Why tech workers are flocking to NYC

New York City has overtaken the San Francisco Bay Area as the US metro area with the most tech jobs, reflecting growing demand for technology skills across the city’s economy. The shift matters because much of the hiring is happening in established sectors such as finance and media, as well as at technology firms.

New York had 394,300 tech jobs compared with 375,730 in the San Francisco Bay Area, according to CBRE. From 2022 to 2025, New York added more than 30,000 tech workers while San Francisco lost nearly 24,000; separate figures from Tech:NYC say 64% of the city’s tech employees work for non-tech companies. AI investment is also expanding, with OpenAI leasing a 90,000-square-foot office and Anthropic planning to double its New York workforce to 1,000 in 2026, while high living costs and affordability concerns remain.