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City Comparison · 2026

Portsmouth vs Northampton 2026

South East England
Portsmouth
Median Salary £31,500
Cost of Living 70/100
Avg Rent (1 bed) £850/mo
Real Take-Home £23,800/yr
Job Growth ↑ 3.6%
Unemployment 4.5%
VS
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
Portsmouth
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
Portsmouth
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
Portsmouth
Higher job growth rate and more active job market for ambitious professionals.
Best Overall Value
Portsmouth
When salary, cost of living and rent are all considered together.

Top Salaries: Portsmouth vs Northampton

Portsmouth

Portsmouth is a major naval base and maritime city with significant defence industry employment and two universities.

Full Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth

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Jobs in Northampton

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