Devon economy at your fingertips

Here are some key facts and figures that build the case for making Devon home to your business:

• Growing economy – over the last decade Devon’s economy has grown by 25%, significantly faster than the regional and UK averages (17%)
• Plentiful, skilled workforce – with 33% of the population educated to degree standard or above, and significantly more in some areas
• High employment rates – 72.8% compared to the UK average of 70.2%, rising to over 83% in Exeter
• Research and development capability – the south west has soared ahead of other parts of the UK in R&D. Devon has among the highest number of granted patents in the region
• Strengths in higher education – a large proportion of academic research is rated as world-leading or internationally excellent
• Innovation and entrepreneurship – some of the best business survival rates anywhere in the UK
• Easy access to markets – the region’s infrastructure, along with some of the UK’s most rapidly expanding airports, make it an excellent gateway to the UK, Europe and beyond
• Lower overheads – labour costs in Devon are around 15% lower than the UK average
• Quality of life – consistently ranked the best place in the UK to live, where people enjoy the highest levels of happiness, motivation and take pleasure in their surroundings – providing a committed and stable workforce.