Jaipur, July 2025.

LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional network, has launched its inaugural Cities on the Rise list, spotlighting the top 10 cities in India where job market momentum and economic opportunity are growing. The list identifies Visakhapatnam (#1), Ranchi (#2), Vijayawada (#3), Nashik (#4), and Raipur (#5) as the fastest growing non-metro hubs where professional opportunity is accelerating.

Cities on the Rise is LinkedIn’s first location-based ranking powered by exclusive LinkedIn data that captures growth in hiring, job creation, and talent inflows across India.

With over 4 out 5 Indian professionals looking to switch jobs this year, Cities on the Rise offers direction into regions beyond traditional major cities where economic investments are generating employment opportunities. The list highlights emerging tier-2 and tier-3 growth pockets for professionals looking to relocate, tap into new industries, or grow their careers locally.

Nirajita Banerjee, LinkedIn Career Expert and India Senior Managing Editor says, “Tier-2 and tier-3 cities are at the heart of India’s economic transformation. The influx of GCC investments, the local MSME boom, and the government’s vision of a Viksit Bharat are collectively turning smaller cities into serious career hubs. This means, for many Indians, meaningful career progress no longer demands moving to a big city. Because these 10 rising cities offer real opportunities across industries, functions, and roles — right where they are.”

With Tech, Pharma, and Finance companies moving in, tier-2 and tier-3 Indian cities are becoming talent magnets

Amidst the boom in data and AI, tech companies like Miracle Software Systems, Inc (Vishakhapatnam), HCLTech (Vijayawada, Madurai), Infosys (Vijayawada), Datamatics (Nashik), Bull IT Services (Madurai), among others are setting up shop across tier-2 and tier-3 cities, fueling local talent activity. Healthcare & pharma companies like Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, Laurus Labs Limited, Alembic Pharmaceuticals Limited, Sun Pharma are creating opportunities in Vishakhapatnam and Vadodara; while HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank are accelerating the growth of financial services in Raipur, Agra, and Jodhpur.

Business Development and Engineering functions lead hiring surge in emerging cities

Business Development roles are the top hiring drivers in 6 out of 10 Cities on the Rise, including Nashik, Raipur, Rajkot, Agra, Vadodara, and Jodhpur. For professionals in Vishakhapatnam, Vijayawada, and Madurai, most job opportunities are emerging in the Engineering function. Sales, Operations, and Education are other key functions where professionals in tier-2 and tier-3 cities can look for jobs.

The government is building smarter cities to turn hometowns into career hotspots

The Central and state governments’ push to local development is playing a crucial role in the rise of emerging cities, especially for Ranchi (#2) where smart city initiatives are making the capital a go-to for Jharkhand’s professionals, and Rajkot (#6) where urban planning to improve road connectivity is fueling economic growth. Chhattisgarh government’s ambition of ‘Naya Raipur’ is also ramping up investments in the city’s infrastructure.

Here’s the full list of LinkedIn’s Cities on the Rise 2025 for India:

1. Visakhapatnam
2. Ranchi
3. Vijayawada
4. Nashik
5. Raipur
6. Rajkot
7. Agra
8. Madurai
9. Vadodara
10. Jodhpur