Tech professionals are more than willing to migrate to new states in search of better opportunities, according to a new Dice analysis of job application data. But while many may head across the country to seek new opportunity, some of the strongest migration patterns are regional. Based on the locations of candidates who applied to jobs outside of their home state, tech workers were open to migrating in the following patterns in the first nine months of 2016. (The below percentages represent the ratio of job applications from tech pros in one location willing to move to another; for example, “631%” in the MD -> DC example below means 631% more tech pros in Maryland applied for a job in Washington, D.C. than vice versa.) MD -> DC (631%) VA -> DC (570%) CA -> WI (331%) TX -> MN (315%) NJ -> MN (310%) TX -> CO (309%) TX -> MA (308%) TX -> CT (300%) CA -> OR (298%) CA -> MN (280%) Although thousands of tech pros packed their bags and headed across the entire country—with a good deal of migratory activity between Texas and various states, including Colorado and Minnesota—many stuck closer to home, particularly in regions with tech hubs that transcend state borders. For example, Washington D.C. is a major tech hub, thanks to the presence of the federal government. Many tech firms that serve the government (in addition to local companies) have set up shop in nearby Maryland and Virginia. Given the close proximity between D.C. and those states, it is simple for a tech professional in, say, Virginia to apply for a job in the nation’s capital, often a short commuting distance away. So while tech pros have demonstrated a willingness to move across the country in pursuit of better opportunity, they’re also happy to stick within their region. For employers, this data suggests there is no sense in casting too narrow a net for tech talent; the candidate with the necessary skills and experience may be willing to move thousands of miles to work for your firm. 
