Tampa’s Job Growth is Changing Who Moves Here and Where They Live
Written by Dominic Pickering
Source: Tampa Bay Business Journal
Post Date: February 6, 2026
For years, Tampa has been described as an “emerging” business market. In 2026, that label no longer applies. What’s happening now is sustained, measurable growth driven by companies relocating to or expanding in the region, and by the high-paying jobs that follow.
According to the Tampa Bay Economic Development Council, 29 companies chose to expand or move to the Tampa Bay area in fiscal year 2025, bringing a record $273 million in new investment. That momentum builds on more than a decade of activity.
Since 2009, the EDC has worked with more than 400 businesses to support relocations and expansions. Those efforts have produced more than 44,000 direct jobs, an additional 52,000 indirect and induced jobs, and $4 billion in capital investment in Hillsborough County alone. Cumulatively, those projects have generated $23.4 billion in total economic output and added $114 million to the county’s tax base.
These numbers help explain why Tampa’s growth feels different today. The companies arriving are not simply opening satellite offices. Many are building leadership teams, investing in infrastructure, and committing to long-term operations. Finance, professional services, health care, technology and advanced industries are all contributing to a more diversified and higher-wage economy.
That shift is reflected in how people are relocating. Increasingly, executives and senior professionals are moving to Tampa full time. They are not buying seasonal homes or testing the market. They are planting roots, enrolling children in schools and seeking housing that reflects their living standards while offering everything Tampa has to offer, from waterfront living to proximity to major employment centers.
As a result, the housing market, particularly at the higher end, is evolving alongside the job market. Demand is rising for primary residences that offer luxury, privacy, efficiency, and proximity to business centers. Access to Tampa International Airport, walkability, security and waterfront settings have become practical considerations rather than indulgences.
This dynamic is especially visible in Tampa’s limited waterfront market. With few new waterfront sites available, well-located condominium developments are seeing increased interest from buyers focused on long-term value rather than short-term market timing. Luna at Marina Pointe is one example of a waterfront community that has seen demand grow in 2025.
At the same time, the region is thinking proactively about what comes next. The EDC’s newly launched Future Ready: Tampa Bay Strategic Action Plan for fiscal years 2026-28 is designed to strengthen three core pillars — business development, talent development and place-based development – while advancing new catalyst initiatives focused on artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure and blue technology. Together, these priorities will continue to raise Tampa’s position as a globally competitive market, rather than a fast-growing one.
What’s happening in Tampa today is not simply population growth or lifestyle migration. It is economic maturation, driven by companies, capital and talent moving in the same direction. As more high-paying jobs come online, demand for housing that reflects permanence, proximity and quality of life will continue to shape the city’s real estate landscape.
In many ways, Tampa is no longer asking whether growth is coming. In this new year, the more relevant question is how it continues to accommodate that growth thoughtfully, strategically and for the long term.
