We ranked the top 20 metros for tech in the Midwest based on nine metrics. Each metro could score between zero and maximum points across each category. Points were awarded directly proportional to each metric, apart from the unemployment rate and regional price parity, for which lower values received higher marks. Our study included only Midwestern metros with populations of more than 200,000, as per U.S. Census data as of December 31, 2021.

The metrics were defined as follows: