Lancaster ranked No.1 in England for working mums in 2025
Lancaster has been judged the best in the country for working mums in 2025, according to new research.
Balancing a career and raising kids has become the norm for many mums across the country but the support they get still depends heavily on where they live.
CoworkingCafe analysed more than 80 English cities and large towns to find out which places are doing the most to support modern motherhood in 2025.
The analysis looked across four pillars – work, education, health and environment, and affordability – and used 15 key metrics including women’s employment, income, childcare availability and hourly fees, school access and performance, healthcare, air quality, green space and housing affordability.
The research also added two spotlights – Access and Support Strongholds (for career-focused mums) and Cost-Comfort Hotspots (for budget-conscious families).
And according to the study, two neighbouring cities put Lancashire firmly on the map with Lancaster coming out number one overall in England for working mums, while Preston took second place in the Cost-Comfort Hotspots list.
Lancaster – key takeaways: #1 Overall Best City for Working Mums
Schools within easy reach: England’s third best places for access, with 36.5 schools per 10,000 children, widening choice and easing the school run.
Cleaner air for kids: The second cleanest air in the country (PM2.5 ~5.7 μg/m³), a quiet but meaningful health win.
Childcare that doesn’t break the bank: Typical fees sit around £5.20/hour (fourth most affordable in England), with great availability (2.1 children per place).
Work that fits family life: 77.3% of women are in work, while the average week is 29.2 hours (shorter than many peers).
Housing that’s more manageable: Households spend 25.4% of income on rent (well below the national rent-to-income ratio of 42%). The house price-to-income ratio sits at 5.8 – also comfortably under the national 7.6 ratio.
Services on hand: GP access is solid (74 per 100k) and families enjoy 5.8 public green spaces within 1km, while 87.2% of addresses benefit from private outdoor space for every day ease.
Nationally, Lancaster, Cheltenham, and Newcastle-under-Lyme top England’s list thanks to their mix of affordable childcare, strong employment and good services. Regionally, the North West dominates with five entrants in the top 10.
You can find the full study and methodology at https://www.coworkingcafe.com/blog/working-moms-uk/