Manchester named one of Europe's cities to watch

Manchester has always known it was going places. Now the global economists agree.

Oxford Economics has named Manchester one of just five European "Cities to Watch" in its 2026 Global Cities Index, calling it one of the emerging stars of the global economy. It sits alongside Warsaw, Tallinn, Eindhoven and Toulouse. It's the only UK city on the list.

At 36 Partners, we spend every day matching buyers and investors with new developments across Greater Manchester. This report puts independent, data-led weight behind what we've seen in the market for years.

Why Manchester made the list

The Global Cities Index ranks the world's 1,000 largest cities on five measures: economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. Manchester ranks 90th overall, making it the UK's highest-placed regional city. It sits even higher, 74th, on economics alone.

The "Cities to Watch" section highlights places that may not top the table yet but are clearly on the rise. Oxford Economics gave three main reasons for choosing Manchester.

Growth that leads the UK. Since 2010, Manchester has grown its GDP and productivity faster than any other UK city. That isn't a short-term spike. It's more than a decade of steady outperformance.

Jobs, and plenty of them. Manchester has seen some of the largest employment gains in Europe. Oxford Economics expects it to record the fifth-largest rise in jobs of any European city over the next 25 years. Much of that is driven by a fast-growing professional services sector.

A city people want to live in. Manchester's culture and relatively affordable cost of living keep drawing in younger, skilled people. They're choosing Manchester over the South East, and increasingly staying for the long term.

Manchester means Trafford and Salford too

For this part of the report, Oxford Economics defines "Manchester" as the city together with Trafford and Salford.

That matters for anyone buying here. Salford Quays, MediaCityUK, Old Trafford, Stretford and Sale are all part of one connected economy with the city centre. Many of the region's most active development pipelines sit across these boundaries, not just inside the city itself. Read more in our Manchester & Salford investment guide.

Getting around is improving too. The Bee Network already links buses, trams, walking and cycling, and local rail joins it from December 2026. Better transport links bring more neighbourhoods within easy commuting distance of the city's jobs, which widens the pool of tenants and future buyers.

Growth needs homes, and that's where the opportunity is

The report's message is simple. A city can't keep growing at this pace without new homes to match.

Every new job and graduate who stays adds to demand for somewhere to live, and much of that demand is for rental homes. For buyers and investors, that creates opportunity at every stage of a development.

Buying off-plan. Buying before a building completes can mean earlier access to the best units, the chance to lock in today's price, and staged deposits instead of paying everything upfront. In a market with strong long-term fundamentals, that appeals to many investors. It also comes with risks, such as build delays or a valuation at completion that differs from the purchase price. Good advice and a developer with a strong track record make a real difference. See Trafford Waters and Obsidian.

Buying completed homes. For buyers who want to see exactly what they're getting, completed stock removes the waiting. The home is ready to move into or let straight away.

Buying tenanted homes. Tenanted units can produce rental income from day one, with no void period while you find a tenant. You also get a real rental track record to judge the investment on, rather than a projection. See Waterhouse Gardens.

How 36 Partners works

We're a sales agency focused on new developments across the North West including Manchester, Trafford and Salford. Most of what we sell is off-plan, alongside a selection of completed and tenanted stock.

For buyers and investors, we give you straight answers about each development: the developer behind it, the timelines, the local rental market, and how the numbers stack up. For developers, we bring a network of qualified buyers and a sales process built to move stock efficiently, from launch through to completion.

Thinking about Manchester?

An endorsement from Oxford Economics doesn't guarantee future prices or returns, and every purchase should be judged on its own merits. But the fundamentals behind Manchester's rise are hard to ignore: strong jobs growth, a young and skilled workforce, major transport investment, and a clear shortage of new homes.

Whether you're looking at your first investment property or adding to a portfolio, we'd love to talk you through what's available.

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Source: Oxford Economics, Global Cities Index 2026. Coverage via Place North West.