This factsheet compares Huddersfield with the five most similar European cities by size and industrial structure. These are: Kaunas (Lithuania), Mulhouse (France) Duisburg (Germany), Szczecin (Poland), Valladolid (Spain)

Comparing cities in this way helps us to understand more about how well UK cities are competing on an international scale because it groups cities with similar industrial structures, rather than on their resulting economic performance. The factsheet also compares the relative strengths and weaknesses of Huddersfield to its European counterparts on variables such as skills, employment and productivity.

City group characteristics

Huddersfield and the cities in this group are medium-sized. They have a relatively large manufacturing sector, and a large private services sector.

Population

Industrial structure

Key

• Manufacturing, mining and utilities 2011
• Business services 2011
• Public services 2011
• Other private services 2011
• Other sectors 2011

Overall economic performance

Huddersfield tends to rank in the middle of this group in areas such as productivity and skills, and performs particularly well on jobs and employment compared to the rest of the group.