Doncaster named as the best city in Yorkshire for working for small businesses

iwoca’s ‘Top 25 Towns & Cities for SME Jobs’ list ranks areas using ONS data on average wage, commute, job density, house price and growth of the number of small businesses - all criteria that jobseekers look for in employment.

The analysis reveals Peterborough, Preston and Newcastle as the top three areas to consider living in if you want to work for a small business.

Doncaster claims eighth place, scoring well for its healthy rate of SME growth in the country and low house prices. There were 15 per cent more small businesses in 2023 than in 2018, the eighth largest growth in the country.

The median house price in Doncaster is £155,000, making it an appealing location to live and work. St Albans, by contrast, is the most expensive British city in which to own a home, with house prices averaging £625,000.

Small businesses in and around Doncaster have also been supported by new funding to the region. Doncaster City Council had been allocated £18.6m in Levelling Up funding in 2023 to regenerate parts of the town and create new pop-up spaces for local businesses, andthis year it was announced that the city would receive an additional £17.9m from the Levelling Up Fund to renovate Mexborough’s high street.

Bradford ranks 19th on the list of hotspots for SME jobs this year, after failing to make the top 25 in 2023. The city scores well for its short average commuting time, of 22 minutes, and high rate of SME growth, with 8% more small businesses in 2023 than 2018.

Leeds claims 22nd spot in the list this year, with a ratio of 1.03 jobs per worker.

Seema Desai, COO at iwoca, said: “SMEs are not only huge assets to our high streets - but they provide millions of opportunities for jobseekers of all levels and generations. Beyond the much-talked-about large corporations, SMEs give workers the fulfilling and diverse careers they strive for, and it’s fantastic to see these opportunities being spread across the country.”

Dan Fell, Chief Executive of Doncaster Chamber, said: “As representatives of the local business community, it’s incredibly heartening to see Doncaster placing so highly in this list. While the past few years have obviously brought their fair share of challenges — in the form of macroeconomic headwinds that have been felt up and down the country — our private sector continues to flourish. The fact that there has been such healthy SME growth, in particular, is a testament both to the calibre of those small and medium-sized enterprises on our doorstep, as well as to the supportive environment that has been created around them.

"Those searching for the next big step in their career—whether they already live in our city or are looking to move — should definitely consider Doncaster as somewhere that they too will be able to prosper and grow then. Not only is this a great place to find gainful employment, as those ONS statistics bear out, but we also have: affordable housing; a thriving cultural scene; a strong leisure & tourism offer; rife opportunities; and a community that always sets the bar high.”