Hangzhou opens a training session for young entrepreneurs. [Photo/WeChat account: hzstcj]

Hangzhou has climbed to 4th place in the latest China City Talent Attractiveness Ranking 2026 report released on May 26 by Zeping Macro and Zhaopin, which assesses talent inflows across 100 major Chinese cities based on 2025 data.

Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen continue to lead the ranking, followed by Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Suzhou, Chengdu, Nanjing, Wuhan, and Wuxi in the top 10. Compared with the previous year, Hangzhou and Suzhou both moved up, while the top three cities remained unchanged.

The report attributes Hangzhou's strong performance to the rapid development of its digital economy, smart manufacturing, and advanced industrial clusters, alongside strong policy support and an attractive living environment.

Between 2021 and 2024, Hangzhou recorded an average annual population increase of around 140,000, with steady net talent inflows over the past five years. Talent inflow consistently exceeded outflow, resulting in sustained net gains of over 1.2 percent.

In 2025, high-tech manufacturing, equipment manufacturing, and strategic emerging industries in Hangzhou grew by 7.5 percent, 9.4 percent, and 10 percent, respectively, outpacing overall industrial growth. The digital economy core industry accounted for 29.5 percent of GDP, highlighting its role as a key driver of talent attraction.

Policy measures have also strengthened Hangzhou's appeal, including relaxed household registration policies, youth talent stations offering temporary housing for graduates, and large-scale recruitment programs under the Qinghe Plan, which provides hundreds of thousands of job opportunities annually.

Young people share their experience in running one-person companies in Hangzhou. [Photo/WeChat account: hzstcj]