Despite headline-grabbing population statistics, New York is decisively winning the nation’s migration competition for high-value talent, according to JLL.
While broad migration data suggests the city is losing residents overall, the workers that matter most to financial, tech, and innovation-driven firms are choosing New York in overwhelming numbers. JLL’s granular look at real job-to-job moves reveals that Manhattan continues to outpace Florida and other Sun Belt markets in attracting early- and mid-career professionals from top schools and key office-using industries — the segment that powers corporate growth and defines long-term economic strength.
“The numbers turn the Wall Street South narrative on its head,” said Kevin Kelly, vice chairman at JLL. “Corporate location decisions increasingly hinge on access to specialized labor, and while Florida may be winning broad population measures, New York continues to dominate the high-value talent segment that
