Middlesbrough has been named the country’s best value place for workers to rent.
Research by jobs site Adzuna looked at data on average salaries and rental costs around the UK.
It found that rent in Middlesbrough accounted for just one-fifth (20.7%) of the average worker’s payslip.
Average take-home pay after rent in Middlesbrough is the highest in the country at £1,738.
Cllr Theo Furness, Middlesbrough Council’s Executive member for Regeneration, said: “This research is beneficial for businesses as it allows them to show potential employees how far their money will go.
“These messages are really positive for recruitment and retention of staff which is an increasingly competitive area.
“The analysis is also useful for us as a town as we look to secure more investment and entice more firms to base themselves here.”
Alongside its affordability, Middlesbrough boasts strong travel connectivity with improving air and rail links and established road and port access.
The town is on the edge of stunning countryside and close to sought-after coastal towns.
Adzuna’s research also found that Middlesbrough was the only place assessed where wage growth (+13.4%) has outpaced rent increases (+7.8%) over the past year.
Sunderland, Bradford, Belfast and Preston made up the top five best value places.
The Office for National Statistics has previously classed renting as affordable if it costs the equivalent of 30% or less of a person’s income.
Adzuna analysed its own data on average salaries across one million vacancies in November 2023 and compared them to the average rental prices shown on Zoopla.