Belfast at a glance
- Belfast has a population of 348,005. The wider Belfast City Region has a population of 1.13 million
- Home to a young population with 40 per cent of the population aged 30 years or younger
- Belfast’s GDP has grown by 58 per cent in the last decade
- Belfast is the regional driver, generating approximately 31 per cent of the region’s GDP
- High productivity of £61,868 (GVA per job filled), 41 per cent increase in the last ten years. (The highest of all UK Core Cities and higher than the UK average)
- Ranks #2 of all UK Core Cities
- Belfast’s GVA is forecast to reach £18bn by 2033
- Unique geographic position with tariff-free market access to the UK and EU market for goods
- Belfast named by Time Out as one of the 50 Best Cities in the World for 2025
- #5 Mid-Sized European City of the Future 2025 for Economic Potential
Office costs
| City | Office rental price (cost per sq. ft) |
|---|---|
| Belfast | £25.50 |
| Aberdeen | £32.50 |
| Liverpool | £35 |
| Leeds | £39 |
| Glasgow | £39.50 |
| Birmingham | £43.25 |
| Manchester | £44 |
| Edinburgh | £46 |
| Bristol | £48 |
| Dublin | £52.7 |
| Cambridge | £62 |
Source: CBRE Q3 2024
Belfast take-up by sector
- Business Services - 28 per cent
- Technology, Media and Telecommunications - 20 per cent
- Banking and Finance - 17 per cent
