North West: official statistics
The North West region stretches from Cumbria to Cheshire and includes the Greater Manchester and Liverpool city regions. It is made up of 35 local authority districts: the ten Greater Manchester boroughs, the five Merseyside boroughs, Lancashire's 12 districts plus Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool, Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester, Warrington and Halton, and Cumberland and Westmorland and Furness, the two councils that replaced Cumbria County Council in 2023. The ONS code is E12000002 and the figures below follow that boundary, as used in the ONS mid-year population estimates.
It is the third most populous English region after the South East and London. Labour market figures update from the ONS automatically; the others are the latest values read on 13 October 2026.
Figures from the ONS update automatically when a new release comes out; the others show the latest value when we last checked, with its period.
Industry mix: manufacturing, chemicals and retail
North West GVA was £255.1 billion in 2024 in the ONS balanced regional GVA tables. Manufacturing contributed 12.7% (UK 8.9%), with transport equipment at 2.8% (UK 1.2%), coke, refined petroleum and chemicals at 1.4% (UK 0.6%) and pharmaceuticals at 1.7% (UK 1.0%). Wholesale and retail trade was 11.2% of output and health and social work 10.7%, both above the UK shares of 9.4% and 8.5%.
Finance and insurance (5.2% against 8.0% nationally) and information and communication (4.2% against 6.1%) are smaller shares than in the UK as a whole. The national averages are pulled up by London, which produced 51% of UK finance and insurance GVA and 44% of information and communication GVA in 2024.
How the North West compares
GDP per head was £36,926 in 2024, fifth of the nine English regions and below the UK figure of £41,627 in the ONS regional GDP release. Real GDP grew 1.6% in 2024, joint fastest in England with the North East. Household disposable income per head was £22,523, or 86.7% of the UK level, in the ONS GDHI figures.
Median full-time pay for jobs located in the region was £37,361 in April 2025, up 6.2% on the year, the fastest rise among English regions in the provisional ASHE results. That is fourth highest in England, behind London, the South East and the East. For comparison with the devolved nations, see Welsh GDP and the Northern Ireland economy.
Labour market
In May to July 2026 the unemployment rate was 5.0%, the employment rate for 16 to 64 year olds 75.0% and the inactivity rate 21.1%, all within a point of the UK figures (4.9%, 75.1% and 20.9%). Employment was 1.7 points higher than a year earlier. The claimant count rate was 4.8% in August 2026.
Large differences sit underneath the regional average. The Nomis profile for the North West and its local authority versions break the figures down; for how the survey works, see how unemployment is calculated.
Housing costs
The average house price in July 2026 was £221,445, up 4.4% on a year earlier, the second fastest rise among English regions. Detached homes averaged £391,389 and terraced houses £178,738. Average private rent was £969 a month in August 2026, 5.8% higher than a year before.
For a single street or postcode, use sold house prices; the regional index smooths over very different markets in Manchester city centre, Merseyside and the Lake District.
Population and the biggest councils
The region had 7,772,854 residents at mid-2025, up 56,748 (0.7%) in a year, the fastest percentage growth of the nine English regions. Births (74,041) were slightly fewer than deaths (75,969); growth came from net international migration of 34,627 and a net gain of 23,771 people from the rest of the UK. Greater Manchester alone had 3,017,590 people. Manchester (588,256) and Liverpool (507,915) are the largest districts. The median age, 40.3, is slightly below England's 40.6.
Devolution: who covers which area
The Greater Manchester Combined Authority and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (the five Merseyside boroughs plus Halton) are established mayoral authorities, both with Integrated Settlements under the GOV.UK Mayoral Strategic Authority funding note. The Lancashire Combined County Authority is a foundation authority without a mayor. Cheshire and Warrington and Cumbria are on the Devolution Priority Programme; GOV.UK said in December 2025 that their first mayoral elections would take place in May 2027.
Questions about North West
What is the average salary in the North West?
Median full-time gross pay for jobs in the North West was £37,361 a year in April 2025 (£734.20 a week), according to provisional ONS ASHE data. That was 6.2% higher than a year earlier. Including part-time workers, the median was £31,489.
How many people live in the North West of England?
7,772,854 at mid-2025 (ONS). About 3.0 million of them live in Greater Manchester and 1.5 million in Merseyside.
What is the unemployment rate in the North West?
5.0% in May to July 2026, close to the UK rate of 4.9%. The employment rate was 75.0%. These update each month from the ONS Labour Force Survey.
What is the average house price in the North West?
£221,445 in July 2026 on the UK House Price Index, 4.4% higher than a year earlier.
What is the GDP per capita of the North West?
£36,926 in 2024 at current prices, fifth highest of the nine English regions, against £41,627 for the UK (ONS, 23 September 2026). Total regional GDP was £285.7 billion.
Related questions
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Official sources: ONS labour market in the regions of the UK · Nomis labour market profile: North West · ONS population estimates for England and Wales · ONS regional economic activity by GDP · Greater Manchester Combined Authority · Liverpool City Region Combined Authority · Lancashire Combined County Authority · GOV.UK: funding for Devolution Priority Programme areas
Other regions: East Midlands · East of England · London · North East · South East · South West · West Midlands · Yorkshire and the Humber