Industry Hotspots Mapped: The Best Places To Live For Jobs In The UK
Relocating can be a boon to your career – if you choose the right city! A recent survey has shown that over half of those who relocate to a prime location for their industry feel more positive about their career prospects, both in their current job and for the future.
When it comes to finding the best place to live for jobs in your chosen field, you’ll want to find the city most known for its job opportunities, growing businesses, and innovative culture of learning and development.
We compared the stats on the biggest UK cities and their specialisms in different sectors — with London only coming out top for one of the industries we researched! Read on to learn the UK hotspots for different industries to help you plan the best spot for your next career (and house) move.
Finance
Move aside London: Manchester is the best place to live for finance jobs
When you think of finance, an image of the City of London and its well-dressed financiers may come to mind. However, our research shows Manchester is the best place to live for finance jobs, with London a close second. With giants like Barclays and AXA taking root in Manchester, the city now has 9,473 live job listings and 3,801 businesses in the sector.
| Ranking | City | Population |
Job Listings |
University Courses |
Total Businesses in Sector |
New Businesses (Past 12 Months) |
Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester | 395,515 | 9,473 | 15 | 3,801 | 581 | 27,194 |
| 2 | London | 7,556,900 | 56,436 | 279 | 57,933 | 11534 | 28,005 |
| 3 | Birmingham | 984,333 | 9,714 | 32 | 2,324 | 393 | 33,790 |
| 4 | Nottingham | 729,977 | 5,912 | 20 | 1,714 | 214 | 40,459 |
| 5 | Bristol | 617,280 | 5,550 | 16 | 2,209 | 273 | 41,232 |
| 6 | Leicester | 508,916 | 6,470 | 13 | 1,524 | 215 | 41,927 |
| 7 | Glasgow | 591,620 | 4,151 | 14 | 2,230 | 342 | 44,396 |
| 8 | Sheffield | 685,368 | 4,362 | 16 | 1,217 | 204 | 46,915 |
| 9 | Liverpool | 864,122 | 5,045 | 20 | 1,630 | 279 | 47,005 |
| 10 | Leeds | 455,123 | 6,760 | 10 | 2,011 | 322 | 47,219 |
| 11 | Edinburgh | 464,990 | 4,462 | 6 | 1,822 | 205 | 80,126 |
Legal
We’ve reached our verdict: London is the best place for legal professionals
Home to some of the best law firms in the world, including the prestigious Magic Circle firms, it’s no surprise that solicitors, barristers and law students alike flock to London. There are more job opportunities, law firms and university courses per person in the capital than anywhere else in the UK.
Over the past year, 361 new law firms have been established in London — over 12 times the amount of any other location we looked at — making it the best place to find legal jobs. And with 234 university courses, it’s the best place for law students too.
| Ranking | City | Population |
Job Listings |
University Courses |
Total Businesses in Sector |
New Businesses (Past 12 Months) |
Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | London | 7,556,900 | 26,428 | 234 | 1850 | 361 | 57,598 |
| 2 | Birmingham | 984,333 | 5,546 | 48 | 126 | 30 | 61,308 |
| 3 | Glasgow | 591,620 | 2,311 | 43 | 65 | 11 | 76,900 |
| 4 | Leicester | 508,916 | 3,158 | 15 | 52 | 12 | 86,285 |
| 5 | Leeds | 455,123 | 3,967 | 25 | 40 | 8 | 86,588 |
| 6 | Manchester | 395,515 | 5,635 | 6 | 149 | 21 | 87,478 |
| 7 | Bristol | 617,280 | 3,600 | 14 | 87 | 10 | 113,086 |
| 8 | Nottingham | 729,977 | 3,215 | 25 | 66 | 9 | 121,595 |
| 9 | Liverpool | 864,122 | 2,875 | 35 | 83 | 9 | 131,414 |
| 10 | Sheffield | 685,368 | 2,832 | 11 | 74 | 9 | 147,962 |
| 11 | Edinburgh | 464,990 | 2,461 | 19 | 28 | 3 | 196,266 |
IT
Manchester is the Silicon Valley of the UK
The South East might once have been known as the UK’s tech hub, but our data shows that Manchester is leading the way for IT opportunities in the UK. 328 new IT businesses have sprouted over the past 12 months, at a colossal 27% year-on-year growth rate. And with renowned international brands like Microsoft, Google and IBM calling Manchester home, it’s been named the UK’s Top Digital Tech City and is one of the best places to live for IT jobs.
| Ranking | City | Population |
Job Listings |
University Courses |
Total Businesses in Sector |
New Businesses (Past 12 Months) |
Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester | 395,515 | 2,481 | 51 | 2,638 | 328 | 9,270 |
| 2 | Glasgow | 591,620 | 1,305 | 71 | 1,264 | 172 | 12,694 |
| 3 | Birmingham | 984,333 | 2,843 | 110 | 1,490 | 228 | 14,273 |
| 4 | Leeds | 455,123 | 1,985 | 28 | 1,620 | 188 | 19,185 |
| 5 | London | 7,556,900 | 11,377 | 432 | 36,981 | 8,907 | 19,210 |
| 6 | Edinburgh | 464,990 | 1,431 | 28 | 1,244 | 161 | 20,194 |
| 7 | Nottingham | 729,977 | 1,825 | 51 | 1,155 | 112 | 21,863 |
| 8 | Sheffield | 685,368 | 1,430 | 55 | 707 | 82 | 22,268 |
| 9 | Leicester | 508,916 | 2,025 | 25 | 1,071 | 118 | 25,396 |
| 10 | Liverpool | 864,122 | 1,520 | 48 | 702 | 138 | 26,064 |
| 11 | Bristol | 617,280 | 1,628 | 19 | 1,656 | 182 | 36,632 |
Architecture
Edinburgh is the UK’s top architecture hub
As a beautifully-preserved UNESCO World Heritage Site with charming Georgian buildings, cobbled streets and even a castle, it’s no wonder architects feel inspired by the Scottish capital. The University of Edinburgh proudly displays this fact to those interested in a spot on one of their esteemed architecture courses, and the city offers a vast quantity of job opportunities (2,865 listings) relative to its population.
| Ranking | City | Population |
Job Listings |
University Courses |
Total Businesses in Sector |
New Businesses (Past 12 Months) |
Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Edinburgh | 464,990 | 2,865 | 12 | 138 | 17 | 69,633 |
| 2 | Nottingham | 729,977 | 1,335 | 18 | 150 | 23 | 77,706 |
| 3 | Leeds | 455,123 | 1,488 | 12 | 100 | 10 | 88,296 |
| 4 | Sheffield | 685,368 | 1,202 | 16 | 128 | 13 | 101,481 |
| 5 | Birmingham | 984,333 | 1,918 | 17 | 173 | 26 | 101,964 |
| 6 | Bristol | 617,280 | 1,494 | 9 | 189 | 18 | 106,559 |
| 7 | Liverpool | 864,122 | 1,254 | 12 | 121 | 21 | 120,989 |
| 8 | London | 7,556,900 | 8,684 | 69 | 3,721 | 564 | 125,820 |
| 9 | Manchester | 395,515 | 2,080 | 2 | 240 | 27 | 214,244 |
| 10 | Glasgow | 591,620 | 1,123 | 3 | 171 | 23 | 226,916 |
| 11 | Leicester | 508,916 | 1,393 | 3 | 81 | 8 | 239,901 |
Healthcare
Glasgow is the top UK city for healthcare
Scotland is an epicentre for life sciences, with a huge range of jobs and businesses in pharma, health tech and healthcare. As Scotland’s largest city, there are plenty of opportunities for healthcare professionals in Glasgow — including 5,849 jobs across 582 businesses — and the city is receiving £90 million in funding to support new projects and research.
| Ranking | City | Population |
Job Listings |
University Courses |
Total Businesses in Sector |
New Businesses (Past 12 Months) |
Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glasgow | 591,620 | 5,849 | 25 | 582 | 110 | 30,161 |
| 2 | Nottingham | 729,977 | 10,341 | 17 | 867 | 169 | 48,172 |
| 3 | Leeds | 455,123 | 9,961 | 10 | 635 | 191 | 48,658 |
| 4 | Manchester | 395,515 | 12,423 | 7 | 2140 | 335 | 57,899 |
| 5 | Birmingham | 984,333 | 15,219 | 17 | 1732 | 380 | 61,125 |
| 6 | Bristol | 617,280 | 6,850 | 9 | 801 | 190 | 72,696 |
| 7 | Liverpool | 864,122 | 13,395 | 10 | 771 | 168 | 92,741 |
| 8 | Edinburgh | 464,990 | 4,914 | 5 | 321 | 86 | 99,948 |
| 9 | Sheffield | 685,368 | 7,282 | 7 | 627 | 125 | 104,580 |
| 10 | London | 7,556,900 | 41,916 | 64 | 11516 | 2948 | 121,476 |
| 11 | Leicester | 508,916 | 7,845 | 3 | 866 | 215 | 172,658 |
Advertising
Spread the news: Manchester is the UK’s top advertising hub
Manchester is home to MediaCityUK, a digital hub where media behemoths like the BBC and ITV congregate. Offering a wealth of advertising jobs from 574 businesses (and growing at a 28% year-on-year rate), Manchester is a top choice for advertisers looking to fast-track their careers.
| Ranking | City | Population |
Job Listings |
University Courses |
Total Businesses in Sector |
New Businesses (Past 12 Months) |
Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester | 395,515 | 4,421 | 5 | 574 | 126 | 83,021 |
| 2 | Leeds | 455,123 | 3,381 | 5 | 208 | 58 | 101,194 |
| 3 | Birmingham | 984,333 | 4,091 | 10 | 319 | 89 | 112,820 |
| 4 | Sheffield | 685,368 | 2,723 | 7 | 114 | 29 | 127,807 |
| 5 | Nottingham | 729,977 | 2,890 | 6 | 156 | 37 | 146,324 |
| 6 | London | 7,556,900 | 31,213 | 44 | 7,134 | 1959 | 176,907 |
| 7 | Glasgow | 591,620 | 1,856 | 2 | 207 | 48 | 311,312 |
| 8 | Bristol | 617,280 | 2,573 | 2 | 209 | 33 | 330,539 |
| 9 | Edinburgh | 464,990 | 1,994 | 1 | 138 | 33 | 482,683 |
| 10 | Leicester | 508,916 | 3,088 | 1 | 151 | 42 | 524,568 |
| 11 | Liverpool | 864,122 | 2,701 | 0 | 185 | 45 | 8,665,414 |
Engineering
Manchester is the UK’s best place for engineering jobs
Manchester has long been known for pioneering the engineering industry thanks to achievements such as the first ‘true’ canal and the first intercity railway station. With over 1,100 businesses in the sector and 67 different higher education courses on offer, Manchester continues to dominate the engineering space.
| Ranking | City | Population |
Job Listings |
University Courses |
Total Businesses in Sector |
New Businesses (Past 12 Months) |
Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester | 395,515 | 17,506 | 67 | 1,108 | 158 | 8,786 |
| 2 | Leeds | 455,123 | 14,849 | 67 | 476 | 92 | 12,727 |
| 3 | Glasgow | 591,620 | 10,750 | 73 | 890 | 146 | 12,876 |
| 4 | Birmingham | 984,333 | 23,252 | 145 | 785 | 155 | 14,435 |
| 5 | Nottingham | 729,977 | 15,440 | 112 | 682 | 93 | 15,484 |
| 6 | Liverpool | 864,122 | 12,070 | 71 | 673 | 122 | 20,609 |
| 7 | Bristol | 617,280 | 13,946 | 45 | 491 | 101 | 21,130 |
| 8 | London | 7,556,900 | 62,532 | 476 | 7,738 | 1,738 | 21,321 |
| 9 | Edinburgh | 464,990 | 11,007 | 32 | 422 | 52 | 24,617 |
| 10 | Leicester | 508,916 | 16,910 | 42 | 343 | 41 | 26,043 |
| 11 | Sheffield | 685,368 | 12,855 | 103 | 401 | 13.3 | 59,948 |
Find a home in one of the country’s top industry hotspots
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Sources & Method
Job listings data was sourced from Indeed and LinkedIn and is based on listings available in April 2022.
The number of university courses was sourced from UCAS.
Company data was sourced from Companies House and is based on businesses registered since January 2010.
Population data was sourced from World Population Review.
By weighting scores for each factor relative to the population of each city, we calculated total scores whereby a higher number indicates less opportunity (i.e. more people per opportunity) and a lower number means more opportunity (i.e. less people competing per opportunity).