City Comparison · 2026

Nottingham vs Bradford 2026

East Midlands

Nottingham

Median Salary £30,200

Cost of Living 64/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £720/mo

Real Take-Home £23,700/yr

Job Growth ↑ 3.4%

Unemployment 5.2%

West Yorkshire

Bradford

Median Salary £28,500

Cost of Living 60/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £650/mo

Real Take-Home £22,800/yr

Job Growth ↑ 3.2%

Unemployment 5.8%

Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary

Nottingham

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

Best for Affordability

Bradford

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

Highest Headline Salary

Nottingham

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

Lowest Rent

Bradford

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

Best for Career Growth

Nottingham

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

Best Overall Value

Nottingham

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

Top Salaries: Nottingham vs Bradford

Nottingham

Nottingham is a major retail and education centre in the East Midlands with growing bioscience and digital sectors.

Full Nottingham Guide →

Bradford

Bradford has the youngest average population of any UK city with a growing creative and digital sector alongside traditional manufacturing.

Full Bradford Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Nottingham

Browse live Nottingham vacancies on Reed right now.

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Live Jobs

Jobs in Bradford

Browse live Bradford vacancies on Reed right now.

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More Comparisons

London vs Nottingham

£52,800 vs £30,200

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London vs Bradford

£52,800 vs £28,500

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Manchester vs Nottingham

£36,500 vs £30,200

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Manchester vs Bradford

£36,500 vs £28,500

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Birmingham vs Nottingham

£33,200 vs £30,200

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Birmingham vs Bradford

£33,200 vs £28,500

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All City Comparisons →