Archive · 8 Aug 2026
India's 10 Non-Metro Cities Outpacing Bengaluru, Mumbai as Job Hubs
India is a big country with many cities.
For a long time, people who wanted great jobs moved to big cities like Bengaluru and Mumbai.
A company called LinkedIn made a report about where new jobs are growing the fastest.
The report says jobs are growing fastest in smaller cities now.
Visakhapatnam, a coastal city, topped the list.
Other cities like Ranchi, Nashik, Raipur and Agra are also growing fast.
Big cities like Bengaluru and Mumbai did not even make the list.
Companies are choosing smaller cities because costs are lower and facilities are getting better.
People can now find good jobs close to home instead of moving far away.
This helps families stay together while finding exciting work.
LinkedIn's inaugural 'Cities On The Rise 2026' report ranks Visakhapatnam as India's fastest-growing non-metro job market.
The top 10 list also includes Ranchi, Vijayawada, Nashik, Raipur, Rajkot, Gwalior, Agra, Jammu and Varanasi.
Traditional hubs Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi NCR do not feature in the rankings.
Growth is driven by improving urban infrastructure, lower operating costs and hiring in technology, pharmaceuticals and financial services.
Engineering roles lead hiring in coastal cities such as Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada, while business development drives growth in the other listed cities.
- Who
- LinkedIn, which published the inaugural 'Cities On The Rise 2026' report, along with companies such as Dr Reddy's Laboratories, Miracle Software Systems and HCLTech expanding in the emerging cities.
- What
- Identified India's 10 fastest-growing non-metro job markets, led by Visakhapatnam, with traditional hubs Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi NCR absent from the rankings.
- When
- Report released and news published on August 08, 2026.
- Where
- Across India, in non-metro cities including Visakhapatnam, Ranchi, Vijayawada, Nashik, Raipur, Rajkot, Gwalior, Agra, Jammu and Varanasi.
- Why
- Improving urban infrastructure, lower operating costs and rising hiring in technology, pharmaceuticals and financial services are attracting companies to these cities.
- Report
- LinkedIn 'Cities On The Rise 2026' (inaugural)
- Top-ranked city
- Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
- Other ranked cities
- Ranchi, Vijayawada, Nashik, Raipur, Rajkot, Gwalior, Agra, Jammu, Varanasi
- Traditional metros absent
- Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi NCR
- Growth drivers
- Urban infrastructure, lower operating costs, hiring in technology, pharmaceuticals and financial services
- Leading job functions
- Business development, engineering, sales and operations
- Companies expanding
- Dr Reddy's Laboratories, Miracle Software Systems, HCLTech
- Report published
- August 08, 2026