11 UK Cities Doubled Income Growth in Last Decade

Residents in eleven UK cities are celebrating something rare: their wallets actually got heavier over the past decade.

Between 2013 and 2023, disposable income in cities like Brighton, Warrington, Bristol, and Barnsley grew by 5.2 percent. That's more than double the 2.4 percent national average during a tough decade for most British families.

Brighton led the pack with 8.1 percent income growth, while Warrington saw its economy expand by an impressive 41 percent. These aren't small differences—they translate to thousands of pounds more in residents' pockets each year.

The Centre for Cities think tank studied what made these places different. They found three key ingredients: strong local economies focused on growth, better transport and skills training to help people reach good jobs, and fewer barriers to building homes and businesses.

The numbers tell a powerful story. If all 63 of the UK's largest cities had matched this growth rate, residents would have earned an extra £3,200 on average over the decade. In Cambridge, where incomes actually fell by 3 percent, residents missed out on £10,900 compared to what they could have earned.

The Ripple Effect

The success of these cities shows something important: economic growth isn't just an abstract concept. When cities like Barnsley and Warrington create more jobs in sectors like life sciences, digital, and AI, the benefits spread beyond those industries.

Local businesses thrive when more people have money to spend. Schools improve when families can afford to stay in the area. Neighborhoods become safer and more vibrant as deprivation decreases.

Andrew Carter from Centre for Cities put it simply: "That isn't accidental—it is shaped by policy choices on skills, transport, housing, and support for businesses." The cities that grew focused on building stronger foundations rather than quick fixes.

The research arrives as the UK government wrestles with cost of living pressures. But these eleven cities prove that lasting change comes from growing opportunities, not just redistributing existing resources.

Their success offers a roadmap for other struggling areas: invest in people's skills, connect them to jobs through better transport, build enough housing so workers can afford to live nearby, and support businesses that create good-paying positions.

The real test comes in 2026, when officials will measure whether more cities have joined this growth story.