Economy, jobs and prices in North West, United Kingdom: official figures
Gross domestic product in the North West was £36,926 per resident in 2024 at current prices, 5th highest of 9 English regions and below the UK figure of £41,627.
Is the economy of the North West growing?
After removing inflation, output per head in the North West grew by 11.0% 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 West?
Households in the North West had £22,523 of disposable income per person in 2024 after taxes and benefits, 85.0% of the English average (£26,490) and 4th lowest of 9 regions.
Source: Office for National Statistics · saved copyWhat is the average salary in the North West?
The median full-time and part-time employee living in the North West earned £616 a week before tax in April 2025 (ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings), 5th highest of 9 regions; England's median was £648. Weekly pay has risen 54.0% since 2015.
Source: Office for National Statistics · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate in the North West?
73.8% of people aged 16 to 64 in the North West were in work in 2023 (2nd lowest of 9 regions), while the modelled unemployment rate was 3.8% (England: 76.0% and 3.7%).
Source: Office for National Statistics · saved copyHow productive is the North West?
Each hour worked in the North West produced £39.31 of gross value added in 2023, 4th most productive of 9 English regions (England £42.39).
Source: Office for National Statistics · saved copyHow many businesses are there in the North West?
The North West had 283,620 active businesses in 2024, 11.2% of England's total; new firms were 11.9% of the stock that year and 49.7% of businesses born in 2021 were still trading three years later.
Source: Office for National Statistics · saved copyHow much does the North West export?
Exports of goods and services from the North West were worth £68.5 billion in 2023, and foreign companies held £113.5 billion of direct investment there in 2024 (5.8% of England's inward FDI).
Source: Office for National Statistics · saved copyHow many jobs are there in the North West?
There were 0.82 jobs for every resident aged 16 to 64 in the North West in 2024 (England 0.86), and businesses spent £4,678 million on research and development there in 2024.
Source: Office for National Statistics · saved copyHow North West compares with other region of Englands
GDP per head (current prices) (2024)
North West 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 | GDP per head (current prices) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | South East | £43,178 |
| 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 |
Gross median weekly pay, residents (2025)
North West 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 median weekly pay, residents |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | South East | £678 |
| 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 |
Gross disposable household income per head (2024)
North West ranks 6 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 West 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 | 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 West ranks 6 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | GDP per head (£, current prices) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Scotland | £39,441 |
| 4 | South West | £37,769 |
| 5 | East of England | £36,942 |
| 6 | North West | £36,926 |
| 7 | Northern Ireland | £35,108 |
| 8 | Yorkshire and the Humber | £34,041 |
| 9 | West Midlands | £33,969 |
Gross disposable household income per head (£) (2024)
North West ranks 7 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Gross disposable household income per head (£) |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 10 | Yorkshire and the Humber | £21,913 |
Median gross weekly pay of residents (£) (April 2025)
North West ranks 6 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Median gross weekly pay of residents (£) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | East of England | £670.8 |
| 4 | Scotland | £642.9 |
| 5 | West Midlands | £619.7 |
| 6 | North West | £615.9 |
| 7 | South West | £613.6 |
| 8 | East Midlands | £605.9 |
| 9 | Wales | £601.8 |
Gross value added per hour worked (£) (2023)
North West ranks 5 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Gross value added per hour worked (£) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | South East | £45.22 |
| 3 | Scotland | £41.28 |
| 4 | East of England | £39.69 |
| 5 | North West | £39.31 |
| 6 | South West | £38.75 |
| 7 | Northern Ireland | £36.88 |
| 8 | Yorkshire and the Humber | £36.82 |
Employment rate, ages 16 to 64 (%) (2023)
North West ranks 10 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 West: 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.