Oxford ranks 3rd of 361 UK local authorities, with a composite score of 1,400, putting it 400 points above the UK benchmark. It leads Oxfordshire and the South East, outperforming its county by 232 points and its region by 397 points. Its strongest result is on Innovation, where it sits 3rd nationally and 651 points above the UK benchmark.
Oxford's composite score combines four pillar scores: Innovation, Scaling, Investment and ESG, weighted at 30%, 30%, 30% and 10% respectively.
Each score is averaged across active companies in the authority, with corporate groups counted once. That approach means a smaller authority with highly active companies can outscore a larger one, making it a fair basis for comparing places of very different sizes.
The UK as a whole scores 1,000, so Oxford's composite of 1,400 places it firmly above the national average across all four pillars. The likely range of 1,346 to 1,454 shows how much the score could move with a slightly different mix of companies; a score is only published when that range is narrow enough to rely on.
South East
Each dot shows the pillar score on a scale where the UK as a whole scores 1,000, marked by the line. The paler band is the likely range. The composite weights Innovation, Scaling and Investment 30% each and ESG 10%.
How Oxford's composite score of 1,400 is built up, pillar by pillar.
Innovation
1,651
Well above average nationally
800UK 1,0001,700+
+651 points against the UK · Likely range 1,562–1,740 · 30% of the composite
Innovation measures granted patent families filed in the last 20 years, R&D grant value, university spinout status, and whether companies are tagged with innovative sectors or IS-8 sectors. Oxford ranks 3rd of 361 authorities on this pillar, scoring 1,651, which is 651 points above the UK benchmark, and outperforms 99.2% of all authorities. That result points to an unusually high concentration of companies with patent activity, R&D grant funding and innovative sector characteristics.
Tagged with any industry or buzzword on a curated list of innovative sectors, for example chips, biotechnology, quantum, AI, data, SaaS, FinTech and CleanTech. About 2.5% of companies.
Tagged with any of the eight IS-8 sectors: advanced manufacturing, clean energy, creative industries, digital and technologies, financial services, life sciences, professional and business services, and defence. About 18% of companies.
We publish a score for each pillar, not for the measures inside it. The percentage beside each measure is how much it counts towards the pillar score. Select the lock to see the companies behind a measure on the Beauhurst platform.
Scaling
1,102
Well above average nationally
800UK 1,0001,700+
+102 points against the UK · Likely range 1,069–1,135 · 30% of the composite
Scaling measures whether companies are 20% scaleups, their annualised three-year headcount growth rate, and accelerator attendance. Oxford ranks 6th of 360 on this pillar, scoring 1,102, which is 102 points above the UK benchmark. Its companies are adding staff noticeably faster than the UK average, and the narrow likely range of 1,069 to 1,135 gives confidence in that reading.
Annualised three-year employee growth rate over the latest four years of accounts, including group accounts, for companies with five or more employees at the start (capped). All other companies count as zero.
We publish a score for each pillar, not for the measures inside it. The percentage beside each measure is how much it counts towards the pillar score. Select the lock to see the companies behind a measure on the Beauhurst platform.
Investment
1,518
Well above average nationally
800UK 1,0001,700+
+518 points against the UK · Likely range 1,431–1,605 · 30% of the composite
Investment measures whether companies have raised equity in the last five years, the value of that equity, and whether a company's first ever equity deal fell within that period. Oxford ranks 3rd of 360 on this pillar, scoring 1,518, which is 518 points above the UK benchmark. Oxford's companies are raising equity at a rate and scale that places the authority among the very top in the country.
Whether the company's first equity deal ever was in the last five years. A first-time raiser always counts as an equity raiser too.
We publish a score for each pillar, not for the measures inside it. The percentage beside each measure is how much it counts towards the pillar score. Select the lock to see the companies behind a measure on the Beauhurst platform.
ESG
1,182
Well above average nationally
800UK 1,0001,700+
+182 points against the UK · Likely range 1,147–1,217 · 10% of the composite
ESG measures clean energy activity, other green activity, environmental accolades, social and governance signals, and not-for-profit proxy status. Oxford ranks 7th of 361 on this pillar, scoring 1,182, which is 182 points above the UK benchmark. Although this is Oxford's lowest-scoring pillar relative to the UK average, it still places the authority in the top 2% nationally, outperforming 98.1% of all authorities.
Is limited by guarantee without share capital, a rough indicator of non-profit status.
We publish a score for each pillar, not for the measures inside it. The percentage beside each measure is how much it counts towards the pillar score. Select the lock to see the companies behind a measure on the Beauhurst platform.
Compared to Oxfordshire
The chart below compares Oxford's composite score with the other authorities in Oxfordshire, where it leads with 1,400 against the next-highest, Vale of White Horse, at 1,287.
Oxford's composite score is 1,400, placing it 3rd of 361 UK local authorities and 400 points above the UK benchmark of 1,000.
How does Oxford compare to the rest of Oxfordshire?
Oxford ranks 1st among the 5 authorities in Oxfordshire, scoring 232 points above the county average of 1,168. The next-highest authority in the county is Vale of White Horse, with a score of 1,287.
How does Oxford compare to the South East region?
Oxford ranks 1st of the 64 authorities in the South East, scoring 397 points above the regional average of 1,003.
What is Oxford's strongest pillar in the Local Growth Index?
Innovation is Oxford's strongest pillar, with a score of 1,651, ranking 3rd of 361 authorities and 651 points above the UK benchmark.
How many companies are counted in Oxford's score?
The score is based on 7,770 active companies in Oxford, with corporate groups counted once rather than as separate registered entities.
What does the Local Growth Index actually measure?
The index measures the characteristics of companies in each local authority across four pillars: Innovation, Scaling, Investment and ESG. It is not a measure of economic output or GDP; it reflects how active local companies are across those dimensions.
Explore the data behind the index
Every score on this page is built from real, named company activity, patent filings, fundraisings, spinouts and scaleups. Book a call to see the data behind any authority's score, and how Beauhurst can support your work.
