There’s a conversation we don’t have enough in early years: where you work matters just as much as what you do.
We lose talented practitioners every year, not just because of pay or progression, but because they can’t afford to live where they work or find themselves stuck with no opportunities nearby. It’s time we looked honestly at which places actually support sustainable careers.
But before diving into the rankings, it’s worth understanding the broader context. Early years practitioners in the UK typically earn about £16,000 to £24,000 annually. Currently, there are about 277,900 working in group-based provision and 59,800 in school-based provision. However, the Department of Education estimated in April 2024 that about 40,000 extra workers would be needed by September 2025.
On a more positive note, 91% of early years providers inspected since September 2024 achieved Good or Outstanding ratings from Ofsted.
These national figures show why location matters: when sector-wide salaries sit between £14,000 and £24,000, earning £32,691 in Blackpool with low rent looks very different from earning £30,499 in Birmingham with high rent.
Where are early years professionals thriving?
New analysis* reveals the places offering the strongest combination of career opportunities and cost of living in 2025. Northampton takes the top spot, with Blackpool and Swindon completing the top three.
The findings tell an important story:
- Job availability varies wildly: Northampton has four times more job openings than Sunderland
- Salary isn’t everything: Earn less in Blackpool but keep more in your pocket after rent than in Birmingham
- Opportunity needs affordability: Southampton has the most jobs, but high rent pushes it down to 10th place
The Top 10 Cities for Early Years Career:
| Rank | Cities / Towns | Current Job Openings per 100k | Average Salary (Early Years Practitioner / Educator) | Average Rent (1-bedroom apartment) | Average Ofsted Scores | Overall Career Score |
| 1 | Northampton | 39.36 | 27,165 | 783 | 1.93 | 100.00 |
| 2 | Blackpool | 10.86 | 32,691 | 658 | 1.91 | 91.27 |
| 3 | Swindon | 37.71 | 26,872 | 895 | 1.90 | 89.07 |
| 4 | Sunderland | 8.94 | 27,937 | 590 | 1.83 | 88.59 |
| 5 | Derby | 18.12 | 26,402 | 590 | 1.99 | 84.26 |
| 6 | Liverpool | 13.54 | 30,690 | 934 | 1.92 | 83.29 |
| 7 | Luton | 22.48 | 29,014 | 1,113 | 1.92 | 81.12 |
| 8 | Birmingham | 17.47 | 30,499 | 1,027 | 1.95 | 79.65 |
| 9 | Leicester | 14.54 | 27,135 | 751 | 2.01 | 78.00 |
| 10 | Southampton | 43.05 | 25,945 | 1,026 | 1.86 | 77.52 |
One reassuring finding is that quality remains consistently high. Average Ofsted scores range from 1.83 to 2.01 (where 1 is Outstanding). Better career prospects don’t come at the expense of childcare quality.
A Closer Look at the Top Three
- Northampton’s winning formula lies in its balance. The town has seen significant investment in early years provision in recent years, which means that with nearly 40 job openings per 100,000 residents, practitioners have genuine career mobility without facing London-level living costs.
- Blackpool takes second place with a different strength: affordability. While it ranks lower for job availability, its average rent of £658, combined with the highest average salary at £32,691, means practitioners can save money while building their careers.
- Swindon rounds out the top three with its combination of strong job availability (37.71 openings per 100,000) and reasonable living costs (£895 per month). Its position between London and Bristol means access to professional development opportunities and networks, while maintaining a cost of living that doesn’t consume entire salaries.
What do the numbers really tell us?
Blackpool practitioners earn more and pay less rent than those in Birmingham. That’s an extra £4,440 in your pocket each year, just from living somewhere different.
Southampton has numerous job opportunities, but the high cost of rent cancels out the benefits.
When you’re weighing up whether to stay in the profession, these realities matter.
What can early years settings do?
We need honest conversations about location, especially for nurseries struggling to recruit and retain. Settings in more affordable areas have a natural advantage: they can offer better quality of life on the same salary.
If you’re in an expensive city, think creatively:
Higher pay, yes, but also:
- Housing support
- Flexible working to reduce commuting costs
- Professional development that boosts earning potential
- Benefits that offset living expenses
You’re competing not just with other nurseries, but with the cost of living itself.
The Bigger Picture
This isn’t about telling everyone to move to Northampton. It’s about recognising that location plays a bigger role in workforce retention than we’ve acknowledged.
For practitioners: Look beyond the salary figure. Consider the local cost of living, other opportunities nearby, and whether you can actually build a life, not just a career.
For policymakers and settings: We can’t solve retention through national initiatives alone if we ignore local economic realities.
Final thoughts
The early years workforce deserves better than having to choose between work they love and affording their lives. Some locations make that easier than others.
As an early years specialist and former Ofsted inspector, I believe we need honest conversations about location. Settings in more affordable areas have a natural advantage, but if you’re in an expensive city, think creatively: consider housing support, flexible working arrangements, or benefits that offset living costs. The government’s initiatives, like the £1,000 sign-on bonus, are helpful, but they only go so far when you’re competing with the cost of living itself.
If you’re considering a career in early years, location should be part of your decision alongside qualifications. The sector offers numerous pathways, from Level 2 and Level 3 apprenticeships to specialised training in SEND support and leadership. The right training, combined with the right location, can set you up for long-term success.
Methodology
To rank the best UK cities and towns for Early Years Practitioners, we assessed four factors: job availability, salaries, living costs, and the quality of local childcare institutions. Job data was sourced from Adzuna UK, salary information from Indeed UK, rental prices from Numbeo, and Ofsted inspection results from the Department for Education’s 2025 dataset. Ofsted ratings were converted into numerical scores (1 = Outstanding to 4 = Inadequate) and averaged across five areas. Each factor was then scaled to a 0–100 range, with higher salaries, more job openings, lower rent, and stronger Ofsted ratings contributing to higher scores. The Overall Career Score was calculated using weighted measures: job openings (30%), salaries (30%), rent (35%), and Ofsted (5%).
