Portland Holds Firm at 20th Place in CBRE Tech Talent Ranking

Portland ranks 20th overall on CBRE’s 2021 Scoring Tech Talent report. The report observes that North American tech-talent employment weathered the pandemic better than most other professions.

Portland has the 14th fastest growing tech talent labor pool, adding 13,090 tech workers (a 27.7 percent increase) since 2015. Nationally, Portland has the 26th largest tech talent labor pool with 60,330 tech workers. Tech jobs account for 5.3 percent of total jobs in Portland’s workforce. Following the pandemic, the size of a market’s talent labor pool is a key indicator of a region’s economic recovery.

“Portland’s high rate of educational attainment coupled with the growth of the region’s Millennial population continue to reinforce Greater Portland as a key tech hub,” said Ajay Malhotra, first vice president with CBRE. “The Portland market continues to distinguish itself by maintaining its affordability relative to other West Coast markets, as well as its unique blend of quality urban amenities and incredible outdoor recreation offerings that are attractive to office and remote workers alike.”