or are making that migration, and the folks that live there to work in-office or remotely enjoy the same benefits. The average base salary of $95,284 is generous for how affordable housing and living is compared to Raleigh-Durham’s tech counterparts. Charlotte is another booming tech city in North Carolina, making both locations some of the top cities for software engineers to live.

Atlanta, Georgia.

Atlanta is often overlooked in the tech hub conversations, but it absolutely holds a candle to the likes of Seattle or Austin. BuiltIn even dubs it The Silicon Valley of the South