The headlines have been dire: wealthy residents of New York City fleeing to Florida, companies decamping to Texas, and a city supposedly unraveling under the weight of high taxes, harsh winters and anti-business politics. But a new analysis by researchers at JLL suggests the story is far more complicated — and far more encouraging for New York City — than the dominant narrative lets on.
Kevin Kelly, who leads a team of data scientists, management consultants and real estate brokers at JLL in New York City, says the key lies not in how many people are moving in or out, but in who is moving.
“When you start to dig into specific talent bases — those with bachelor’s degrees, those working in the right industries, those educated at top schools — instead of New York becoming a slight net loser to Florida, it flips to a winner, a significant winner,” says Kelly.
Kelly’s research found that roughly 10 percent of all college graduates in the country moves
