By Gay Cororaton, MIAMI REALTORS Chief Economist
Key Takeaways
- In 2024, 55,244 out-of-state workers switched to a Miami Metro Area job, led by movers from New York, Texas and California. Over the period 2024 Q1-Q3, out-of-state job movers contributed $5.1 billion to the Miami Metro Area employment earnings in 2024.
- The median annual earnings of out-of-state job switchers rose to $101,454 while the median earnings of in-state movers rose to $61,716.
- In 2024, professional, scientific, and technical service workers emerged as the top industry where out-of-state job movers started a job, accounting for 12.9% of job movers, while retail trade workers’ share slid to 6.8%.
Download the 2024 Q4 Job Flows Into the Miami Metro Area in 2019-2024 HERE.
55,244 out-of-state workers switched to a Miami Metro Area job in 2024
Job switchers from other states are part of the Miami Metro Area’s wealth migration. In 2024, 55,244 out-of-state workers switched out of their jobs and started jobs in the Miami Metro Area (whether in-person or remotely). according to Miami Association of Realtors (MIAMI) analysis of US Census Bureau’s job-to-job flows data.
Out-of-state job migration into the Miami Metro Area surged in 2021-2022 during the COVID pandemic period, but has normalized to pre-pandemic levels. However, there has been a structural shift in the type of job movers, with professional, scientific, and technical service workers accounting for the largest share of out-of-state movers in 2024 at 12.9%, with a much lower share of lower-skilled and lower-earning workers such as retail trade workers (6.8%).
New York, Texas, and California are top origins of out-of-state job switchers
New York remains the top origin of job switchers in 2024 (7,372 job switchers, 13.8%), followed by Texas (4,991; 9.4%), Georgia (4,349; 8.2%), California (3,318; 6.2%), and New Jersey (3,018; 5.7%).
On a net basis (inflows less outflows), the states with the positive net jobs inflows to the Miami Metro Area in 2024 were New York (1,207), New Jersey (641), California (317), Connecticut (136), and Illinois (110).
Median annual earnings of out-of-state job switchers in the Miami Metro Area in 2025 was $101,454
Out-of-state job switchers tend to have higher earnings in their Miami Metro Area destination jobs than in-state job switchers. In 2024 ( Q1-Q3), the median annualized quarterly earnings of out-of-state job movers to the Miami Metro Area rose to $101,454 . In constrast, the median annualized quarterly earnings of job switchers from any area in Florida to the Miami Metro Area was $61,716.
Among the job switchers from 19 states and the District of Columbia, the median average annualized earnings was at least $100,000. Illinois job switchers had the highest median annual earnings in the destination job at $172,632; followed by New York at $164,480; Washington at $164,144; California at $155,864; and Maryland at $143,868. Job switchers from these tends tend to work in the professional, scientific, and technical services industry, finance, and real estate.
Out-of-state job switchers in 2024 Q1-Q3 contributed $5.1 billion to the Miami Metro Area employment
Job switchers from other states are part of the Miami Metro Area’s wealth migration. MIAMI Realtors estimates that during the period 2024 Q1-Q3 (latest data available), the annualized earnings of all out-of-state movers totaled $5.1 billion. In 2023 (full-year data available), the annualized earnings of all out-of-state movers totaled $9.0 billion.
Higher share of professional/tech out-of-state job movers compare to pre-pandemic period
In 2024, 55,244 out-of-state workers switched out of their jobs and started jobs in the Miami Metro Area (whether in-person or remotely). Of total job movers, 12.9% were in the professional, scientific, and technical services industry, the largest group of job movers, the first time this industry outranked all other industries.
In 2019, the top out-of-state job inflows were lower-paying jobs such as administrative support and waste management (13.7% of inflows) and accommodation and food services industry (11.7% ). Professional, scientific, and technical services accounted for a lower share (10.3%), followed by retail trade (10.1%).
States like California (15.7%), New York (15.1%), Illinois (15%), Pennsylvania (13.9%), and New Jersey (13.2%) saw higher shares of job switchers into the professional, scientific, and technical service industry.
The share of out-of-state job movers that switched to a health care and social assistance industry job in the Miami Metro Area also rose from 8.5% in 2019 to 9.9% in 2024. The Miami Metro Area’s strong population growth of 5% from 2020 to 2024 (from 6.133 million to 6.457 million), twice the national pace of 2.5%, has increased the demand for healthcare workers.
Job switches into real-estate related industries have also increased since 2019: in the construction industry from 5.8% in 2019 to 6.5% in 2024; in the finance and insurance industry from 4.6% in 2019 to 5.9% in 2024; and in the real estate, rental and leasing industry from 2.0% in 2019 to 2.3% in 2024.
Positive outlook for job migration in the Miami Metro Area in 2026
Out-of-state job migration could pick up further in 2026-2027 as Florida continues to attract businesses, professionals, with its pro-business and low tax environment while taxes could rise in New York and California. Mayor Mamdani has advocated for an increase in New York City’s general business corporation tax from 7.25% to 11.5% and a 2% New York City Income Tax for anyone making more than $1 million a year to reduce the deficit and provide funds for social services like free child care. In California, a Billionaire Tax is up for voter approval in November 2026 with a retroactive date of January 1, 2026, but the retroactive provision could be contested legally. These two states are already heavily taxed compared to Florida. According to the Tax Foundation, New York is #50 in tax competitiveness and California is #48 while Florida ranks far ahead at #5.
