I think the author is attacking a bit of a strawman. It seems that the discussion of "major metropolitan areas" assumes either San Francisco and the Valley, Ne

I think the author is attacking a bit of a strawman. It seems that the discussion of "major metropolitan areas" assumes either San Francisco and the Valley, New York, or Boston. Now it's true they're the main tech hubs, but they are far from the only decent sized cities with a booming software market. Here in Philadelphia, for instance, I've never had undue trouble finding a job. However it's generally true that you'll do better in New York than you will in Philly - and a lot better in Philly than you'd do in the middle of the state. It's a simple fact of life that software development, by and large, tends to cluster around the nearest large population center. You'll have an easier time finding a job in the city for a fairly wide range of careers, for that matter, simply because there's more employers around. That's neither exceptionalism or arrogance - that's just how it is. To lay my cards on the table - I grew up in a small town in boondocks, PA, and live in Philadelphia, which is not exactly a speck on the map. So, I've had it both ways, and I wouldn't even entertain the notion of moving back to where I came from and still being able to have any kind of real career in development.