China's county-level economies have shown significant growth, with more than 70 counties surpassing a gross domestic product (GDP) of 100 billion yuan. In recent years, these regional economies have expanded rapidly, with several achieving new breakthroughs last year.
Jiangsu province leads the nation with 23 counties each exceeding 100 billion yuan in GDP, accounting for over 30% of the national total. The newly added county in Jiangsu is Baoying County, located in central Jiangsu. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Baoying achieved a GDP and industrial sales revenue each surpassing 100 billion yuan, with industrial sales reaching 120 billion yuan. The county has also been listed among the top 100 nationwide in industrial strength, innovation, business environment, and investment competitiveness.
Among the top 10 counties by GDP in China, half are from Jiangsu, including Kunshan, Jiangyin, Zhangjiagang, Changshu, and Yixing. The top five include four from Jiangsu—Kunshan, Jiangyin, Zhangjiagang, and Changshu—often referred to as the "Four Little Dragons of Southern Jiangsu."
Kunshan remains the top county-level economy, with a GDP of 561.534 billion yuan in 2025, growing 5.8% year-on-year. It has maintained its position above the 500 billion yuan threshold for four consecutive years and ranked first in China's comprehensive strength list of county-level cities for 22 years. Over the past year, Kunshan deepened its industrial focus and accelerated transformation, shifting its leading industries from electronics manufacturing to broader supply chains including automotive and artificial intelligence. Emerging sectors such as AI, high-end food, and low-altitude aircraft are gaining momentum. The number of technology-based small and medium enterprises and national high-tech enterprises exceeded 4,000 and 3,500, respectively. Kunshan was selected as one of China's first innovative county-level cities and has been recognized as China's Best City for Talent Attraction for three consecutive years.
According to recent data from Jiangyin statistics, Jiangyin ranked second nationally with a GDP of 527.218 billion yuan in 2025, trailing Kunshan by over 30 billion yuan.
Changshu, a historical and cultural city in Jiangnan, relies on three pillar industries: textiles and apparel, automotive parts, and equipment manufacturing. Its GDP reached 321.073 billion yuan in 2025, a 5.7% increase year-on-year at constant prices, outperforming Suzhou's average growth by 0.3 percentage points and ranking second within Suzhou.
Yixing, also in southern Jiangsu, saw its GDP exceed 250 billion yuan for the first time, reaching 253.336 billion yuan.
The prosperous county-level economies have attracted significant talent and population inflows. For instance, Kunshan, with its growing urban appeal, recorded the highest net population inflow in Suzhou, adding 107,000 migrants last year, more than half of whom were young people, injecting vitality into urban development.
Southern Jiangsu's economically advanced counties have also attracted several top-tier universities and Sino-foreign cooperative institutions, forming a cluster of higher education institutions. Media reports indicate over ten renowned universities have established campuses in these counties. Kunshan hosts Duke Kunshan University, while Jiangyin is home to campuses of Nanjing University of Science and Technology and Jiangnan University. Other institutions include Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics's Tianmu Lake Campus in Liyang, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University's Taicang Campus, and Jiangsu University of Science and Technology's Zhangjiagang Campus.
An analysis suggests that the GDP of some strong counties in southern Jiangsu surpasses that of many prefecture-level cities and even some provincial capitals in central and western China. These counties host extensive industrial clusters and sizable populations. The establishment of universities helps cultivate local talent and accelerates industrial transformation and upgrading.