Does Where You Live Decide Your Job Prospects? What the Six-Fold Gap in Entry-Level Jobs Means for You
Job search advice usually assumes the jobs are out there and you just need to find them. For a lot of young people in the UK, that isn't the problem. The problem is that there aren't many jobs where they live.
New research has put numbers on it, and the gap is bigger than most people would guess.
What did IPPR's youth opportunity index find?
In September 2026, the Institute for Public Policy Research published a local youth opportunity index. It compares the number of suitable online job vacancies with the number of 18 to 24-year-olds in each local labour market, using job adverts from July 2025 to June 2026 (IPPR).
The two ends of the scale:
| Area | Suitable vacancies per 1,000 young people | Roughly one vacancy for every |
|---|---|---|
| Cotswolds (highest) | 288 | 3 to 4 young people |
| Rotherham (lowest) | 46 | 22 young people |
That is a gap of more than six times. Nine of the ten best-served areas are in southern England, while the areas with the fewest opportunities are concentrated in the Midlands, with others in Yorkshire, Scotland, Wales and the East of England.
IPPR's conclusion was pointed. In many places, youth unemployment reflects a shortage of opportunity, not a shortage of effort, and telling young people to search harder won't fix a local market with too few jobs.
Why does location matter so much for first jobs?
There are three reasons.
First, entry-level roles are less likely to be fully remote than senior ones. Employers usually want new starters in the office, where they can learn from the people around them.
Second, travel costs bite hardest at the start of a career. A long commute on an entry-level salary can wipe out much of the difference between two jobs.
Third, the local mix of industries decides what is on offer. Areas that rely on retail and hospitality have been hit hard as those sectors shed staff, while areas with more professional services, public sector employers or growing industries have held up better.
Should you widen your search radius?
Usually, yes, but do the maths first. Before you rule a job in or out, work out:
- Door-to-door time. Up to about an hour each way is common and workable for most people. Beyond that, it starts to cost you in energy and time, especially five days a week.
- The real cost. Check the actual monthly fare or fuel cost and set it against the salary. If you are aged 16 to 25, a 16-25 Railcard takes a third off most rail fares, which can change the sums.
- Office days. A job two hours away with two office days a week can be easier than one an hour away with five.
Set your radius by the commute you can genuinely sustain, not the one that feels comfortable today.
Are remote and hybrid entry-level jobs realistic?
Hybrid, yes. Fully remote, less often. Many employers now offer a mix of office and home working even for junior roles, and that can make a job further away workable. Fully remote entry-level roles do exist, but they attract applicants from across the country, and they include a share of listings that aren't what they seem. Be wary of any remote role that asks you to pay for training or equipment.
When an advert says hybrid, check what that means in practice before you commit to the commute. Our guide to assessing hybrid working in an interview lists the questions to ask. MyPathfinder's job search scores every role on flex as part of its Vibe Score, alongside culture and pace, so you can see how flexible a role is likely to be before you apply.
When does moving for a job make sense?
Moving can open up far more opportunities, but it is a big decision with real costs. It tends to make sense when:
- the role is a genuine step into the field you want, not just any job;
- the salary covers higher rent and still leaves you better off than staying;
- the employer offers training or progression you can't get closer to home;
- you have somewhere affordable to live while you settle in.
It tends not to make sense when the job is a sideways step, when rent would swallow the pay rise, or when leaving would cut you off from support you rely on. Before accepting, compare what you would have left each month after rent and travel in both places, not just the headline salaries. Our guide to salary expectations in the UK explains how to research what a role should pay.
What if moving isn't an option?
Then aim your search where local demand is. Some sectors have kept adding roles even as the overall market has shrunk, including teaching, trades and construction, and manufacturing (Adzuna). Public sector employers such as councils and the NHS recruit locally in every part of the country. Apprenticeships let you earn while you train, and you can search them on the government's Find an apprenticeship service.
Look beyond the big job boards too. Smaller local employers often advertise on their own websites, through local recruitment agencies, or by word of mouth, so tell people you know exactly what you are looking for.
The bottom line
Where you live now shapes your job prospects as much as your CV does, and that isn't your fault. But it does change the strategy. Widen your radius to what you can sustain, look hard at hybrid roles, weigh any move on what you would actually take home, and aim at the local sectors that are still hiring.