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Comparing 4 cities
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| Metric | London Global capital. Global demand. Long-term capital. | Birmingham Second city. First-rate growth fundamentals. | Nottingham Student capital. Commuter-belt upside. | Sheffield Undervalued, under-supplied, outperforming. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross yield range | 3.5–5.5% | 5–6.8% | 6–9% | 6.5–8.5% |
| Entry price | £320,000–£1,250,000 | £180,000–£410,000 | £125,000–£250,000 | £135,000–£260,000 |
| Population forecast | 9.6m by 2030 | 1.2m by 2030 | 345,000 by 2030 | 600,000 by 2030 |
| Price growth forecast | +13.9% (2024-29) | +19.9% (2024-29) | +17.2% (2024-29) | +18.6% (2024-29) |
| Rental growth forecast | +15.1% (2024-28) | +18.4% (2024-28) | +16.4% (2024-28) | +17.2% (2024-28) |
| New homes pipeline | 37,000 pa (vs 340k need) | 17,000 (Smithfield alone) | 3,800 new homes (5-yr) | 5,500 new homes (5-yr) |
| Universities | 40+ universities | 5 universities | 2 universities | 2 universities |
| Student population | 420,000+ students | 80,000+ students | 65,000 students | 60,000 students |
| City-centre businesses | — | — | — | — |
| Median age | 35 years (lowest in England); inner-east boroughs 30–32 | 33.7 years (ONS 2024) | 31 years (second-youngest LA in UK) | 40 years S1 (younger than city avg 40.9) |
| Private renters | 30% London-wide; 40%+ in Tower Hamlets, Hackney, Newham | 22.6% citywide; 29.4% in B1 | ~30% citywide PRS; NG1 materially higher | 18.9% private rented S1 |
| Graduate retention | 77% (highest in UK, Centre for Cities) | 41% (Savills 2024) | University of Nottingham #1 UK for graduate employment (HESA 2024) | 42% |
| Household income | £79,555 GDHI per head Westminster + City (ONS 2023) | £28,648 avg salary B1 | £40,400 avg salary citywide | £28,276 avg salary S1 |
| Target tenant | City and Canary Wharf finance and tech professionals, global graduates on 3–5 year stints, international students. East End regeneration zones pick up priced-out millennials and key workers. | Young professionals 25–34 in legal, financial, HS2 and professional services. Five universities add a strong graduate pipeline. Asian professional demographic particularly prominent in Colmore Row and Brindleyplace postcodes. | Students and recent graduates from University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent (~70k combined), plus young professionals at Boots, Experian, Capital One and Games Workshop renting in Lace Market, Island Quarter and Waterside. | 67,000 students across University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam, plus young professionals in advanced manufacturing, digital and healthcare renting in Kelham Island, Heart of the City and Devonshire Quarter. |
| Top regen project | Old Kent Road Opportunity Area · £10bn+ | Paradise Birmingham · £1.2bn | Broad Marsh · £2bn programme | Heart of the City II · £470m |
| Regen pipeline | 4 major schemes | 4 major schemes | 4 major schemes | 4 major schemes |
| Key neighbourhoods | Canary Wharf & Docklands · Stratford & Olympic Park · Elephant & Castle · Woolwich & Abbey Wood | Digbeth · Jewellery Quarter · Snow Hill & Colmore Business District · Broad Street & Westside | Lace Market · The Park · Lenton & Dunkirk · Island Quarter | Kelham Island · Devonshire Quarter · Ecclesall Road (S11) · Attercliffe |
| Transport highlight | 6 international airports | New Street & Moor Street, 1h 22m to London | Nottingham Station, 1h 40m to London | Sheffield Station, 2h 06m to London |
| Full market brief → | Full market brief → | Full market brief → | Full market brief → |
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