Overview
York is a historic city with a strong professional services and financial sector alongside significant tourism and chocolate manufacturing heritage.
The median salary in York is £31,000 per year. With a cost of living index of 70/100 (London = 100) and average rents of £900/month, residents typically retain £23,400 per year in real spending power after rent — an important figure that headline salaries don't reveal.
Cost of Living: York vs UK Cities
Cost of living index where London = 100. Lower score = more affordable. York is highlighted.
London
100
Edinburgh
79
Bristol
78
Manchester
72
Leeds
70
Birmingham
68
Cardiff
66
Liverpool
65
Sheffield
63
Newcastle
61
Best Paying Jobs in York
Full city salary breakdown coming soon. Browse all UK salary guides →
York Job Market at a Glance
| Median Annual Salary | £31,000 |
| Cost of Living Index | 70/100 |
| Average Rent (1 bed) | £900/mo |
| Real Take-Home After Rent | £23,400/yr |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.5% |
| Job Growth (YoY) | ↑ 3.8% |
| Population | 210,000 |
Top Industries in York
Tourism
Healthcare
Financial Services
Education
Railway
Major Employers in York
NHS
Aviva
Nestlé
Network Rail
University of York
Compare York with Other Cities
Data Sources
ONS Regional Stats 2026
HMRC PAYE Data
Rightmove Rental Index
Numbeo UK
Reed.co.uk