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Key Points

India's tier 2 and 3 cities are absolutely crushing it in the job market right now. These smaller cities saw a massive 21% jump in hiring compared to last year, way ahead of the big metros. The festive season is supercharging jobs in e-commerce, hospitality, and gig work across these emerging hubs. This shift shows how India's job landscape is becoming more decentralized and resilient than ever before.

Key Points: Tier 2 3 Cities Lead India Hiring Boom with 21 Percent Growth

  • Tier 2 and 3 cities post 21% YoY hiring growth, outpacing metros
  • E-commerce, hospitality, and gig roles see the sharpest festive spikes
  • Sales and marketing functions lead with 5% growth, followed by customer support
  • Entry-level roles dominate hiring, rising to 45% share fueled by e-commerce
2 min read

Tier 2, 3 cities lead hiring boom in September with 21 pc YoY growth: Report

Tier 2 and 3 cities drive India's hiring surge with 21% YoY growth, outpacing metros in e-commerce, hospitality, and gig roles during festive season.

"September’s hiring momentum reflects a powerful combination of festive demand and the structural rise of Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities as long-term talent hubs - Anupama Bhimrajka, foundit"

Bengaluru, Oct 6

India’s tier-2 and tier-3 cities are leading the hiring surge in September, posting a 21 per cent year-on-year growth and outpacing metro markets, according to a report on Monday.

The monthly report by jobs and talent platform foundit showed that although overall hiring activity remained strong, the festive season boosted employment opportunities across consumer-facing sectors, with growth stronger than in 2024. E-commerce, hospitality, and gig roles saw the sharpest spikes.

“September’s hiring momentum reflects a powerful combination of festive demand and the structural rise of Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities as long-term talent hubs,” Anupama Bhimrajka, VP, Marketing, foundit.

“While metro markets continue to deliver steady growth, non-metro regions are leading the charge. This shift highlights a decentralised, diverse, and resilient employment landscape, creating opportunities for job seekers and strategic advantages for employers nationwide,” Bhimrajka added.

IT, BFSI, and media and entertainment sectors fuelled hiring in tier 1 cities like Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune, and Kolkata. With strong demand for tech, finance, and marketing professionals, the hiring in these cities grew by 14 per cent YoY.

On the other hand, hiring in tier-2 and tier-3 cities such as Jaipur, Lucknow, Coimbatore, Indore, Bhubaneswar, Kochi, Surat, Nagpur, and Chandigarh grew 21 per cent YoY, boosted by e-commerce warehousing, retail expansion, customer support hubs, and festive tourism, the report said.

Across functions, sales and marketing saw the sharpest festive gains (+5 per cent YoY), followed by customer support and operations (+4 per cent YoY).

Creative and media roles also surged (+4 per cent YoY) on the back of campaigns and OTT activity, while technology and product roles held steady (+3 per cent YoY). Finance and accounting grew modestly (+2 per cent YoY), aligned with festive loan and credit activity.

Further, entry-level roles (0-3 yrs) dominated festive hiring, rising from 42 per cent share in 2024 to 45 per cent in 2025, fuelled by e-commerce and customer support demand. Senior and leadership positions also registered meaningful year-on-year growth, the report said.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Shreya B
Great to see tier-2 cities getting their due recognition. However, I hope infrastructure keeps pace with this growth. In Indore, traffic and public transport are already becoming challenging with so many new offices opening.
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Aman W
The 21% growth in smaller cities is impressive! This will help reduce the pressure on metros and create more balanced regional development. Perfect timing with the festive season boosting e-commerce and retail jobs. 🎉
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Priya S
As a recent graduate from Coimbatore, I can confirm this trend. Got placed in a good e-commerce company right here in my hometown. No need to struggle with Mumbai/Bangalore rents and traffic. Feeling blessed! 🙏
M
Michael C
Working in Kochi for an IT company, I've seen this transformation firsthand. The talent pool here is excellent and companies are realizing they can get quality work without metro overheads. Win-win for everyone!
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Nisha Z
While the growth numbers look good, I hope companies are offering competitive salaries and proper career growth paths in these cities. Sometimes tier-2 city jobs come with tier-2 salaries despite similar work expectations.

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