Going it alone and starting up your own business is no easy feat and many business owners find their dreams going up in smoke not long after things have got off the ground.
There are a number of factors that determine whether a start-up will be successful including luck and location.
We’ve broken down some of the UK’s biggest towns and cities based on four factors to determine which could be amongst the best to launch a start-up.
- Five-Year Start-Up Survival Rate
- Self-Employed Rate
- Annual Salary (Full Time)
- Average City Centre Office Rent per sq ft
Overall Top Ten
| City/Town | Startup Survival Rate (%) | Self-Employed Rate (%) | Annual Salary | Average Office Rent |
| Oxford | 48.6 | 9.2 | £32,416 | £22.00 |
| Brighton | 45.9 | 15 | £30,274 | £27.00 |
| Huddersfield | 45.1 | 11.7 | £26,324 | £13.50 |
| Aldershot | 46.5 | 13.5 | £29,466 | £27.50 |
| Warrington | 45.9 | 10.4 | £28,036 | £17.50 |
| Reading | 48.9 | 10.5 | £32,234 | £36.50 |
| Bournemouth | 41.4 | 12.7 | £27,771 | £16.00 |
| Bristol | 43.8 | 11.5 | £30,362 | £28.50 |
| Northampton | 45.9 | 8.8 | £25,275 | £14.50 |
| Swindon | 44.4 | 8.2 | £28,847 | £18.50 |
Overall Bottom Ten
| City/Town | Startup Survival Rate (%) | Self-Employed Rate (%) | Annual Salary | Average Office Rent |
| Nottingham | 41.2 | 7 | £23,503 | £19.50 |
| Hull | 41 | 5.8 | £23,085 | £16.00 |
| Liverpool | 38.6 | 7.4 | £25,863 | £21.50 |
| Manchester | 38.9 | 8.8 | £25,000 | £35.00 |
| Doncaster | 37.5 | 7.9 | £24,748 | £14.00 |
| Glasgow | 38.3 | 8.5 | £27,121 | £30.00 |
| Stoke | 38.2 | 8 | £23,737 | £12.50 |
| Birmingham | 39 | 9.1 | £26,686 | £32.50 |
| Preston | 40.2 | 7.2 | £24,729 | £10.00 |
| Sunderland | 41.2 | 6.6 | £24,951 | £12.50 |
Best Start-Up Survival Rates
If you fancy your chances as a start-up entrepreneur, you may want to consider one of the below, all of which have healthy survival rates across a five-year period.
| City/Town | Startup Survival Rate (%) |
| Aberdeen | 53.5 |
| Reading | 48.9 |
| York | 48.9 |
| Oxford | 48.6 |
| Cambridge | 48.6 |
Lowest Start-Up Survival Rates
If, on the other hand, you're considering launching a business in one of the below; you may want to consider the support network and opportunities which surround you; looking slightly further afield. Why? These 5 towns and cities have the lowest start-up survival rates in the UK.
| City/Town | Startup Survival Rate (%) |
| Dundee | 37.3 |
| Doncaster | 37.5 |
| Blackpool | 37.6 |
| Newport | 38 |
| Stoke | 38.2 |
Highest Self-Employed Rate
If you're wanting to ensure you're surrounded by like-minded entrepreneurs in your local area, the following towns and cities have the highest percentage of self-employed in the UK. There's a few surprises in there too!
| City/Town | Self-Employed Rate (%) |
| London | 17.4 |
| Brighton | 15 |
| Aldershot | 13.5 |
| Bournemouth | 12.7 |
| Huddersfield | 11.7 |
Lowest Self-Employed Rate
If it's peer-to-peer start-up support you're looking for, however, you may be best off looking at other entrepreneurial hubs in your local region, based upon the self-employment rates.
| City/Town | Self-Employed Rate (%) |
| Burnley | 5.6 |
| Hull | 5.8 |
| Newport | 6.3 |
| Blackburn | 6.6 |
| Sunderland | 6.6 |
Highest Annual Salary
Whilst you'll hopefully be launching the next Unicorn start-up, it's important to consider the local economy; understanding that higher average salaries typically mean businesses are able to afford to offer these (which typically means they're successful).
| City/Town | Annual Salary |
| London | £34,752 |
| Oxford | £32,416 |
| Reading | £32,234 |
| Cambridge | £32,214 |
| Milton Keynes | £31,205 |
Lowest Annual Salary
On the other hand, the following towns and cities have the lowest average annual salaries in the UK. This means you may be able to find cheaper labour in these regions.
| City/Town | Annual Salary |
| Leicester | £21,782 |
| Blackpool | £22,862 |
| Hull | £23,085 |
| Blackburn | £23,203 |
| Mansfield | £23,378 |
Lowest Average Office Rent
Who wants to be paying over the odds for office space as a start-up? Here's the average office rental per square foot in the cities with the lowest costs.
| City/Town | Average Office Rent |
| Preston | £10.00 |
| Middlesbrough | £12.00 |
| Stoke | £12.50 |
| Sunderland | £12.50 |
| Telford | £13.50 |
Highest Average Office Rent
Here are the cities to watch out for with higher than average office rent payments...
| City/Town | Average Office Rent |
| London | £70.00 |
| Reading | £36.50 |
| Manchester | £35.00 |
| Cambridge | £34.00 |
| Birmingham | £32.50 |
Sources:
https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/changestobusiness/businessbirthsdeathsandsurvivalrates https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/reports/lmp/la/1946157405/subreports/ea_compared/report.aspx?
