Two cities in West Sussex rank among Britain’s best cities for jobs in 2025: Crawley (#10) and Horsham (#12)

Finding the right place to build a career isn’t just about landing a job – it also requires a thriving business environment and competitive salaries with good purchasing power in the local economy. So, which are Britain’s top-performing cities for jobs and work opportunities in 2025?

Top-Performing Cities for Jobs & Opportunity in 2025

To uncover the best cities for jobs in 2025, CoworkingCafe analyzed Britain’s largest cities along metrics in three main categories: employment, business growth and housing affordability. The findings highlight a shifting dynamic in the work landscape, with mid-sized regional hubs emerging as top destinations for work, outperforming major urban centers.

Here are the key takeaways for Crawley:

• High employment rate: 83.8% of working-age residents are employed (#8 nationwide), reflecting a strong labour market. • Strong job market growth: Crawley saw a 16.5% year-over-year employment growth (#4), making it one of Britain’s fastest-growing employment hubs. • Solid job availability: With 125 job postings for every 10,000 working-age residents, Crawley offers great employment opportunities. • Local business environment: There are 60 total active businesses (with 10 or more employees) and 2.6 high-growth enterprises (that recorded at least a 20% employment growth throughout three years) for every 10,000 working-age residents. • Competitive salaries: The median annual earnings stand at £38,368, with an 11.4% year-over-year increase, the eighth-strongest wage growth nationwide. • Affordability challenges: Home prices average 10 times the median salary, while rents consume around 42% of the income, making housing less accessible despite good wages.

Key takeaways for Horsham:

• Strong employment market: 84.7% of working-age residents are employed, more compared to Crawley (#6 nationwide), maintaining a stable job market with an 8.5% year-over-year employment growth (#9). • Thriving business environment: Horsham has close to 81 active businesses (#10) and four high-growth enterprises (#11) for every 10,000 residents, supporting a diverse local economy. • Job availability: 70 job postings per 10,000 working-age residents. • Competitive salaries and wage growth: The median annual earnings stand at £41,643 (#11 nationwide), with an 11.4% year-over-year increase, reflecting strong income potential. • Affordability challenges: Home prices average 12.1 times the median salary (almost matching London), while rents consume 38.3% of the income.

National, regional and London findings:

• Nationally, Winchester, Warwick, and Stafford take the top three spots. • The South East and West Midlands lead Britain’s job market, with eight and four cities in the top 20, respectively, excelling in employment, business growth, and earnings. • London’s strong business environment keeps it competitive, ranking 11th overall, despite high living costs.

You can read the full study here:  https://www.coworkingcafe.com/blog/best-cities-for-jobs-in-great-britain/.