I realize it’s a bit of a chicken and egg problem. Business go where the workers are and workers go where the businesses are. But there is no reason tech has to be done in Silicon Valley. Any city in the country could be a tech hub, all it takes is for a successful tech company to put down roots there, and with the way things are going people shouldn’t need to be at a “tech company” to have a job in tech. And there are also other jobs that people can make a living at.

People moved to California, because that’s where the jobs are, but the jobs could just as easily be somewhere else if a company chooses to set up shop there, and use a low cost of living as a selling point. During the Industrial Revolution people moved to the rust belt for jobs. People have been moving based on available jobs for as long as there have been jobs. If these coastal mega cities are no longer viable due to housing prices. It’s time for another migration. And if people do think climate change is going to be a major issue in their lifetime, why not move now while it’s cheap and lock down a house?

Just because a city isn’t as big as LA or NYC doesn’t mean it’s rural. Chicago, Philadelphia, Columbus, Charlotte, Indianapolis, Denver, Oklahoma City, and Nashville are all bigger than Portland, which seems to be an area people have no problem moving. All except the last 3 are bigger than Seattle, which is big enough for Amazon, and Microsoft is not far away.