Economy, jobs and prices in North East, United Kingdom: official figures
Gross domestic product in the North East was £29,957 per resident in 2024 at current prices, the lowest of 9 English regions and below the UK figure of £41,627.
Is the economy of the North East growing?
After removing inflation, output per head in the North East grew by 8.0% between 2014 and 2024, against 7.8% for England as a whole.
Source: Office for National Statistics · saved copyWhat is the average household income in the North East?
Households in the North East had £20,562 of disposable income per person in 2024 after taxes and benefits, 77.6% of the English average (£26,490) and the lowest of 9 regions.
Source: Office for National Statistics · saved copyWhat is the average salary in the North East?
The median full-time and part-time employee living in the North East earned £578 a week before tax in April 2025 (ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings), the lowest of 9 regions; England's median was £648. Weekly pay has risen 46.4% since 2015.
Source: Office for National Statistics · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate in the North East?
72.8% of people aged 16 to 64 in the North East were in work in 2023 (the lowest of 9 regions), while the modelled unemployment rate was 3.9% (England: 76.0% and 3.7%).
Source: Office for National Statistics · saved copyHow productive is the North East?
Each hour worked in the North East produced £35.82 of gross value added in 2023, 2nd least productive of 9 English regions (England £42.39).
Source: Office for National Statistics · saved copyHow many businesses are there in the North East?
The North East had 76,590 active businesses in 2024, 3.0% of England's total; new firms were 11.8% of the stock that year and 51.9% of businesses born in 2021 were still trading three years later.
Source: Office for National Statistics · saved copyHow much does the North East export?
Exports of goods and services from the North East were worth £22.1 billion in 2023, and foreign companies held £27.6 billion of direct investment there in 2024 (1.4% of England's inward FDI).
Source: Office for National Statistics · saved copyHow many jobs are there in the North East?
There were 0.73 jobs for every resident aged 16 to 64 in the North East in 2024 (England 0.86), and businesses spent £738 million on research and development there in 2024.
Source: Office for National Statistics · saved copyHow North East compares with other region of Englands
GDP per head (current prices) (2024)
North East ranks 9 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 |
Gross median weekly pay, residents (2025)
North East ranks 9 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 |
Gross disposable household income per head (2024)
North East ranks 9 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 9 | North East | £20,562 |
Employment rate, ages 16 to 64 (2023)
North East ranks 9 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| 8 | North West | 73.8% |
| 9 | North East | 72.8% |
GDP per head (£, current prices) (2024)
North East ranks 12 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 |
Gross disposable household income per head (£) (2024)
North East ranks 12 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Gross disposable household income per head (£) |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | East Midlands | £22,761 |
| 7 | North West | £22,523 |
| 8 | Northern Ireland | £22,258 |
| 9 | West Midlands | £22,064 |
| 10 | Yorkshire and the Humber | £21,913 |
| 11 | Wales | £21,469 |
| 12 | North East | £20,562 |
Median gross weekly pay of residents (£) (April 2025)
North East ranks 12 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Median gross weekly pay of residents (£) |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 12 | North East | £577.9 |
Gross value added per hour worked (£) (2023)
North East ranks 10 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 |
Employment rate, ages 16 to 64 (%) (2023)
North East ranks 12 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Employment rate, ages 16 to 64 (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Scotland | 74.7% |
| 7 | London | 74.6% |
| 8 | Yorkshire and the Humber | 74.2% |
| 9 | Wales | 74.1% |
| 10 | North West | 73.8% |
| 11 | Northern Ireland | 73.6% |
| 12 | North East | 72.8% |
More on North East: 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.