How I Use Exploding Topics to See Fast Growing Industries Early
Fast growing industries rarely announce themselves. Search interest rises first. Hiring and funding follow. Official statistics arrive last. Readers who act on the first signal gain time, but only if the signal points to a real market. This...
Fast growing industries rarely announce themselves. Search interest rises first. Hiring and funding follow. Official statistics arrive last. Readers who act on the first signal gain time, but only if the signal points to a real market.
This guide combines two kinds of evidence. Government employment projections show where jobs will grow over a decade. Exploding Topics search data shows where attention is growing now. Together, the two sources help you separate durable industries from short-lived hype.
What counts as a fast growing industry
No single measure defines growth. Each metric answers a different question, so pick the metric first and the industry second.
- Employment growth tracks added jobs. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) publishes decade-long projections by industry.
- Revenue growth tracks market size. Analyst firms publish forecasts, but methods and definitions differ by publisher.
- Search growth tracks attention. Tools such as Exploding Topics measure how fast queries rise over a chosen window.
Employment data moves slowly and resists hype. Search data moves fast and reflects curiosity as much as demand. Neither source is complete alone.
Fast growing industries according to BLS projections
The BLS Employment Projections program covers 2024 to 2034. An Economics Daily article dated June 5, 2026 ranks the 15 fastest growing industries by percent change in wage and salary employment. Review the full release on the BLS Economics Daily page.
| Rank | Industry | Projected change 2024-2034 | Added jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Solar electric power generation | 180.2% | 30,400 |
| 2 | Wind electric power generation | 81.4% | 9,200 |
| 3 | Geothermal electric power generation | 41.4% | 500 |
| 4 | Other electric power generation | 32.9% | 1,500 |
| 5 | Other electrical equipment and component manufacturing | 29.2% | 48,400 |
| 6 | Offices of mental health practitioners (except physicians) | 26.4% | 65,500 |
| 7 | Offices of physical, occupational and speech therapists, and audiologists | 23.3% | 114,800 |
| 8 | Services for the elderly and persons with disabilities | 21.0% | 528,500 |
| 9 | Computing infrastructure providers, data processing, web hosting, and related services | 20.3% | 97,900 |
| 10 | Outpatient mental health and substance abuse centers | 19.9% | 62,800 |
| 11 | Software publishers | 19.3% | 124,600 |
| 12 | Home healthcare services | 18.6% | 325,800 |
| 13 | Computer systems design and related services | 15.8% | 386,800 |
| 14 | Educational support services, local | 14.8% | 6,100 |
| 15 | Offices of all other health practitioners | 12.9% | 24,500 |
Renewable energy leads on percentage, not on volume
The four fastest growing industries all relate to power generation. Solar leads at 180.2 percent. Wind follows at 81.4 percent. Geothermal grows 41.4 percent but adds only 500 jobs. A high percentage on a small base signals momentum, not scale.
Health care follows an aging population
Three health care industries rank in the top 15 because of an aging population, according to the BLS summary. Services for the elderly and persons with disabilities add 528,500 jobs, the largest absolute gain in the table. Mental health practitioners and outpatient mental health centers also rank, which reflects demand for behavioral health care.
Technology grows on software, cloud, and AI demand
Computing infrastructure and data processing grow 20.3 percent. Software publishers grow 19.3 percent. Computer systems design grows 15.8 percent and adds 386,800 jobs. The BLS ties this growth to demand for software, cybersecurity, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence.
What Exploding Topics adds to the picture
Employment projections look ten years ahead. Exploding Topics looks at what people search for today. Its business trends page, last updated June 16, 2026, lists rising topics with search growth figures.
| Trend | Growth figure on the page | Window |
|---|---|---|
| Synthetic data | 608% | 5 years |
| Remote patient monitoring | Over 100% | 5 years |
| Hybrid work | 525% or more | 5 years |
| Remote hiring | 345% | 5 years |
| TikTok ads | 1,329% | 5 years |
| Immersive technology | 744% | 10 years |
| 5G | 3,700% | 10 years |
| Circular economy | 111% | Since 2020 |
| E-commerce | About 71%, described as leveled off | Not stated |
Read the windows closely. Some figures cover five years and others cover ten. The page also does not explain how each percentage is calculated. Compare trends only when their windows match.
The same page cites third-party market forecasts. Generative AI shows a 40.8 percent compound annual growth rate from $22.21 billion in 2025 to $324.68 billion in 2033, according to Grand View Research as quoted by Exploding Topics. Treat forecasts as one publisher view, not as fact.
Exploding Topics pricing
The Exploding Topics pricing page lists three monthly plans with a 7-day free trial. Confirm current prices there before you subscribe.
| Plan | Monthly price | Tracked trends | Notable features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entrepreneur | $39 | 100 | Trends database, trending products, meta trends |
| Investor | $99 | 500 | Adds trending startups, trend forecasting, CSV export |
| Business | $249 | 2,000 | Adds trend reports |
Five filters to test any trend
A rising curve proves attention, not profit. Run every candidate through five filters before you spend money or build content.
| Filter | Question to ask | Reason to care |
|---|---|---|
| Consistency | Does growth continue across many months? | Separates shifts from spikes |
| Market size | Does the trend connect to a large budget or workforce? | A small niche can grow fast and stay small |
| Commercial intent | Do people search for tools, prices, or vendors? | Shows buyers moving toward purchase |
| Competition | Is the field crowded or open? | Shapes the entry strategy |
| Timing | Is growth early or already at peak chatter? | Early entry improves upside |
Consistency comes first. A topic rising for 12 to 24 months has a better chance of becoming an industry shift than a topic with one sharp week. Commercial intent comes next. A search for a definition shows learning. A search for pricing shows buying.
Match search trends to industry data
Search trends become useful when you map them to an industry with employment data. The mapping below shows the closest BLS industry for each trend. This pairing is a reading aid, not an official classification.
| Search trend | Closest BLS industry in the top 15 | What the pairing suggests |
|---|---|---|
| Remote patient monitoring | Home healthcare services | Care is moving toward the home |
| Synthetic data and generative AI | Software publishers | Software demand supports AI tooling |
| Hybrid work and remote hiring | Computer systems design and related services | Companies buy systems to run distributed teams |
| 5G and immersive technology | Computing infrastructure and data processing | Network and compute demand grows together |
When both sources agree, confidence rises. When search interest grows but no matching industry appears in the employment data, treat the trend as unproven.
How to verify a growth claim before you repeat the claim
Growth claims spread fast and decay slowly. A single unsourced percentage can circulate for years. Verify each claim with a short checklist before you publish or invest.
- Find the original publisher. Prefer government agencies, vendor help pages, and primary datasets over blog summaries.
- Read the time window. A five-year figure and a ten-year figure answer different questions.
- Check the base year. Growth from a tiny base looks dramatic and may add few jobs or dollars.
- Note the publication date. A figure from two years ago may no longer describe the market.
- Confirm the metric. Jobs, revenue, and search volume are not interchangeable.
Name the source next to every figure. Readers then confirm the number on the official page without guessing. Update each figure when the publisher releases a new edition.
A monthly process for acting on early signals
- Save 10 to 15 rising topics from Exploding Topics.
- Group the topics into industries instead of single keywords.
- Find the closest BLS industry for each group and note the projected growth.
- Score each group on the five filters.
- Place weak scorers on a watchlist and review them next month.
- Pick one low-risk test for each strong scorer, such as a landing page, a buyer interview, or a vendor map.
Keep the routine short. A process you repeat monthly beats a perfect analysis you run once.
Common mistakes when reading growth data
- Confusing percent with scale. Geothermal power grows 41.4 percent and adds only 500 jobs.
- Mixing windows. A five-year search figure and a ten-year search figure do not compare.
- Trusting a single forecast. Market size estimates vary by publisher and method.
- Chasing peak chatter. Entry after mass coverage leaves little upside.
- Skipping official sources. Employment data corrects search hype.
FAQ
What is the fastest growing industry in the United States?
By projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034, solar electric power generation ranks first at 180.2 percent, according to the BLS. Services for the elderly and persons with disabilities add the most jobs at 528,500.
Does a high percentage mean a large industry?
No. Percent change depends on the starting size. Geothermal power grows 41.4 percent and adds 500 jobs, while home healthcare services grow 18.6 percent and add 325,800 jobs.
How does Exploding Topics find trends?
The tool says its algorithm monitors millions of unstructured data points to spot trends early. The business trends page does not publish the exact growth calculation. Review the methodology page on the Exploding Topics site for details.
Is Exploding Topics free?
The pricing page lists paid plans from $39 per month with a 7-day free trial. Check the official page for current terms.
Should I rely on search growth alone?
No. Search growth shows attention. Combine search growth with employment data, buyer intent, and competition checks before you commit money.
Conclusion
Fast growing industries show up in two places. Employment projections reveal where work is expanding. Search data reveals where attention is moving. Use both, test each trend with the five filters, and act on one low-risk experiment at a time. Verify every figure on the BLS and Exploding Topics pages before you publish or invest.
