We’ve done the digging (not the bad kind) to uncover the best places in England to live if you want to build a career in the green energy sector. Spoiler: South Ribble came out on top, and Fenland… is barely worth discussing.
Our team analysed data from across England to reveal where the clean energy future looks brightest, not just in terms of job opportunities, but also quality of life. We looked at everything from projected green job growth and house prices to emissions, recycling rates, and the precious percentage of land that hasn’t yet been swallowed by development.
The results? Some regions are practically glowing with potential, while others could do with a wind turbine or two.
South Ribble: The green gold standard
South Ribble in the North West is officially England’s best place to live if you’re pursuing a green career.
It leads the pack for projected availability of green jobs, with 37.4% of the local workforce expected to be employed in the sector by 2030, rising to a remarkable 58% by 2050. Combined with relatively affordable house prices (averaging £202,925) and a solid amount of undeveloped land, it’s a strong contender for anyone looking to balance sustainability with liveability.
The runners-up: Surrey Heath and Woking
Surrey Heath takes second place, proving that sustainability and affluence can co-exist quite nicely. The area scores highly for its recycling efforts, with nearly 59% of household waste being recycled, reused or composted and an impressive 65% of its total area remaining undeveloped.
Woking rounds out the top three. It shares Surrey Heath’s green credentials, with 56% of household waste diverted from landfill and has the luxury of plenty of open space. Commuters also benefit from one of the shortest average public transport journeys into the centre of town in all of England, just under ten minutes. Unheard of.
England’s best places for a green career
- South Ribble – 73.4 / 100
- Surrey Heath – 47.8 / 100
- Woking – 43.1 / 100
- Gloucester – 40.3 / 100
- Castle Point – 40.1 / 100
- Waverley – 38.8 / 100
- Elmbridge – 38.3 / 100
- Stockport – 38.3 / 100
- Bracknell Forest – 38.2 / 100
- Calderdale – 37.9 / 100
…And the not-so-green end of the scale
At the opposite end, Fenland ranked as England’s least promising place to pursue a green career, with limited undeveloped land (just 9%) and low future availability of green jobs (1.3% by 2030, 2% by 2050).
South Holland and North Lincolnshire also sit near the bottom, dragged down by high emissions, limited income potential, and scarce green space. So if you love nature, you’ll steer clear.
The North West leads the way
By region, the North West takes the crown with an average score of 34.5 out of 100, powered largely by South Ribble, Stockport, and Lancaster, all performing strongly across multiple factors.
The South East follows close behind with nine entries in the top 20, while Yorkshire and the Humber rounds out the top three.
Why did we, an SEO agency, do this?
With the government’s Clean Energy Industries Sector Plan promising investment and jobs across the country, we wanted to know: which areas are actually ready to deliver?
To find out, we examined data on:
- Projected green job availability (2030 & 2050)
- Average house prices and disposable incomes
- Green space and emissions
- Recycling rates and waste reduction
- Public transport access and commute times
The result is a data-backed look at where the UK’s sustainable job markets are flourishing, and where there’s still work to be done.
Building a greener future
A cleaner, greener Britain won’t happen by accident. It’ll be built by people: engineers, planners, scientists, designers, and dreamers, all choosing to live and work in places where sustainability actually stands a chance.
So whether you’re considering a career move or just curious about where England’s eco-conscious talent might gravitate to next, this research offers a glimpse into the country’s greenest horizons.
About the research
We analysed every local and unitary authority in England across nine weighted factors, including:
- Green job projections for 2030 and 2050
- Average gross disposable income (8.7%)
- House prices (8.7%)
- Private outdoor space (4.35%)
- Recycling rates (8.7%)
- Commute times by public transport (8.7%)
- Undeveloped land (8.7%)
- Annual emissions (8.7%)
Data source: Office for National Statistics
Want to check our homework? Well, here’s all the data.
