Top 20 brainiest cities - plus where Milton Keynes ranks

Brits loves to brag about intelligence - obsessing over league tables, Ofsted ratings, Russell Group universities and who won at the local pub quiz. Some areas seem to be at an advantage, with stronger schools and more chances to learn at any age. But have you ever wondered which cities are the brainiest in England?

A new study by Unit4 looked at how learning really works in British communities, not just in lecture halls. Researchers examined 59 major areas across England and scored them on how educated residents are, how good local schools are, how easy it is to access learning, and how strong the culture of public knowledge is.

The study assessed seven different categories, weighted by their level of importance, to create an overall score for each city. It looked at the percentage of residents with degrees, GCSE performance in English and Maths, the rate of vocational qualifications, access to Level 3 qualifications, access to public libraries, the percentage of schools rated outstanding in their most recent Ofsted inspection (2024) and how many public lectures and academic events are available per 10,000 people.

Milton Keynes ranks eighteenth overall with a total score of 39.6, standing out as a modern success story. With 28% of residents holding higher degrees, the city ranks 16th in the country, showing that its youthful, fast-growing population is well-educated and ambitious.

Milton Keynes schools achieve a respectable 74.9% GCSE pass rate in English and Maths (22nd), while 2.23 vocational qualifications were awarded per capita (25th). The Level 3 qualification rate of 64% (31st) further cements its reputation as a city with well-rounded learners prepared for both university and skilled careers.

Though residents seem to have limited access to libraries, with just seven across the area (42nd), Milton Keynes makes up for it with an active intellectual culture, hosting an impressive 324.8 public lectures and academic events per 10,000 people (13th). While only 3.5% of schools are rated outstanding by Ofsted (47th), the city’s strong focus on lifelong learning and innovation more than compensates.

Meanwhile, Slough takes the title as the UK’s brainiest area with a rounded-up score of 59.6, thanks to its impressive 82% GCSE pass rate and a strong vocational qualification rate of 3.3, placing it second nationwide. Oxford comes in runner up with 54 points, standing out for having the highest share of residents with higher degrees (41%) and nearly 600 public lectures per 10,000 people.

Reading sits in third place with 50.9. Its well-educated population saw 33% holding degrees, 30 public libraries, and GCSE results of 76.5%. Stafford came fourth with an impressive 78.6% GCSE rate and exceptional 11.1% of schools rated outstanding by Ofsted. Brighton and Hove rounded out the top five with 37.9% of residents holding degrees and a 79.3% GCSE success rate.

Surprisingly, some of England’s biggest and most popular cities don’t appear as highly as you might expect. Bristol lands in 23rd place, Manchester in 28th, Newcastle in 29th, Birmingham in 34th, Liverpool in 40th and Nottingham in 50th.

At the other end of the table, the lowest-performing areas include Stoke-on-Trent, Kingston upon Hull, Blackpool, Barnsley and Bradford. Those towns and cities sit in the bottom five in the overall ranking.