Everyone complains, but few actually leave, and there are many more willing to move to the Bay Area to replace those who do leave.
The major tech companies aren't stupid. If they could benefit significantly by opening offices in the midwest or anywhere else they don't currently have offices, they would have done it by now.
"aren't stupid" .. agreed to some extent. But I don't buy the no talent outside the bay area theory. Wonder if something else is afoot.
I'll give you an anecdote .. Google has an engineering office in Waterloo and Amazon has one in Toronto. Both have quite a few former expats who wanted to be closer to their Canadian families. There is demand.
The major tech companies aren't stupid. If they could benefit significantly by opening offices in the midwest or anywhere else they don't currently have offices, they would have done it by now.