Home / Compare / Northampton vs Chelmsford
City Comparison · 2026

Northampton vs Chelmsford 2026

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%
VS
East of England
Chelmsford
Median Salary £35,000
Cost of Living 78/100
Avg Rent (1 bed) £1,100/mo
Real Take-Home £24,200/yr
Job Growth ↑ 4%
Unemployment 3.5%
Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary
Chelmsford
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
Chelmsford
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
Chelmsford
Higher job growth rate and more active job market for ambitious professionals.
Best Overall Value
Chelmsford
When salary, cost of living and rent are all considered together.

Top Salaries: Northampton vs Chelmsford

Northampton

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

Full Northampton Guide →

Chelmsford

Chelmsford is a major commuter city for London with strong professional services and technology sectors.

Full Chelmsford Guide →
Live Jobs

Jobs in Northampton

Browse live Northampton vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Northampton Jobs →
Live Jobs

Jobs in Chelmsford

Browse live Chelmsford vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Chelmsford Jobs →

More Comparisons

London vs Northampton
£52,800 vs £30,000
Compare →
London vs Chelmsford
£52,800 vs £35,000
Compare →
Manchester vs Northampton
£36,500 vs £30,000
Compare →
Manchester vs Chelmsford
£36,500 vs £35,000
Compare →
Birmingham vs Northampton
£33,200 vs £30,000
Compare →
Birmingham vs Chelmsford
£33,200 vs £35,000
Compare →
All City Comparisons →
Scroll to Top