7. Columbus, Ohio

Tech Employment Growth, 2015-2016: 12.6 percent

Change in Momentum, 2013-2016: 11.9 percent

The population of the state capital grew nearly 18 percent since 2000, to nearly 836,000 as of 2014, according to City-Data.com. The technology industry, meanwhile, saw nearly 13 percent job growth from 2011 to 2016, with an average 20 percent jump in wages, to an average annual salary of $92,510. By comparison, average annual pay in non-tech jobs rose only 5 percent.

Costs of living and doing business, both slightly below the national average, are also a help, based on data CBRE cited from Moody's Analytics.