Corporate headquarters mobility is gaining renewed momentum, with CBRE reporting a sharp rebound in relocations during 2025 after a slowdown in 2023. The firm’s recent paper, “Business Insights: The Shifting Landscape of Headquarters, 2026 Updates,” outlines how companies are reshaping their footprints and where these moves are most concentrated.
Texas markets are drawing a disproportionate share of activity, with Dallas-Fort Worth and Austin emerging as leading destinations for corporate headquarters. CBRE notes that Dallas-Fort Worth has recorded more than 100 headquarters relocations since 2018, more than any other U.S. metro. Beyond Texas, Charlotte, Miami, Nashville and Phoenix are identified as rising competitors in the ongoing race to attract corporate bases.
The analysis attributes most headquarters moves to a combination of consolidation and portfolio optimization, including activity related to mergers and acquisitions. Companies are reassessing how many locations they need, which functions must be centralized and where they can streamline operations. Business climate considerations, real estate dynamics and proximity to a target consumer base are additional factors guiding location decisions once consolidation strategies are defined.
Industry mix is also playing a notable role in the shifting map of headquarters. Technology and manufacturing firms are among the most active movers, often seeking lower-cost markets that still offer strong innovation ecosystems and supportive operating environments. CBRE’s report also points to elevated movement among business services companies, which are frequently motivated by cost control and better access to diversified talent pools.
For organizations contemplating a headquarters relocation, the report outlines a series of strategic questions rather than prescriptive answers. Companies are encouraged to determine which business units or divisions should remain in place and which are better suited to shift, and to evaluate whether current organizational structures and operating policies can effectively support a more distributed footprint. Cultural priorities, cost objectives and talent strategies are presented as critical filters for long-term location planning.
The authors further recommend that companies define the desired size and functional role of a future headquarters, and assess how that vision aligns with the broader real estate portfolio and ownership strategy. This includes comparing the capital required to upgrade an existing headquarters against the cost of moving, as well as modeling the total cost and anticipated payback period of a potential relocation. Together, these considerations frame headquarters decisions as part of a broader business transformation rather than a purely real estate-driven exercise.
