In the aftermath of Zohran Mamdani’s unexpected victory in the New York mayoral race, the city’s affluent are packing their bags and heading south, transforming parts of Florida into a new hub reminiscent of the Big Apple.

West Palm Beach, in particular, is undergoing a striking metamorphosis. With its skyline now dotted with luxury high-rises courtesy of New York developers, and its streets lined with eateries helmed by chefs from the Empire State, it feels like a slice of New York has been transplanted to Florida. Even celebrities like Taylor Swift have joined the migration, with Swift having recently resided in a nearby mansion rented by NFL star Travis Kelce during the offseason.

Samantha Curry, who leads luxury sales at Douglas Elliman and boasts over $1 billion in career sales, notes a significant influx of New Yorkers among her clientele. “The migration from New York hasn’t slowed,” Curry shared with the Daily Mail.

What began as a temporary escape during the pandemic has evolved into a permanent lifestyle choice for many. Increasingly, former New Yorkers are choosing to make West Palm Beach their year-round home, further cementing its status as a burgeoning enclave reminiscent of their former city.

‘What started as a pandemic trend has become a full lifestyle shift, with many buyers now making West Palm Beach their full-time residence.’

Lately she is getting even more calls, she says, due to a potential Mamdani takeover.

‘Political and financial factors are absolutely driving the conversations right now, especially with high-net-worth clients,’ she said. 

‘Many New Yorkers are already preparing for potential tax implications and if that happens, we expect to see another major wave of buyers from the north heading to West Palm Beach. It’s the first stop for those looking to preserve their wealth without sacrificing lifestyle.’

And as West Palm draws New York’s millionaires and billionaires for its mild weather and low income and property taxes, the developers and restaurateurs have followed, practically turning the area into New York’s tinier twin.

Pastis, a Meatpacking hotspot, is opening at the Nora Hotel soon. Milos is opening at luxury office tower One Flagler. Expensive sushi hotspot Nobu, where a plate of creamy spicy crab will cost you $54, is opening at the Palm House Hotel on Royal Palm Way.

New Yorkers are also spotting fellow New Yorkers at their favorite haunts. 

Sant Ambroeus, a New York City Italian staple, already has a location in West Palm Beach. Tutto Mare, a sister restaurant to the Hamptons’ favorite Tutto il Giorno, is opening at the Royal Poinciana Playhouse. Swifty’s is located at The Colony Hotel. Even 310 Bowery’s New York City concept has opened as 123 Datura in West Palm markets.

The beloved Palm Beach hangout Le Bilboquet once began as a 35-seat eatery in Manhattan’s Upper East Side. La Goulue arrived in 2020, delivering authentic French food. 

The Square is now home to Harry’s Bar & Restaurant, luring executives to its steak and seafood dishes. Felice, a staple since 2007 on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, expanded into West Palm Beach.

‘You definitely feel the New York energy everywhere down in Palm Beach County, with the restaurants and boutiques to the level of sophistication buyers expect,’ Curry said. 

‘It’s like Manhattan meets the tropics – dynamic, stylish, and connected, but with more sunshine and breathing room.’

In 2025, Palm Beach’s average single-family sale price hit $15.9million, according to Douglas Elliman.

‘We welcome millionaires and billionaires,’ Kelly Smallridge, CEO of the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County, said.

‘We’re not trying to run them out like New York.’

According to the Palm Beach Business Development Board (BDB), Palm Beach County is now home to 59 billionaires and 71,000 millionaires, who live there full time.

In 2025, West Palm shot up from 11 to five on the list of fastest growing ‘wealth hubs worldwide, beating out Dubai and San Francisco’s Silicon Valley, according to the Henley & Partners World’s Wealthiest Cities Report 2025.

Once just a playground for the rich 65 and older crowd, it is now being taken seriously as a thriving financial center and tech mecca, and its 25 to 35 demographic has grown nearly 11 percent in a year.

In September, Silicon Valley AI giant ServiceNow announced it would expand into West Palm, with aims to deliver an $1.8billion economic boost and create more than 850 jobs in the city.

It is also attracted hundreds of firms managing trillions in assets.

Goldman Sachs, Virtu Financial, Siris Capital, Elliott Management, Paulson Capital and Point72 have all opened large offices in West Palm.

According to the BDB, there is currently 919,000 square feet of office space under construction and an additional 1.5 million square feet planned.

Billions are pouring into the area, including developer Stephen Ross’s $10billion push to transform West Palm into a full business hub, and Vanderbilt University’s planned $520million graduate campus.

West Palm has also grown in popularity as a family-friendly place to live. Parents can walk to work and the schools are top-rated, with 160 private schools and the nation’s 10th-largest public school district with an A rating.

BDB’s Smallridge even helps facilitate introductions to the schools and helps relocating executives and their families to find housing.

Hotel developers are taking note, too.  

BD Hotels, which owns the Bowery and the Jane hotels in New York, is currently transforming two million square feet of a once sleepy stretch of North Railroad Avenue into pedestrian-friendly retail, restaurants, residential, office space and its flagship The Nora Hotel.

It is the brand’s first new-construction project outside NYC. 

‘We were attracted to do something in West Palm Beach,’ BD president Richard Born told Hotelsmag.

‘There’s been an enormous migration from the Northeast – a lot of it New York based – into the area; major business owners buying major estates on Palm Beach Island, moving divisions of their offices; and then followed by legions of young professionals to work in the area’s hedge funds, insurance companies, other financial services.

‘It seemed to be a natural shift into the kind of neighborhood area that we’re familiar with, having done so many projects in New York,’ he continued. 

Another wave of residents came in 2024, when the BDB literally put billboards in New York City encouraging northerners to migrate to the Palm Beaches.

The campaign featured the tagline ‘Dear NYC, it’s not you, it’s me’ alongside imagery of Palm Beach’s blue waters.

They did not need to try very hard.

The county is now home to an estimated 128,545 people, up, nearly 10 percent from 2020, reports the US Census.

West Palm Beach is meeting the moment. There is now rapid train access to Miami via Brightline and the Palm Beach International Airport now has over 200 daily flights.

The arts are booming too, with over 30 museums and galleries, comedy clubs and the Kravis Center for the performing arts, which features live jazz and traveling Broadway shows like The Notebook and Beetlejuice.

There are no signs of slowing down, either.

Related Group’s Ritz-Carlton Residences, West Palm Beach will bring 138 luxury condos to serve the many New Yorkers migrating to West Palm.

‘We are seeing remarkable demand from New York buyers in West Palm Beach,’ Nick Pérez, President of Related’s Condominium Division, told the Daily Mail. 

‘It’s not just a trickle – it’s a steady flow of people, both families and individuals, looking to set roots down in West Palm Beach. 

‘South Florida offers a quality of life that’s hard to match. We’ve been active in Palm Beach County for decades, but the level of interest we’re seeing with The Ritz-Carlton Residences, West Palm Beach, is unprecedented.’

Curry said the full-scale transformation into a modern city is reminding her of New York. 

‘New signed luxury housing contracts are up more than 500 percent year-over-year, major financial players are establishing regional headquarters here, and world-class restaurants and cultural institutions are taking the city to the next level. 

‘Over the next five years, these forces will cement Palm Beach’s standing as one of the most desirable markets in the country.’