Trends in the Location of Corporate Headquarters, 1969-1989

Abstract

In this research note, the author examines the regional distribution and suburbanization of corporate headquarters in the United States in 1969, 1979, and 1989. The results confirm a continued concentration of headquarters in a small number of metropolitan areas and a continued concentration in the Northeast and Midwest, despite some growth in locations in the South and West. Significant variations are seen by type of corporation. The suburbanization of headquarters during the decade is qualified in two ways: First, despite further suburbanization, central cities still house a sizable majority of headquarters; and second, the suburbanization pattern varies significantly by region.