Examining talent attraction and retention in small and medium-sized cities: Where do universities fit in?

As universities have become more integrated into their communities and regions, their host cities have become locations of choice for the highly educated facilitating increased innovation and productivity rates in several locales. Recent transitions toward knowledge-driven economies have also intensified growing geographic divides along the lines of education and raised concerns about the possibility of brain drain in a growing number of cities/regions. This study examines the changing geography of highly educated individuals (2000–2017) with a focus on small and medium-sized U.S. metropolitan areas with and without research universities. Results indicate the continuing trend of divergence among regions, but research universities are found to complement (the lack of) talent agglomeration and generate spatial spillovers beyond the county boundaries.