This factsheet shows how Ipswich compares to the five most similar European cities by size and industrial structure. These are: Avignon (France), León (Spain), Val d’Orge (France), Le Mans (France), and Reims (France).

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 Ipswich to its European counterparts on variables such as skills, employment and productivity.

City group characteristics

Ipswich is a small city with a relatively small manufacturing sector, and with a similar sized public and business 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

Ipswich has a high employment rate both compared to its group, and compared to European cities as a whole. However, it has a relatively low skilled population, with the lowest proportion of high skills in the group, and the highest proportion of low skills.