Looking to make Amazon’s HQ2 short list even shorter? Atlanta and Northern Virginia could be top contenders, according to a Zillow survey released Thursday.
The survey asked more than 100 housing economists and professors to rank their housing market expectations and which cities they though Amazon might choose for their second headquarters. Experts looked at factors such as housing costs, traffic, and tax environment.
Of the 85 experts who responded, 12 selected Atlanta, 12 picked Northern Virginia, 11 chose Austin, and nine selected Raleigh as the most likely contender for HQ2.
Experts pegged Atlanta for its land availability and business friendly tax codes. Median home and rent values in Atlanta ($187,600 median home value and $1,391 median rent payment) are also below the national average, making it an attractive city for buyers.
A growing tech workforce and proximity to lawmakers in Washington D.C. made Northern Virginia a promising option, according to the experts.
Miami, New York, Newark, and Los Angeles could be least likely to be chosen, due to high housing costs and an unfavorable tax environment, according to the survey.
Amazon announced the search for a second headquarters last fall. After receiving 238 bids, the tech giant narrowed its list of potential HQ2 locations to 20 in January.
Here’s the full list of cities on Amazon’s HQ2 short list, ranked by favorability in the Zillow survey:
1. Atlanta
1. Northern Virginia
2. Austin
3. Denver
3. Montgomery County, Md.
4. Dallas
5. Nashville
5. Pittsburgh
6. Chicago
6. Philadelphia
7. Boston
7. Washington D.C.
8. Toronto
9. Columbus
10. Indianapolis
11. Miami
11. New York
11. Newark
12. Los Angeles