Economy
A world-class academic offering and bold data-driven agenda lie at the heart of modern Edinburgh’s regional economy. The city has grown 12.5 per cent in the past ten years, excels in data science, cyber security, robotics and stem cell research, and enjoys one of the highest rates of successful business start-ups in the UK. Edinburgh has a resilient knowledge-based economy.
Edinburgh had a total GDP of £34.281 billion as of 2023, making it the UK's fifth largest city economy. GDP per capita stood at £69,809, the highest of any city in the UK, making Edinburgh the UK's most prosperous city.
Key drivers of growth include the city's highly skilled population. Edinburgh has the best educated workforce of any town/city in the UK. As of 2025, 70.6% of working age residents of Edinburgh were educated to RQF4+, compared to 48.4% for the UK overall, and 63.7% for London.
Edinburgh is an international hub for financial services and technology. The city also benefits from buoyant tourism and a strong higher education sector.
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