Centre for Cities report reveals Greater Manchester as leading big UK city for growth and productivity

A report by think-tank, Centre for Cities, has highlighted how Greater Manchester is among the best performing cities in the UK for growth and productivity.

The organisation’s Big Cities Outlook report for 2026 sets out how the government can achieve its objectives of raising living standards ‘everywhere, felt by everyone’, focused on the UK’s largest cities and surrounding city-regions outside the capital: Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, and Sheffield. These cities are centres for the UK’s most productive industries and home to the greatest concentrations of skilled workers, while representing 15% of the UK economy, and 16% of its population.

Over the last decade, Manchester and the city-region have recorded a 19.7% increase in job growth, significantly above the UK average of 13.9%. Growth has also been supported by a strong commercial property sector, with a pipeline of high quality office space continuing to help attract and support business growth: there has been a 30% rise in the number of businesses in Manchester since 2015.

The city-region has been particularly recognised for its large and increasingly globally renowned knowledge economy (particularly the digital, fintech and research sectors) with 244,000 knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS) jobs located in the city, second only to London among big UK cities, and account for 17.6% of jobs in the city-region.

Nationally, the Centre for Cities also recognised the way large cities could support the UK’s housing shortages through a focus on increased density and better transport connectivity for residential areas. The think tank estimates that if housing density in Greater Manchester and the eight other large cities analysed in the report match levels in French and Japanese cities, it would increase housing stock by nearly 1 million homes. This recommendation mirrors housing strategies in Greater Manchester that are focused on higher-density town centre development, such as in Stockport, that is easily joined up with public transport.

Commenting on the Centre for Cities’ findings, Cllr Gavin White, Manchester City Council’s executive member for housing and regeneration, said:

“This report outlines the importance of Manchester’s economic growth to the success of the city region and indeed the wider north of England – and highlights that big cities play a crucial role in helping the UK thrive.

“Manchester has seen significant population growth in recent years, a testament to a global reputation and strong expansion across key sectors that have helped create tens of thousands of high-quality jobs in the last decade – helping to attract and retain a pool of world class talent.

“With this success comes high demand which is why we are helping to drive a strong supply of quality office space to support businesses to thrive and attract new global names to Manchester. While also creating a strong and diverse housing sector – including record numbers of social, Council and genuinely affordable homes being built in every part of our city.

“But we also know that far too many households still face high levels of deprivation and it’s vital that we continue to convert economic growth into better living standards for our residents. It’s our vision to make sure that we can create pathways to great jobs, alongside investment in our communities and transport link, that makes sure that everyone living in Manchester has the opportunity to share in the city’s success.”