Second only to London in terms of economic output, Manchester is the capital of the north.
It’s also the UK’s best city to live in according to The Economist magazine. Offering everything you’d expect from a modern global city, there are countless attributes that make it such a popular destination. The lifestyle, the prowess of its universities, its connectivity, the strength and diversity of its business community, the popularity of its football teams, to name but a few.
The city also stands to benefit from a number of infrastructure projects such as HS2 and the expansion of Manchester Airport. Put this all together and it’s easy to see why Manchester has enjoyed the fastest economic growth of any city outside of London in the last 20 years. A trend that is unlikely to abate any time soon.
> Best UK city to live in
(The Economist’s Global Liveability Index 2022)
> Greater Manchester’s GVA £71bn
(ONS)
> Fastest economic growth of any UK city outside of London in last 20 years
(ONS)
> Rental growth is forecast to hit 16.5% between 2021-25
(Savills)
> 51% graduate retention
(Centre for cities)
> More 25-29 year olds in the region than any other area of the UK
(ONS)
> Over 190 direct routes from Manchester Airport & 29.4 million journeys in 2019
(CAA)
With one of the largest student populations in Europe, Manchester is a great place to study and to start a career.
Boasting five higher education institutions, some 99,000 people, including 41,000 international students study across Greater Manchester. Even more impressive is the fact over 50% of the city’s students stay in Manchester on graduation. A better validation of both the quality of life and the career prospects the city has to offer would be hard to find.
University of Manchester
Part of the prestigious Russell Group of universities and the largest single-site university in the UK, Manchester University is the ranked the 28th best university in the world*.
19 mins Bus
10 mins Cycle
Manchester Metropolitan
The UK’s number 1 sustainable university^, Manchester Metropolitan is also home to the country’s second largest business school, triple accredited by EQUIS, AMBA & AACSB.
16 mins Bus
9 mins Cycle
University of Salford
Originally founded as The Royal Technical Institute in 1896, the University of Salford’s hands-on, industry-focused courses often feature live briefs, internships and placements.
13 mins Bus
9 mins Cycle
Royal Northern College of Music
Continually recognised as one of the world’s most forward-thinking conservatoires, the RNCM holds the highest available Gold ranking Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF).
18 mins Bus
11 mins Cycle
University Academy 92
Working with industry partners including Microsoft, KPMG and TalkTalk, UA92 has developed a unique curriculum inspired by business needs and personal development.
29 mins Tram
19 mins Cycle
*QS World University Rankings 2023: Top global universities.
^People and Plant University League 2021.
Once the heart of the industrial revolution, today Manchester is driving change through the tech, professional and scientific sectors.
Manchester is the largest UK city region economy outside of London, with a GVA of £71bn. Not to mention, a leading European business destination and the most successful UK city for attracting foreign direct investment after the capital.
About 40% of the businesses in the North West are located in Greater Manchester. What’s more, the amount of businesses has grown more than 40% in the last 10 years, with jobs up more than 8% in the last five years. In fact, jobs are growing at a faster pace compared with population growth.
A key factor in this commercial expansion is that a number of well-known businesses and organisations have decided to call Manchester home – including the BBC, BUPA, Freshfields, Siemens, ITV, Google, Amazon and Kellogg’s. Their vote of confidence has strengthened the city’s status in the UK and globally.
