Reading has been named one of the top 10 towns and cities in the UK for job opportunities, according to a new study.
The study, conducted by HR software provider Ciphr, compared employment data for 100 of the UK’s most populated towns and cities to determine which locations offer local workers the best potential for job opportunities and good salaries.
Reading ranked tenth overall, with neighbouring Wokingham in 13th place. Winchester, Warrington, and St Albans took the top three spots on the list.
Locations were rated (out of 100) across multiple factors, such as average full-time earnings, annual pay growth, the latest employment and unemployment figures, employment rate growth, the number of job listings on Indeed, LinkedIn and Glassdoor (combined) per 10,000 local workers, and business density – or the number of businesses in the area.
Housing costs, as well as life satisfaction and happiness scores, were also considered to reflect the town or city’s affordability and its residents’ general level of wellbeing.
Reading scored well across multiple criteria. Full-time workers typically earn an above average £36,861 a year, according to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics.
The employment rate is also high and rising. In 2023, it increased by 9.5% to 86.1% – making it one of the highest employment rates nationwide (the UK average is 75.7%).
Analysis of job listings on Indeed, LinkedIn and Glassdoor in July also found that there were 727 job postings in Reading per 10,000 working-age residents (that’s nearly three times the UK average of 243 per 10,000).
Reading doesn’t score as competitively for housing affordability though. Rental properties cost £1,150 a month – accounting for over a third (37%) of full-time pay. While, according to Rightmove, properties sold for £421,837 in the last year – that’s 11.4 times a full-time worker’s earnings.
Based on Ciphr’s study, the top 15 UK towns and cities for job opportunities are:
Winchester
Warrington
St Albans
Chelmsford
Sevenoaks
Preston
Cheltenham
Guildford
Aberdeen
Reading
Bedford
Solihull
Wokingham
Stafford
Stratford-upon-Avon
The full results are available to view and search at www.ciphr.com/infographics/best-uk-cities-for-job-opportunities-2024
