City Comparison · 2026

Milton Keynes vs Northampton 2026

South East England

Milton Keynes

Median Salary £38,500

Cost of Living 78/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £1,100/mo

Real Take-Home £26,800/yr

Job Growth ↑ 5.5%

Unemployment 3.2%

East Midlands

Northampton

Median Salary £30,000

Cost of Living 66/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £750/mo

Real Take-Home £23,500/yr

Job Growth ↑ 3.5%

Unemployment 4.8%

Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary

Milton Keynes

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

Best for Affordability

Northampton

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

Highest Headline Salary

Milton Keynes

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

Lowest Rent

Northampton

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

Best for Career Growth

Milton Keynes

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

Best Overall Value

Milton Keynes

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

Top Salaries: Milton Keynes vs Northampton

Milton Keynes

Milton Keynes is one of the UK's fastest growing cities with a strong business services and technology sector.

Full Milton Keynes Guide →

Northampton

Northampton has excellent logistics connections and a strong financial services sector driven by Barclays and other financial firms.

Full Northampton Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Milton Keynes

Browse live Milton Keynes vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Milton Keynes Jobs →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Northampton

Browse live Northampton vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Northampton Jobs →

More Comparisons

London vs Milton Keynes

£52,800 vs £38,500

Compare →

London vs Northampton

£52,800 vs £30,000

Compare →

London vs Milton Keynes

£52,800 vs £38,500

Compare →

Manchester vs Milton Keynes

£36,500 vs £38,500

Compare →

Manchester vs Northampton

£36,500 vs £30,000

Compare →

Manchester vs Milton Keynes

£36,500 vs £38,500

Compare →

All City Comparisons →