Economic Profile

One of the Council’s core priorities is ‘Supporting businesses and residents to deliver a prosperous local economy’.

A general assessment of data for the Harborough economy shows that the headline characteristics and performance of Harborough’s economy is largely positive. It’s amongst the highest economic activity rates, lowest unemployment, high skills profile and highest average earnings of the LLEP area.

● Resident population aged 16-64 is 60.4% in Harborough
● Economically Active 80.5% in Harborough

Source: Office for National Statistics

Qualifications profile in Harborough (2020)

● NVQ4 and above 46.1%
In Great Britain the figure was 43.1% of the working age population has an NVQ4 and above.
● NVQ3 and above 65%
● NVQ2 and above 86.6%
● NVQ1 and above 95.4%

Earnings by place of residence (2022)

● Gross Weekly Pay (Full time workers) £653.00
● Average Hourly Pay (Full time workers) £16.76

Businesses in Harborough

Latest data shows that between 2011 and 2015 business start-ups rates in Harborough district have grown by 16.3%. An increase from 460 start-ups in 2011 to 535 in 2015. The business survival rates are the second highest in the LLEP area, 67.8% of start-ups surviving after 3 years. This demonstrates a positive and resilient business base for start-up businesses in the district.

Source: Economic Development Strategy & ONS Data

Enterprises in Harborough – 5,350 (2022)

● Micro (0 to 9): 4,830
● Small (10 to 49): 430
● Medium (50 to 249) 70
● Large (250+) 15

Local Units in Harborough – 5,850

● Micro (0 to 9): 5,115
● Small (10 to 49): 615
● Medium (50 to 249): 105
● Large (250+): 15

Source: Office for National Statistics

Key Employment Space

Market Harborough

  • The Point Business Park, Rockingham Road
  • Bowden Business Village, Off Leicester Road
  • Riverside End Industrial Estate, Riverside
  • Compass Point Business Park, Northampton Road
  • Airfield Business Park, Leicester Rooad
  • Peaker Park, Rockingham Road

Lutterworth

  • St John’s Business Park, off Rugby Road
  • Bilton Way Industrial Estate, Leicester Road
  • Midland Court, off Leicester Road
  • Cosford Business Park, off Central Way

Broughton Astley

  • Swannington Road/Stainer Road Industrial Estate

Rural Centres

  • Nursery Court and Milestone, Kibworth Business Park, south of Harborough Road, Kibworth Harcourt
  • Churchill Way Industrial Estate, Fleckney

Population

The 2021 Census revealed the districts population has increased to 97,600.

POPULATION BY AGE

Harborough Leicester Leicestershire LLEP Area England
Total Population 93,800 354,200 706,200 1,060,400 56,287,000
0 to 15 (#) 17,200 76,100 126,800 202,800 10,816,700
16 to 64 (#) 56,000 235,100 434,500 669,600 35,116,600
Over 64 (#) 20,600 43,100 144,900 188,000 10,353,700
0 to 15 (%) 18.3 21.5 17.9 19.1 19.2
16 to 64 (%) 59.7 66.4 61.5 63.1 62.4
Over 64 (%) 21.9 12.2 20.5 17.7 18.4

Population

It is recorded by the Office for National Statistics that Harborough’s population is 92,500. This is forecast to increase to 99,814 in 2031. The bulk of this increase is expected to come from immigration to the District from within the UK

POPULATION BY AGE

Housing

MARKET HARBOROUGH AVERAGE HOUSE PRICES

…COMPARED TO THE AVERAGE HOUSE PRICES IN OTHER AREAS OF THE UK

*statistics collected over the last 12 months