Szczecin, Lublin, and Bydgoszcz have emerged as the top locations for industrial and warehouse investments in Poland, according to the first edition of Accolade’s report “Mid-Sized Cities – Great Investment Potential.” This is the first ranking in Poland focusing on mid-sized cities — those with populations between 100,000 and 400,000 — assessed for their investment potential in the commercial real estate market, including warehouses and logistics centres.
Rzeszów has been identified as an up-and-coming “warehouse star.” Meanwhile, Częstochowa and Gliwice are benefiting from the industrial strength of the Silesian automotive sector, and Zielona Góra and Gorzów Wielkopolski attract investors due to their proximity to the western border.
Accolade’s ranking includes 10 cities selected from over 30 Polish mid-sized urban centres. The list was compiled based on nine criteria: demographics, labour market, wages, residential construction, private sector activity, academic infrastructure, road infrastructure, and warehouse space supply/demand indicators. Cities could also earn bonus points for strategic advantages such as proximity to borders or ports.
“Mid-sized cities have become fully-fledged players in the industrial investment market,” said Joanna Sinkiewicz, Commercialisation Director at Accolade Group. “They boast increasingly advanced infrastructure, access to a well-educated workforce, a growing private sector, and specific locational advantages. The trend of moving beyond major metropolitan areas in the warehouse sector is deepening year by year, and Accolade is a market maker in this trend. Since the beginning of our operations in Poland, we’ve invested outside the largest agglomerations — in cities like Bydgoszcz, Zielona Góra, Białystok, and Lublin — and we see this strategy paying off. More and more companies are choosing to establish operations in these cities, attracted by clear benefits such as cost efficiency.”
She adds: “It’s important to remember, however, that to strike the best balance between cost and quality, each organisation should analyse investment locations in the context of its specific business needs. Large cities are increasingly competing for business attention, offering incentives, grants, and infrastructure advantages. That’s why we felt it was time for a deeper look at the potential of mid-sized cities. Our report complements existing analyses of major cities while highlighting a different — and rapidly developing — part of Poland.”
“Cities like Białystok, Zielona Góra, and Gorzów Wielkopolski have become permanent fixtures on the commercial investment map,” summarises Joanna Sinkiewicz from Accolade. “Each of them offers unique advantages — proximity to Germany, a strong automotive sector, or well-developed road infrastructure. These are locations with a promising future and a high likelihood of climbing higher in future editions of the ranking”.
