Wolverhampton scores 934 on the UK Local Growth Index, placing it 342nd of 361 local authorities and 66 points below the UK benchmark. Its strongest pillar is Innovation, though all four pillars sit below the UK average. Investment is the area where its companies lag furthest behind.
Each score is averaged across active companies in the authority, with corporate groups counted once. That averaging means a smaller authority with highly active companies can outscore a larger one, making this a fair comparison across authorities of very different sizes.
The UK benchmark is set at 1,000, so Wolverhampton's score of 934 sits below the national average across its 17,496 active companies. The likely range of 925 to 943 shows how much the score could shift with a slightly different mix of companies; a score is only published when that range is narrow enough to rely on.
West Midlands
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 Wolverhampton's composite score of 934 is built up, pillar by pillar.
Innovation
940
Well below average nationally
800UK 1,0001,700+
−60 points against the UK · Likely range 926–954 · 30% of the composite
Innovation captures patents, academic spinouts, R&D grant value, innovative sector tags and IS-8 sector presence. Wolverhampton ranks 292nd of 361 authorities on this pillar, scoring 940, which is 60 points below the UK benchmark. That makes it the strongest of its four pillars, though it still outperforms only 19.1% of authorities nationally.
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
953
Well below average nationally
800UK 1,0001,700+
−47 points against the UK · Likely range 936–970 · 30% of the composite
Scaling measures scaleup status, headcount growth and accelerator attendance. Wolverhampton ranks 328th of 360 on this pillar with a score of 953, placing it 47 points below the UK average. It outperforms just 8.9% of authorities, pointing to limited high-growth activity among its companies relative to most of the country.
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
905
Well below average nationally
800UK 1,0001,700+
−95 points against the UK · Likely range 889–921 · 30% of the composite
Investment reflects equity raising activity, including whether companies raised equity in the last five years, the amount raised and whether a raise was a first-ever deal. At 905, Wolverhampton's investment score is its weakest, sitting 95 points below the UK benchmark and ranking 337th of 360 authorities. Only 6.4% of authorities score lower, indicating that equity investment into local companies is particularly sparse.
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
948
Well below average nationally
800UK 1,0001,700+
−52 points against the UK · Likely range 935–961 · 10% of the composite
ESG covers clean energy activity, other green activity, environmental accolades, social and governance signals, and not-for-profit proxy status. Wolverhampton scores 948 on this pillar, 52 points below the UK benchmark, and ranks 335th of 361 authorities. It outperforms 7.2% of authorities, suggesting limited ESG-linked characteristics among its companies compared with most of the country.
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 West Midlands
The chart below shows how Wolverhampton's composite score of 934 compares with its neighbours across the West Midlands.
What is Wolverhampton's UK Local Growth Index score?
Wolverhampton scores 934 on the UK Local Growth Index, placing it 342nd of 361 local authorities and 66 points below the UK benchmark of 1,000.
How does Wolverhampton compare with the rest of the West Midlands?
Wolverhampton ranks 29th of 30 authorities in the West Midlands region, scoring 31 points below the regional score of 965. It also sits 20 points below the county score of 954, ranking 6th of 7 authorities in its county group.
Which pillar is Wolverhampton strongest on?
Innovation is Wolverhampton's highest-scoring pillar at 940, covering patents, academic spinouts, R&D grant value, innovative sector tags and IS-8 sector presence. Even so, it ranks 292nd of 361 authorities on this measure.
Where does Wolverhampton score lowest?
Investment is Wolverhampton's weakest pillar, scoring 905 and ranking 337th of 360 authorities. It sits 95 points below the UK benchmark, the largest gap of any of its four pillars.
How many companies are counted in Wolverhampton's score?
The index counts 17,496 active companies in Wolverhampton, with corporate groups counted once rather than as individual registered entities.
What does a score of 1,000 mean on the UK Local Growth Index?
A score of 1,000 represents the UK average. Authorities above 1,000 have companies that are more active across the index measures than the national average; those below, like Wolverhampton at 934, are less active on those measures.
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.
