Starting a business in London: Borough by borough statistics

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In order to get an accurate picture of the levels of start-up activity across London, we at Startups.co.uk have crunched data and statistics from a wealth of sources.

Which borough has the best survival rate? The fastest broadband speed? Or the largest percentage of micro-businesses (employing 0-9) of all enterprises in the borough? From the number of start-ups in each London borough to the working age population qualified to NVQ Level 4 and above, the tables below reflect how each borough ranks as an ideal start-up location.

To discover how each London borough fares per criterion, you can re-order the tables by clicking any of the headings.

You can also view and compare data for other UK cities

The start-up ecosystem

quality of lifeAverage percentage of micro-businesses: 90.8%
Average survival rate (2009-2014): 39.1%

 

BoroughNo. of new start-ups (2014)No. of new start-ups per sq km (2014)Survival rate % (2009-2014)No. of micro businesses (2015)Micro business %No. of small businesses (2015)
Barking & Dagenham13103633.3478591.8355
Barnet39854537.61944593.21205
Bexley14552443.8693091.3545
Brent25855937.41203591.5925
Bromley21901441.71236091.9885
Camden437520038.62234087.22520
City of London2610898361337080.62380
Croydon23902739.31185092830
Ealing31105540.21456091.91060
Enfield23052837.41053092765
Greenwich16903540.8747592.7500
Hackney3245170431329590.31205
Hammersmith & Fulham238014536.51077089.31000
Haringey21907339.6991093.1650
Harrow23904741.91153093.1715
Havering14851338.7776591.1615
Hillingdon20751739.81019589.5860
Hounslow23204139.71081591.2785
Islington371525040.51464587.91630
Kensington & Chelsea216517840.31102088.81150
Kingston12703442706091.3540
Lambeth557020738.81650593.8905
Lewisham18705338.3807094445
Merton19955337.3941592.1670
Newham23656535791592.7525
Redbridge25804536.41082593.5655
Richmond19853444.61151092.5765
Southwark293010138.21229586.71490
Sutton11852744.1681091.8500
Tower Hamlets346017436.21298589.91145
Waltham Forest21005437.9828593530
Wandsworth30558940.81475593.2895
Westminster824538334.83865083.95860
*Number of new start-ups: 2014 statistics for births of new enterprises that had either turnover or employment during the year (Source: Office for National Statistics)
Survival rates: 2014 statistics for percentage of new enterprises started in 2009 still trading in 2014 (Source: Office for National Statistics)
Number of micro-businesses: 2015 statistics for enterprises employing 0-9 (Source: Office for National Statistics Local Authority Profile, updated 2016)
Number of small businesses: 2015 statistics for enterprises employing 10-49 (Source: Office for National Statistics Local Authority Profile, updated 2016)

Cost of living and quality of life

business talentAverage weekly earnings: £636.42

 

BoroughAverage house pricesCouncil tax (Band D)Population NVQ Level 4+ (2015)Weekly earningsNo. of crimes (2015)Average broadband speeds (mbps)
Barking & Dagenham£330,515£1354.0332.2£534.501632428.2
Barnet£511,787£1397.0749£629.802320122.9
Bexley£331,613£1472.4333.5£612.701214322.5
Brent£493,134£1377.2445.1£551.402510722.2
Bromley£427,562£1347.2746.7£6812057629.8
Camden£874,301£1359.3861.1£719.802876532.9
City of London£931.20£864.7035
Croydon£379,887£1494.1340.6£602.802908127.1
Ealing£507,058£1359.3849.7£562.202608022.5
Enfield£386,047£1420.1743.4£5642233529.5
Greenwich£405,099£1296.0542.2£6012111635
Hackney£691,969£1294.4249.2£603.402593422.4
Hammersmith & Fulham£835,290£1003.8167.5£686.12041622.6
Haringey£577,300£1484.0149.2£576.602411621.5
Harrow£436,322£1559.6147.9£625.701232929.6
Havering£366,417£1543.6426£626.301526525.3
Hillingdon£400,254£1388.9340.2£605.502200326
Hounslow£415,267£1355.7745.5£565.702081232.4
Islington£722,018£1296.1562.7£670.802652824.7
Kensington & Chelsea£1,380,076£1042.8065.2£762.801877922
Kingston£461,587£1682.5853.7£701.90983228.5
Lambeth£608,415£1257.3565£621.503323623.8
Lewisham£473,303£1378.6653.3£606.402232823.2
Merton£517,721£1405.2258£622.401225733.3
Newham£355,766£1240.5443.4£505.502891126.9
Redbridge£415,574£1415.2244.7£652.502009425.9
Richmond£672262£1582.3969.5£744/201083428.5
Southwark£621,656£1206.3856.8£644.203030729.2
Sutton£360,135£1486.0342.5£605.901110628.3
Tower Hamlets£547,916£1196.8545.7£63727,45630.2
Waltham Forest£435,021£1474.1842.6£546.102082127.2
Wandsworth£633,121£674.2266.4£718.502282824.2
Westminster£1,064,308£668.8163.6£764.404832128.5
*Average house prices: April 2016 figures (Source: Land Registry)
Council tax: 2016 figures
Population NVQ Level 4+ (Bachelor's degree level): 2015 figures (Source: Office for National Statistics)
Weekly earnings: 2015 figures (Source: Office for National Statistics)
Crimes: 2015 figures (Source: Metropolitan Police)
Average broadband speeds: Q4 2014 figures (Source: thinkbroadband)
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