DFW is the nation’s top destination for corporate headquarters relocations, according to CBRE’s 2025 update on shifting trends in business strategy. Between 2018 and 2024, 100 companies announced moves to North Texas, more than any other metropolitan area in the country.
CBRE's updated analysis, which includes 561 public relocation announcements, highlights a notable surge in corporate mobility. In 2024 alone, 96 companies announced HQ moves, up from just 18 in 2023. Texas claimed the lion’s share of interstate relocations, with 19 companies moving into the state and an additional seven establishing new HQs through intrastate or international moves.
Why Companies Are Moving
Business climate and access to consumer bases were the top reasons cited for relocation in 2024, with 21 and 19 companies, respectively, naming those as their key motivators. Companies are also rethinking workplace strategy, increasingly seeking hybrid-friendly office spaces at lower costs. According to CBRE, 15 relocations were due to real estate advantages such as affordability or hybrid-ready amenities.
Labor availability and access to lower-cost tech talent played major roles in where businesses chose to go. The shift shows that corporations are no longer tied to traditional hubs, instead favoring regions with growing talent pools and manageable living costs.
A Texas-Sized Trend
DFW wasn’t the only Texas region to benefit. Austin gained 81 HQs during the same period, followed by Houston with 31. The trend isn’t new — Texas has long courted corporate relocations with its lack of corporate income tax and a pro-business environment, but the pace has accelerated post-pandemic.
In North Texas alone, companies across multiple sectors are establishing roots. In Plano, recent arrivals include Sally Beauty, KFC, Simpson Strong-Tie, FiberLight and Assa Abloy. Dude Perfect expanded its Frisco headquarters, and McKinney-based Globe Life is upgrading to a new campus in the city. QuickFee, Graze Inc., Diversified and Simplilearn also shifted operations to Plano in the past two years. NVIDIA also recently chose Dallas as a cornerstone in its plan to manufacture AI supercomputers entirely in the U.S..
California lost the most HQs in 2024, with 17 companies leaving, 12 of them bound for Texas.
The report points to a broader geographic shift in the U.S. economy, where cities like Nashville, Phoenix and Denver are also emerging as contenders by offering tax incentives, upgraded infrastructure and access to skilled labor. Still, Dallas remains at the forefront.
Industry Breakdown
Manufacturing and tech companies led the charge, many citing the need to diversify geographically and cut costs. For tech firms especially, relocation is often a strategy to escape expensive coastal cities and plug into a more sustainable business ecosystem.
Companies aren’t just relocating, they’re repositioning. The goal is to get closer to consumers, streamline operations and maintain flexibility amid a changing business climate.
International HQs Eye the U.S.
The report also shows that U.S. appeal is growing among foreign corporations. In 2024, 26% of all HQ moves came from international firms setting up shop in the U.S., including several in Texas. Companies from Switzerland, Germany and South Korea chose American cities for their expanding global operations, drawn by access to markets, infrastructure and talent.
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