London

Starting a business in London:
Borough by borough statistics

by Jonny Young

Updated: Feb 18, 2021 Published: May 24, 2016

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


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

Borough	No. 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 & Dagenham	1310	36	33.3	4785	91.8	355
Barnet	3985	45	37.6	19445	93.2	1205
Bexley	1455	24	43.8	6930	91.3	545
Brent	2585	59	37.4	12035	91.5	925
Bromley	2190	14	41.7	12360	91.9	885
Camden	4375	200	38.6	22340	87.2	2520
City of London	2610	898	36	13370	80.6	2380
Croydon	2390	27	39.3	11850	92	830
Ealing	3110	55	40.2	14560	91.9	1060
Enfield	2305	28	37.4	10530	92	765
Greenwich	1690	35	40.8	7475	92.7	500
Hackney	3245	170	43	13295	90.3	1205
Hammersmith & Fulham	2380	145	36.5	10770	89.3	1000
Haringey	2190	73	39.6	9910	93.1	650
Harrow	2390	47	41.9	11530	93.1	715
Havering	1485	13	38.7	7765	91.1	615
Hillingdon	2075	17	39.8	10195	89.5	860
Hounslow	2320	41	39.7	10815	91.2	785
Islington	3715	250	40.5	14645	87.9	1630
Kensington & Chelsea	2165	178	40.3	11020	88.8	1150
Kingston	1270	34	42	7060	91.3	540
Lambeth	5570	207	38.8	16505	93.8	905
Lewisham	1870	53	38.3	8070	94	445
Merton	1995	53	37.3	9415	92.1	670
Newham	2365	65	35	7915	92.7	525
Redbridge	2580	45	36.4	10825	93.5	655
Richmond	1985	34	44.6	11510	92.5	765
Southwark	2930	101	38.2	12295	86.7	1490
Sutton	1185	27	44.1	6810	91.8	500
Tower Hamlets	3460	174	36.2	12985	89.9	1145
Waltham Forest	2100	54	37.9	8285	93	530
Wandsworth	3055	89	40.8	14755	93.2	895
Westminster	8245	383	34.8	38650	83.9	5860

*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


	Average weekly earnings: £636.42 (see how this compares to average UK weekly earnings)

Borough	Average house prices	Council tax (Band D)	Population NVQ Level 4+ (2015)	Weekly earnings	No. of crimes (2015)	Average broadband speeds (mbps)
Barking & Dagenham	£330,515	£1354.03	32.2	£534.50	16324	28.2
Barnet	£511,787	£1397.07	49	£629.80	23201	22.9
Bexley	£331,613	£1472.43	33.5	£612.70	12143	22.5
Brent	£493,134	£1377.24	45.1	£551.40	25107	22.2
Bromley	£427,562	£1347.27	46.7	£681	20576	29.8
Camden	£874,301	£1359.38	61.1	£719.80	28765	32.9
City of London	–	£931.20	–	£864.70	–	35
Croydon	£379,887	£1494.13	40.6	£602.80	29081	27.1
Ealing	£507,058	£1359.38	49.7	£562.20	26080	22.5
Enfield	£386,047	£1420.17	43.4	£564	22335	29.5
Greenwich	£405,099	£1296.05	42.2	£601	21116	35
Hackney	£691,969	£1294.42	49.2	£603.40	25934	22.4
Hammersmith & Fulham	£835,290	£1003.81	67.5	£686.1	20416	22.6
Haringey	£577,300	£1484.01	49.2	£576.60	24116	21.5
Harrow	£436,322	£1559.61	47.9	£625.70	12329	29.6
Havering	£366,417	£1543.64	26	£626.30	15265	25.3
Hillingdon	£400,254	£1388.93	40.2	£605.50	22003	26
Hounslow	£415,267	£1355.77	45.5	£565.70	20812	32.4
Islington	£722,018	£1296.15	62.7	£670.80	26528	24.7
Kensington & Chelsea	£1,380,076	£1042.80	65.2	£762.80	18779	22
Kingston	£461,587	£1682.58	53.7	£701.90	9832	28.5
Lambeth	£608,415	£1257.35	65	£621.50	33236	23.8
Lewisham	£473,303	£1378.66	53.3	£606.40	22328	23.2
Merton	£517,721	£1405.22	58	£622.40	12257	33.3
Newham	£355,766	£1240.54	43.4	£505.50	28911	26.9
Redbridge	£415,574	£1415.22	44.7	£652.50	20094	25.9
Richmond	£672262	£1582.39	69.5	£744/20	10834	28.5
Southwark	£621,656	£1206.38	56.8	£644.20	30307	29.2
Sutton	£360,135	£1486.03	42.5	£605.90	11106	28.3
Tower Hamlets	£547,916	£1196.85	45.7	£637	27,456	30.2
Waltham Forest	£435,021	£1474.18	42.6	£546.10	20821	27.2
Wandsworth	£633,121	£674.22	66.4	£718.50	22828	24.2
Westminster	£1,064,308	£668.81	63.6	£764.40	48321	28.5

*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)

Starting a business in London: Borough by borough statistics

The start-up ecosystem

Cost of living and quality of life

Starting a business in London:
Borough by borough statistics