SignificanceLong ties, which connect individuals who lack mutual contacts in a social network, are known to be important for accessing valuable information about economic opportunities. Using population-scale communication data, we provide evidence of a robust positive relationship between the share of long ties and economic outcomes both at the individual and local levels in the United States and Mexico. Furthermore, we uncover that the formation of long ties is associated with disruptive life events such as migrating to another state or transferring to a different high school, which points to potential mechanisms responsible for forming and maintaining these valuable connections.