• Swindon & Wiltshire Economy
• Tuesday January 27 2026

Living standards in Bristol rise more than twice as fast as most of UK

Living standards in Bristol have rose twice as fast as in most towns and cities across the UK between 2013 and 2023, according to a new report.

The Cities Outlook report from the economic think tank Centre for Cities highlighted 11 places where disposable incomes had grown faster than the national average.

Cities including Bristol, Warrington, Barnsley and Brighton bucked the national trend of slow growth in living standards since 2013, when the UK economy started recovering from the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis.

As a group, the top-performing cities and towns experienced economic growth of 27 per cent between 2013 and 2023 – compared to 18.4 per cent nationally – and delivered total real-terms disposable income growth of 5.2 per cent, against an average of just 2.4 per cent.

Brighton topped the chart, with total economic growth of 38.3 per cent between 2013 and 2023. In third-placed London, where total economic growth for the decade was 18.9 per cent disposal income increased by 5.8 per cent.

At sixth, Bristol’s economy grew 31.4 per cent over the period, with disposal incomes growing by 4.6 per cent.

Some cities described as economic powerhouses actually saw disposable incomes shrink. In Cambridge, disposable income fell by three per cent. Had it matched the top performing places, residents would have been an average of £10,900 better off over the decade.

Disposable incomes shrank in Swindon

In Swindon, the economy grew by 19.9 per cent over the decade. But despite this, disposable incomes were down 2.7 per cent.

Andrew Carter, chief executive of Centre for Cities, said: “It is understandable that the Government has shifted its emphasis onto the cost of living in recent weeks, but ultimately it is stronger economic growth that raises household incomes.

“Without growth, cost-of-living fixes can only ever be temporary.

“Nationally, the last decade has delivered the same amount of growth in living standards as we typically experienced in a single year prior to 2008.

“As the Prime Minister has said, 2026 needs to be the year that ‘politics shows it can help again’. The test, at the end of this year, will be whether we are seeing more jobs, higher wages, and stronger local growth in more places across the country.”

Helen Godwin, mayor of the West of England, said: “Cities Outlook will help shape the future of places like Bristol and Bath. Transport is rightly highlighted as key to growth, and better connecting residents and businesses is crucial to enhancing people’s quality of life and further improving economic productivity.

“In the West, that will mean better buses, more trains and stations, and mass transit plans.”

“For the West of England, home to the strongest recent economic growth of any region and an ambitious ten-year Growth Strategy, this Centre for Cities report comes at an important time.

“With more decisions set to be made in the West Country rather than Westminster, our long-term economic development and investment must be guided by evidence like this to ensure that we can all see and feel the difference.”

And Cllr Tony Dyer, leader of Bristol City Council said: “The Cities Outlook highlights both the strengths and the challenges facing city regions like ours, and underlines why core cities like Bristol — as major drivers of regional productivity, innovation and growth — play such a critical role in the economic success of their wider regions.”

“Across the wider Bristol area, we have strong industries, good jobs and a culture of innovation that continues to attract investment and drive growth for the West of England.

“But we also have to be honest about what the last decade has felt like for many people in Bristol.

“While living standards have improved in some parts of the city and region, other areas have seen deepening inequality, with rising costs and insecure work putting pressure on many households.

“As the West’s core city, Bristol needs to be at the heart of our region’s growth agenda.

“As such, we are working with partners across the West of England to deliver the region’s Growth Strategy and improve transport, housing and skills so that more people can benefit from the opportunities our region’s economy creates.

“Bristol’s own Economic Strategy: Fair, Green and Thriving sets out our vision for how we will turn that regional growth into meaningful change for people and communities across the city.”