City Comparison · 2026

Derby vs Hereford 2026

East Midlands

Derby

Median Salary £31,500

Cost of Living 65/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £730/mo

Real Take-Home £24,200/yr

Job Growth ↑ 3.8%

Unemployment 4.8%

West Midlands

Hereford

Median Salary £27,500

Cost of Living 62/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £700/mo

Real Take-Home £22,100/yr

Job Growth ↑ 2.8%

Unemployment 4%

Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary

Derby

Best take-home pay after accounting for rent and cost of living.

Best for Affordability

Hereford

Lower cost of living index means your money goes further every day.

Highest Headline Salary

Derby

Higher median salary before cost of living is taken into account.

Lowest Rent

Hereford

More affordable average rents leave more of your salary in your pocket.

Best for Career Growth

Derby

Higher job growth rate and more active job market for ambitious professionals.

Best Overall Value

Derby

When salary, cost of living and rent are all considered together.

Top Salaries: Derby vs Hereford

Derby

Derby is a major aerospace and manufacturing hub. Rolls-Royce headquarters here makes it one of the UK's leading engineering cities.

Full Derby Guide →

Hereford

Hereford is a market city with a strong agricultural economy and the nearby SAS base driving defence sector employment.

Full Hereford Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Derby

Browse live Derby vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Derby Jobs →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Hereford

Browse live Hereford vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Hereford Jobs →

More Comparisons

London vs Derby

£52,800 vs £31,500

Compare →

London vs Hereford

£52,800 vs £27,500

Compare →

Manchester vs Derby

£36,500 vs £31,500

Compare →

Manchester vs Hereford

£36,500 vs £27,500

Compare →

Birmingham vs Derby

£33,200 vs £31,500

Compare →

Birmingham vs Hereford

£33,200 vs £27,500

Compare →

All City Comparisons →