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Xinyi Wu

Shenzhen recorded the largest increase in permanent residents among Chinese cities in 2025, a rare bright spot as some megacities lose their appeal amid a deepening demographic shift.
The southern tech hub added 259,000 permanent residents last year, bringing its total population to 18.25 million, according to a notice released by the local government on Monday.
Designated as China’s first special economic zone in 1980, Shenzhen has since evolved into one of the country’s most powerful population magnets, a trend analysts attributed to a mutually reinforcing relationship between sound economic policies and human capital.
He Yafu, an independent demographer, said the region’s decades-long track record had underscored the broader economic benefits of a growing population.
“Shenzhen’s development over more than 40 years shows that as long as there are sound economic policies, population growth benefits economic development,” He wrote in a report on Tuesday.
“Human resources and talent resources are the most valuable resources.”


The young, migrant-dominated city was followed by Dongguan and Guangzhou – all three in Guangdong province – which added about 229,600 and 123,000 permanent residents, respectively.
For decades, Beijing sought to curb population growth through measures such as the one-child policy – which officially ended in 2016 – in an effort to boost economic development and raise living standards.
But Shenzhen’s experience challenged that model, emerging as one of China’s wealthiest cities amid rapid population growth in recent decades. Last year, official data showed it recorded a per capita gross domestic product of 213,763 yuan (US$31,500) – more than twice the national average.
The megacity also registered a higher birth rate and a lower mortality rate than the national average, He noted, attributing this partly to Shenzhen’s youthful demographic, with an average age of 32.5 in 2024.
Meanwhile, Shenzhen’s robust tech sector – home to domestic heavyweights such as Tencent Holdings and Huawei Technologies – alongside residency-friendly policies and its proximity to Hong Kong, has fuelled an influx of talent.
The trend contrasts sharply with that of cities such as Beijing, historically the main economic draw for young professionals in northern China, but now characterised by a stringent residency system and tightening job opportunities.


The capital’s permanent resident population stood at 21.8 million in 2025, declining by 32,000 from the previous year. Its annual statistical yearbook, released in March, showed that the population aged between 20 and 29 had nearly halved, from 4.62 million in 2015 to 2.49 million in 2024.
Workers are increasingly moving south to coastal hubs such as the Yangtze River Delta – which includes major cities Shanghai, Hangzhou and Suzhou – and the Greater Bay Area, where Shenzhen is located.
Hangzhou, home to tech giant Alibaba Group Holding and fast-growing start-ups such as DeepSeek, added 76,000 permanent residents in 2025, bringing its total to 12.7 million, according to local government data. Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post.
Shanghai’s permanent resident population also grew, increasing by 51,500 to 24.85 million, official data showed.


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China Economy

The global tech powerhouse attracts more workers and has higher birth and lower mortality rates than the national average


The global tech powerhouse attracts more workers and has higher birth and lower mortality rates than the national average.


How Shenzhen’s growing population defies China’s urban demographic shift

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The global tech powerhouse attracts more workers and has higher birth and lower mortality rates than the national average

The global tech powerhouse attracts more workers and has higher birth and lower mortality rates than the national average