Are you looking for a job in a new city, or are you looking to set up a business that employs people in one of the large towns in the UK? If it is the latter, it is important to consider what you may need to do this successfully.
In 2025, you don’t necessarily need an office to run a successful business, as statistics show that over 40% of businesses in the UK offer remote options to all of their workers. So, you won’t necessarily need to shell out for office space!
If you opt for remote working, you will likely need to invest in an HR team that is also remote, to ensure that your staff are treated with respect and that all onboarding processes are to the letter. This will help with staff longevity, as well as productivity.
Another thing you will need to consider is the average salaries of the workers you hire, which can be tricky, as the living wage differs across the UK. So, here are the average and mode salaries of the largest towns in the UK, which can help you to get an idea of how much you will be paying per person per annum.
Swindon
The birthplace of the Natural Trust in the UK, Swindon is a town that is the most populated in the county of Wiltshire and is one of the largest towns in the UK.
With its affordable housing and proximity to Birmingham, this is a town that is appealing to commuters and remote workers alike. So, if you are aiming to set up a business and an HR Swindon, you will need to consider the mode and average wage in the area.
At the time of writing, according to averagesalarysurvery.com, the average wage in Swindon is £67,9676 GBP. The mode wage (or most common wage) in Swindon is £40,300-£43,299 GBP.
Reading
A fun note about Reading in the UK; it is where the British Dyslexia Association has its headquarters.
It is also a quaint little town, which is a commutable distance to London. Mix that with its stunning architecture, and it is easy to see why many workers and businesses want to operate from there.
So, for potential business owners, what are the salaries like? According to the website Reed, in 2025, the average salary in Reading is £65,058 per year, whereas the mode salary is £29,832.
Milton Keynes
Interestingly, for many start-up businesses, Milton Keynes can present an interesting challenge for location. It is 50 miles outside of London, putting it within commuting distance by train, but, this has led to it being one of the top areas for high wages in the UK.
However, the stats do not seem to reflect this, especially when compared to Swindon and Reading. In Milton Keynes, the average earning, according to Milton Keynes Council is £40,956 GBP, with the mode earnings being set at around £37,206 GBP. So, if you are looking to set up your business headquarters near London, this may be the place to do it in 2025.
Northampton
A bit further north towards Warwick and Coventry, the town of Northampton boasts a growing population of around 195,000 and, as it is close to London, it is a bit of a commuter hotspot.
Of course, this does not distract from what the area itself can offer start-up businesses, such as an overall lower mode cost of living for workers in 2025. It sounds harsh, but if you can afford to pay your workers a living wage for less, then this is well worth doing!
So, the average wage in Northampton in 2025 is £45,619 GBP, and the mode wage is £21,796 GBP. Even though it is sandwiched between London and Birmingham, it is one of the most affordable large towns in the UK to set up business in, making it another place to look into in 2025 for start-ups!
Luton
Moving closer to London for the final town, Luton is located 34 miles north of London and, as you can guess, is a commuter hotspot and a hotbed of growth in 2025, due to businesses seeking to set up in this town.
As you can guess, with its closer proximity to the capital, the wages needed to survive comfortably here are higher for workers, and for businesses, with the average wage being set at around £54,441 GBP in 2025, and the mode salary being £37,895 GBP. Its location does make it desirable for medium-sized businesses and, as it is close to London but has a separate council, new businesses can enquire about start-up loans.