Aberdeen is ranked the fifth-best city to work for a small business in Britain, and top in Scotland, according to new research released today by iwoca, one of Europe’s largest SME lenders.
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 Darlington, Norwich, and Worcester as the top three areas to consider living in if you want to work for a small business or explore opportunities such as Quantity surveyor assistant jobs.
Aberdeen climbs to fifth in Britain
This year, Aberdeen places top in Scotland and fifth in Britain, rising sixteen places since last year and scoring well for its high proportion of jobs per worker and competitive hourly wage. In Aberdeen, there are 1.14 jobs for every worker – one of the highest ratios in the country – making it an attractive city for jobseekers. Average hourly pay in the city stands at £22.86, while residents benefit from short commute times of just 20 minutes on average.
Aberdeen also boasts some of the most affordable house prices in the top 25, with a median of £140,000 – less than a third of the London average of £490,000. The city offers an attractive balance of career opportunity and affordability for jobseekers considering a move.
SMEs in Aberdeen also benefit from a range of local initiatives. Over the past year, 33 small businesses received funding from the Aberdeen Energy Efficiency Programme to invest in energy-saving projects, including heat pump and solar panel installation.
The city’s local gift card scheme – the best-selling in the UK in recent years – has also driven more than £7.75m in spending with local businesses since its launch in 2020.
Strong showing for Scotland
Glasgow holds steady in ninth, the same position as 2025, thanks to a strong job density of 1.08 per worker and a competitive average wage of £22.64 an hour. However, longer commute times of 30 minutes keep it behind Aberdeen in the Scottish rankings.
Stirling slips six places to 20th, scoring well for its strong hourly wage of £25.95 but held back by a decline in the number of SMEs of 2.7%. Meanwhile, Edinburgh does not make the top 25, though it rose 50 places to 33rd in 2026. While the Scottish capital boasts high job density and strong hourly pay, house prices of £279,995 and a 5.3% fall in the number of SMEs push it down the rankings.
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London misses out…again
Greater London does not appear in the list for the fifth year running, falling to 92nd place in 2026, its lowest position yet. Lengthy commutes averaging 38 minutes, high house prices, and a 2.2% fall in the number of SMEs in the capital place it far behind regional counterparts.
Seema Desai, COO at iwoca, said: “Aberdeen’s climb to fifth place in our rankings highlights the strength of Scotland’s SME sector. With three Scottish cities featuring in our top 25, the country is proving that some of the most rewarding SME careers are found in places jobseekers might not have considered.”
Russell Borthwick, Chief Executive of Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce, said: “If you are already in Aberdeen, these results will not come as a surprise. But ours is a region that is often misunderstood by people from elsewhere, so to have the fact that it’s a brilliant place to live and work backed up by a nationwide survey is really encouraging. Come and see for yourselves.”
