Guildford named in top 15 best cities in the UK for entrepreneurs in 2025, according to new study

The research team at Businessmagnet Ltd analysed 100 cities and towns across the UK to identify where entrepreneurial success is most likely in 2025. Drawing on publicly available data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and the Scottish Government, they examined six essential indicators to paint a picture of each location’s business environment.

Each factor was equally weighted to ensure fairness: business birth rate (25%), number of active businesses per 10,000 residents (20%), business death rate (10%), percentage of high-growth firms (20%), employment rate (15%) and self-employment rate (10%). These were then standardised and compiled into a final score, with 100 being the maximum.

Guildford might not have cracked the top 10, but it’s making a strong case for itself as a rising entrepreneurial hub. Ranked 13th overall with a score of 55.90, this Surrey town boasts one of the most stable business environments in the country. In fact, Guildford recorded the lowest business death rate of all 100 cities in the study, just 8%, making it a safe bet for anyone looking to start or grow a company without the looming fear of failure around the corner.

While its startup rate is relatively modest at 9.1% (ranking 97th), what Guildford lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quality. The town is home to over 508 active businesses per 10,000 residents, placing it 15th for business density, and 6.1% of those are classed as high-growth, the 7th best figure nationally. Coupled with a solid employment rate of 81.5%, Guildford proves that a quiet achiever can still pack a serious entrepreneurial punch.

Dartford ranked 1st overall with a score of 67.02, thanks to an industry-leading employment rate of 86.4% and nearly 592 active businesses per 10,000 residents. Reading followed in 2nd place, standing out for its 7.2% share of high-growth businesses — the highest in the top 10 — and an equally robust employment rate of 86.1%.

London took 3rd spot with the most active businesses in the top 10 (646 per 10k residents) and the highest self-employment rate at 15.6%. Watford, ranked 4th, paired strong business density with a low death rate and an impressive 15.6% self-employment figure. Rugby and Milton Keynes shared 5th place, but Rugby led in business density (670 per 10k), while Milton Keynes stood out with a 6.3% high-growth rate. Cheltenham came 7th, shining with a low business death rate (9.2%) and 6.6% of firms growing fast. Slough placed 8th, boasting the highest startup rate in the top 10 at 13.7%, while St Albans and Manchester rounded out the top 10 list.

And the worst places?

Not every city is ripe for a startup dream. According to the same study, the bottom 10 for entrepreneurs included Belfast, Rotherham, Durham, Dundee, Gosport, Chesterfield, Wolverhampton, Hartlepool, Lancaster, and Mansfield. These areas typically struggled with low business creation rates, fewer high-growth firms, and weaker employment indicators.

Where did other major cities rank?

A few other big names appeared further down the list. Oxford ranked a respectable 18th, with Edinburgh close behind in 31st. Bristol came in 32nd, followed by Leeds (35th), Liverpool (45th), and Cambridge (50th). Birmingham landed in 55th, with Nottingham at 63rd, Leicester 70th, and Sheffield near the bottom in 87th place.

Top 10 list of the best UK cities for an entrepreneur: