I am skeptical that this is due to any positives on the NYC side, but more a story of the Bay Area's decline.
Of the 796 US cities with 50k+ population, San Francisco ranks 796/796 in population growth % over the last 2 years (-7.5%) while NYC ranks 793/796 (-5.3%).
I agree that overall population metrics tell a story of both cities' decline, but in the context of startups it's important to understand who is moving in/out. Tech workers who are upper middle class are typically moving into these metros, while lower-income families who might not work in tech are moving out.
Of the 796 US cities with 50k+ population, San Francisco ranks 796/796 in population growth % over the last 2 years (-7.5%) while NYC ranks 793/796 (-5.3%).
https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2...