Small and midsize cities stand to benefit economically from pandemic-driven shifts in workplace strategies, according to economic advisory firm Streetsense. While commute times will dictate less where workers live, employers will seek lower-rent locations to serve nodes of employees in far-flung locations.

These shifts have the potential to remake regional office markets and offer significant opportunities for small and midsize cities, particularly those within two to three hours of large central business districts. That’s according to Streetsense’s Navigating the New Economics of Place. For municipal leaders seeking to capitalize, strategies include:

• making local regulations and permitting policies easy to navigate
• developing branding, marketing and promotional campaigns
• identifying the most viable industries poised for growth and promoting industry diversification with targeted workforce training, streamlined permitting, site selection and real estate technical assistance
• applying for all available federal, state and local recovery funds to improve transportation and broadband infrastructure
• investing in public parks and cultural offerings that will attract employers