Economy, jobs and prices in East Midlands, United Kingdom: official figures

Gross domestic product in the East Midlands was £32,064 per resident in 2024 at current prices, 2nd lowest of 9 English regions and below the UK figure of £41,627.

GDP per head

£32,064

2024

Gross disposable household income per head

£22,761

2024

Gross median weekly pay (residents)

£606

2025

Is the economy of the East Midlands growing?

After removing inflation, output per head in the East Midlands grew by 0.6% between 2014 and 2024, against 7.8% for England as a whole.

Source: Office for National Statistics · saved copy

What is the average household income in the East Midlands?

Households in the East Midlands had £22,761 of disposable income per person in 2024 after taxes and benefits, 85.9% of the English average (£26,490) and 5th highest of 9 regions.

Source: Office for National Statistics · saved copy

What is the average salary in the East Midlands?

The median full-time and part-time employee living in the East Midlands earned £606 a week before tax in April 2025 (ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings), 3rd lowest of 9 regions; England's median was £648. Weekly pay has risen 51.1% since 2015.

Source: Office for National Statistics · saved copy

What is the unemployment rate in the East Midlands?

75.5% of people aged 16 to 64 in the East Midlands were in work in 2023 (4th highest of 9 regions), while the modelled unemployment rate was 3.7% (England: 76.0% and 3.7%).

Source: Office for National Statistics · saved copy

How productive is the East Midlands?

Each hour worked in the East Midlands produced £35.61 of gross value added in 2023, the least productive of 9 English regions (England £42.39).

Source: Office for National Statistics · saved copy

How many businesses are there in the East Midlands?

The East Midlands had 188,020 active businesses in 2024, 7.5% of England's total; new firms were 10.6% of the stock that year and 51.3% of businesses born in 2021 were still trading three years later.

Source: Office for National Statistics · saved copy

How much does the East Midlands export?

Exports of goods and services from the East Midlands were worth £42.4 billion in 2023, and foreign companies held £61.5 billion of direct investment there in 2024 (3.1% of England's inward FDI).

Source: Office for National Statistics · saved copy

How many jobs are there in the East Midlands?

There were 0.79 jobs for every resident aged 16 to 64 in the East Midlands in 2024 (England 0.86), and businesses spent £2,183 million on research and development there in 2024.

Source: Office for National Statistics · saved copy

How East Midlands compares with other region of Englands

GDP per head (current prices) (2024)

East Midlands ranks 8 of 9, highest first. The 9 regions of England only; Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are compared on their own pages.

Rank	Region	GDP per head (current prices)
3	South West	£37,769
4	East of England	£36,942
5	North West	£36,926
6	Yorkshire and the Humber	£34,041
7	West Midlands	£33,969
8	East Midlands	£32,064
9	North East	£29,957

Source: Office for National Statistics · saved copy

Gross median weekly pay, residents (2025)

East Midlands ranks 7 of 9, highest first. The 9 regions of England only; Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are compared on their own pages.

Rank	Region	Gross median weekly pay, residents
3	East of England	£671
4	West Midlands	£620
5	North West	£616
6	South West	£614
7	East Midlands	£606
8	Yorkshire and the Humber	£600
9	North East	£578

Source: Office for National Statistics · saved copy

Gross disposable household income per head (2024)

East Midlands ranks 5 of 9, highest first. The 9 regions of England only; Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are compared on their own pages.

Rank	Region	Gross disposable household income per head
2	South East	£29,577
3	East of England	£26,795
4	South West	£25,924
5	East Midlands	£22,761
6	North West	£22,523
7	West Midlands	£22,064
8	Yorkshire and the Humber	£21,913

Source: Office for National Statistics · saved copy

Employment rate, ages 16 to 64 (2023)

East Midlands ranks 4 of 9, highest first. The 9 regions of England only; Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are compared on their own pages.

Rank	Region	Employment rate, ages 16 to 64
1	South East	79.3%
2	South West	78.8%
3	East of England	77.5%
4	East Midlands	75.5%
5	West Midlands	75.2%
6	London	74.6%
7	Yorkshire and the Humber	74.2%

Source: Office for National Statistics · saved copy

GDP per head (£, current prices) (2024)

East Midlands ranks 10 of 12, highest first.

Rank	Region	GDP per head (£, current prices)
6	North West	£36,926
7	Northern Ireland	£35,108
8	Yorkshire and the Humber	£34,041
9	West Midlands	£33,969
10	East Midlands	£32,064
11	Wales	£31,484
12	North East	£29,957

Source: Office for National Statistics · saved copy

Gross disposable household income per head (£) (2024)

East Midlands ranks 6 of 12, highest first.

Rank	Region	Gross disposable household income per head (£)
3	East of England	£26,795
4	South West	£25,924
5	Scotland	£24,283
6	East Midlands	£22,761
7	North West	£22,523
8	Northern Ireland	£22,258
9	West Midlands	£22,064

Source: Office for National Statistics · saved copy

Median gross weekly pay of residents (£) (April 2025)

East Midlands ranks 8 of 12, highest first.

Rank	Region	Median gross weekly pay of residents (£)
5	West Midlands	£619.7
6	North West	£615.9
7	South West	£613.6
8	East Midlands	£605.9
9	Wales	£601.8
10	Yorkshire and the Humber	£600.0
11	Northern Ireland	£594.1

Source: Office for National Statistics · saved copy

Gross value added per hour worked (£) (2023)

East Midlands ranks 11 of 12, highest first.

Rank	Region	Gross value added per hour worked (£)
6	South West	£38.75
7	Northern Ireland	£36.88
8	Yorkshire and the Humber	£36.82
9	West Midlands	£36.02
10	North East	£35.82
11	East Midlands	£35.61
12	Wales	£35.15

Source: Office for National Statistics · saved copy

Employment rate, ages 16 to 64 (%) (2023)

East Midlands ranks 4 of 12, highest first.

Rank	Region	Employment rate, ages 16 to 64 (%)
1	South East	79.3%
2	South West	78.8%
3	East of England	77.5%
4	East Midlands	75.5%
5	West Midlands	75.2%
6	Scotland	74.7%
7	London	74.6%

Source: Office for National Statistics · saved copy

More on East Midlands: overview · health · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government budget · government and politics · the United Kingdom

Sources

Office for National Statistics: Explore Local Statistics: all datasets (116 indicators for UK local areas, regions and nations), spreadsheet generated 22 October 2026, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 ae2f3a7b3960…)

Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.