This is why you see a lot of insurance companies, for instance, with their tech folks quartered in Ohio. Easily half the cost for 90% of the talent.

I'm surprised that more companies aren't playing moneyball with nice, but cheap, locations.

Bay area or NYC sure, that's like being in London, but what about the Midwest, or any of the places where you can easily set up an IT shop without paying a premium for space?

My impression is that programmer and IT salaries are SF>>NYC>>London, even if living costs aren’t similarly different.

how will you attract the talent?

- Get your own bedroom. - 30 minute commute. - Not everyone you meet will be in tech. - You'll be rich compared to everyone else in town. - Partner with local academic institutions to offer recognized research projects and training. 20% time or 3 month project stints etc. Adjunct professor ships for people with an existing research record. - Throw in X free flights to east/west coast, home town etc.

there’s 30 minute commutes in san diego, la and sf if you live in the right areas. what about weather? cali has really nice weather. schools / doctoral candidates / etc are basically useless in the real world. if i’m making enough money the free flights are useless. nothing you said here makes me want to move to the middle of the US. exactly what i’m looking at is the lack of opportunity. say i decide to move for some job and hate it. now what? pick up the family and move again?

The Bay Area is a tiny fraction of the U.S.

Believe it or not most U.S. programmers don't live in the Bay Area.