Medium-sized cities, great potential. Accolade publishes the first investment ranking of medium-sized cities
For years, major metropolitan areas have attracted the attention of investors. But today, real development is increasingly shifting to smaller cities. Why? Because these locations offer an optimal environment for the growth of modern industrial and logistics sectors—combining access to human resources with high operational efficiency and minimized operating costs.
As an investor and market maker in such locations, Accolade has created the first ranking in Poland of mid-sized cities with the highest investment potential—tailored for tenants seeking growth opportunities before these locations gain widespread popularity.
The ranking developed by Accolade is a unique list of ten cities with populations between 100,000 and 400,000, which—in our assessment—offer the best conditions for the development of industrial and logistics real estate. We analyzed nine key factors, including labor market, academic infrastructure, the number of new housing units, private sector activity, road infrastructure, and the supply-demand balance for warehouse space. The final scores also considered locational advantages such as proximity to national borders or access to ports. Leading the ranking are Szczecin, Lublin, and Bydgoszcz—but it's worth noting that each of the highlighted cities holds a strong competitive advantage in its region and significant growth potential.
Mid-sized cities offer a range of advantages that make them a compelling alternative to large urban hubs. Lower land and rental costs, greater availability of labor, less competition for employees, and continuously improving infrastructure are just a few of them. For manufacturing and logistics companies, such locations allow for stable growth and greater operational flexibility.
Standout cities like Szczecin and Lublin combine access to skilled labor with strong connectivity and rapidly developing business ecosystems. Meanwhile, Bydgoszcz and Rzeszów are strengthening their positions as regional logistics hubs—with considerable room for further growth.
"Mid-sized cities are now fully-fledged players in the industrial investment market. They offer increasingly better infrastructure, access to educated talent, a growing private sector, and clear locational advantages. The trend of moving beyond major metropolitan areas in the warehouse sector deepens every year—and Accolade is a market maker within this trend."
~ Joanna Sinkiewicz, Leasing Director at Accolade Group, Managing Director of Accolade Poland
Accolade’s report highlights the value of looking beyond the obvious—toward locations that are just now gaining recognition. These are opportunities to establish operations in places offering an excellent cost-to-quality ratio, lower investment saturation, and readiness to meet the needs of modern business.
