Leeds is outpacing Manchester in the race for talent ahead of Roses derby, new Employment Hero research finds

• Six in ten (61%) Leeds workers moved to the city from elsewhere, compared to half (52%) in Manchester, according to new research from Employment Hero
• Proprietary Employment Hero data shows employment at small businesses in Leeds grew 12.1% in the three months to September, five times the rate in Manchester (2.4%)
• Leeds is now a career destination: more than four in ten (43%) workers have turned down or not pursued a job elsewhere to stay in the city
• But the city faces a test in keeping its youngest talent, with 44% of early-career workers having considered leaving, against only a quarter (26%) in Manchester

LEEDS, 15 October 2026: Leeds is pulling ahead of Manchester in the race for talent, according to new research from Employment Hero, a global, AI-powered employment platform transforming the way businesses hire, manage, and pay their teams. Six in ten (61%) people working in Leeds moved to the city from elsewhere, compared to half (52%) in Manchester.

As Leeds United prepare to face Manchester United this weekend, new research from Employment Hero has put the two cities head to head off the pitch. Carried out by Savanta among 1,500 workers and 500 small business decision-makers across both cities, it forms part of Employment Hero’s “All heroes, aren’t we?” campaign with Leeds United, which celebrates the unsung small businesses that keep the city running. The findings paint a picture of a city that is drawing people in for their careers and giving them reasons to stay, but which now needs to hold on to its youngest workers. 

Lucas Radebe, former Leeds United captain, commented:

“I came to Leeds from the other side of the world, and the city gave me the chance to grow, to lead and to build my career here. I never felt I had to go anywhere else to do that. It’s great to see so many people making the same choice today, coming to Leeds for their careers and staying because they can grow here. People used to leave Leeds to make it. Now they come here to make it.”

Leeds pulls in career movers

Four in ten (41%) Leeds workers moved to the city primarily or partly for a job or career, and Leeds is proving a particular draw for women: 39% of women working in the city moved there for work, against 31% in Manchester.

The move is paying off, with 86% of those who moved to Leeds for work having progressed in their career in the past two years.

The employment opportunities are there to match. Proprietary data drawn from thousands of Employment Hero’s small business payroll customers shows employment at small businesses in Leeds grew 12.1% in the three months to September, five times the rate in Manchester (2.4%). That momentum looks set to continue, with nearly six in ten (58%) Leeds small businesses expecting to grow their headcount in the next 12 months.

Choosing Leeds over a bigger pay packet

Once they arrive, many choose to stay, even when bigger offers come along, just as Lucas Radebe did when he turned down offers to leave Elland Road, even after relegation. More than four in ten (43%) Leeds workers have turned down or not pursued a job elsewhere so they could stay in the city, and six in ten (61%) would stay on their current salary rather than relocate for a higher one.

For those who seriously considered leaving but stayed, it was people who kept them there, with family and friends the most common reason for staying (35%).

The next test: keeping young talent

The city’s challenge is holding on to workers at the start of their careers. More than four in ten (44%) early-career workers in Leeds have seriously considered leaving for a career opportunity in the past two years, against only a quarter (26%) in Manchester.

Michael Mitchell, VP of Sales, UK, at Employment Hero, said:

“I was born and raised in Leeds and I’ve seen first-hand how much the city has changed. At different points in my career I’ve questioned whether I needed to leave to get ahead, but I’ve always come back to the same answer: Leeds has everything I need to build a successful career and a great life. It’s encouraging to see the research reflect that, with so many people choosing to come here, build their careers and put down roots.

“Now that I have children, I’m confident they’ll have even more opportunities growing up here than I did. But we can’t take that for granted. With many young people still considering leaving, the challenge is making sure Leeds keeps offering the opportunities and progression that will convince the next generation to stay.” 

Employment Hero is an official partner of Leeds United Football Club, working with the club to champion and support small businesses and hiring across the region.