Analysis of over 1 million job vacancies by Adzuna in October 2023 has revealed the postcode areas where advertised average salaries are highest, and therefore where jobseekers are most likely to pocket the biggest paycheques.
Scroll down or click here to view our postcode salary map.
London postcodes and Leeds pack a punch
Outside of London, Leeds is the top paying postcode, with an average advertised salary of £37,823. The city is home to big-name companies. For example, Asda, First Direct, Yorkshire Bank, Centrica, Evri, and Direct Line are all based in the Yorkshire city, while broadcaster Channel 4 has also set up its UK HQ in Leeds.
It is nonetheless surprising that Leeds beats ‘Silicon Fen’ city Cambridge, where advertised salaries average £37,692, as well as engineering, tech and finance hub Bristol (£37,281). Even creative hub Manchester (£36,690) is surpassed in the salary stakes by Leeds.
Unsurprisingly, London postcodes came out on top of the 120 postcode areas with data, with five of the eight postal districts in London snatching the top spots.
East Central London, home to the Square Mile, is the top-paying postcode, where advertised salaries average £56,497. This is followed by SW and SE (South West London and South East London), the remaining two postcodes on the list with average advertised salaries over £40,000.
Top 10 paying postcode areas
| Postcode Area | Vacancies | Average Advertised Salary | Postcode Area Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| EC | 24,409 | £56,497 | East Central London |
| SW | 61,867 | £45,106 | South West London |
| SE | 28,147 | £42,452 | South East London |
| WC | 8,145 | £39,117 | West Central London |
| W | 17,916 | £38,853 | West London |
| LS | 35,768 | £37,823 | Leeds |
| CB | 25,228 | £37,692 | Cambridge |
| BS | 50,818 | £37,281 | Bristol |
| RG | 43,158 | £37,060 | Reading |
| M | 59,949 | £36,690 | Manchester |
Outer Hebrides and Telford dominate bottom of table
The lowest paid postcode area is HS in the Outer Hebrides, seeing average advertised salaries of just £17,428, followed by Telford (£24,723) and Lerwick (£26,624).
Two Welsh postcode areas Swansea and Llandrindod Wells came closely after, with advertised salaries averaging around £27,000. Scottish postcodes were also featured on the list, including Perth (£27,842) and Inverness (£28,642).
Meanwhile, two South West cities, Torquay and Dorchester are among the 10 lowest paid postcodes, seeing average advertised salaries close to £29,000.
Compared to a year ago, the postcode areas seeing the largest salary rises are Paisley (+14.3%), Oldham (+11.3%) and Dumfries and Galloway (+8.8%).
Bottom 10 paying postcode areas
| Postcode Area | Vacancies | Average Advertised Salary | Postcode Area Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| HS | 1,528 | £17,428 | Outer Hebrides |
| TF | 4,906 | £24,723 | Telford |
| ZE | 1,108 | £26,624 | Lerwick (Shetland Islands) |
| SA | 15,510 | £27,143 | Swansea |
| LD | 1,068 | £27,397 | Llandrindod Wells |
| PH | 5,103 | £27,842 | Perth |
| HR | 5,366 | £28,365 | Hereford |
| IV | 8,037 | £28,642 | Inverness |
| TQ | 6,786 | £28,687 | Torquay |
| DT | 7,277 | £28,928 | Dorchester |
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