The commuter town of Slough, which sits equidistant between London and Reading, has topped the rankings of 25 towns and cities as the best place to work in the UK.

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The study by the recruitment firm Glassdoor was given a score of 4.2 out of five by employees working there, just ahead of second-placed Manchester.Glassdoor based its rankings on median base salaries; the cost of living calculated as the ratio of salaries to average home values; and job satisfaction based on at least 80 company reviews by local employees on Glassdoor’s website over the past year.The study found that, in Slough, median salaries were running at £35,000 in an area with more than 26,000 job vacancies and an average house price of £390,000. At £24,000, salaries in Manchester were considerably lower but, at £177,200, so were average house prices.London did not even make it into the top 25, reflecting a similar survey earlier in September by Glassdoor in the US when neither New York nor San Francisco got into the rankings, despite their leading positions as financial and tech centres.

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Read all the latest from this Autumn's Relocate Magazine:

• Brexit: the great relocation battle
• Brexit talent challenge: strategies and approaches 
• Global mobility and immigration facing perfect storm: GXP Summit 

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Mid size cities outstrip buzzing metropolis

“Big, metropolitan cities may be more famous than others, including being home to some amazing companies to work for, but this recognition is also what contributes to them being among the most expensive places to live,” commented Andrew Chamberlain, chief economist at Glassdoor.“People may be overlooking mid-size cities if they are looking to relocate or find new opportunities. What this jobs report shows is that many midsize cities stand out for offering a great mix of a thriving job market with plenty of opportunity, paired with home affordability and being regions where employees are more satisfied in their jobs, too.”The American rankings were topped by Pittsburgh with a 4.4 satisfaction score, followed by Indianapolis, Kansas City, Raleigh-Durham and St Louis.Completing the top five in the UK were Cambridge, Swindon and Stoke-on-Trent.Mr Chamberlain said, “With large multinational businesses establishing themselves in Slough, along with high average salaries and close proximity to major transport hubs such as Heathrow Airport, the Berkshire town has now emerged as a prime spot to live and work.“Although people in London are generally satisfied, it has proven not only to be an expensive place to live, but also an ultra-competitive city in which to find a job.“The UK's M4 corridor remains Britain's global tech backbone, with companies such as Oracle, Cisco and Microsoft all along this route.“Towns and cities around this area offer pleasant environments, above average salaries and a lower cost of living, meaning an increased quality of life for employees.”Top 25 (town, score, median base salary):

1. Slough, 4.2, £35,000
2. Manchester, 4.0, £23,998
3. Cambridge, 4.0, £31,225
4. Swindon, 3.9, £31,000
5. Stoke-on-Trent, 3.9, £21,000
6. Reading, 3.8, £35,000
7. Leeds, 3.8, £24,000
8. Milton Keynes, 3.7, £28,000
9. Bolton, 3.7, £21,000
10. Oxford, 3.6, £30,000
11. Coventry, 3.6, £27,000
12. Derby, 3.6, £25,000
13. Nottingham, 3.6, £23,500
14. Birmingham, 3.6, £24,864
15. Ipswich, 3.6, £24,985
16. Belfast, 3.6, £21,000
17. Southampton, 3.6, £26,000
18. Aberdeen, 3.5, £32,500
19. Luton, 3.5, £29,000
20. Dundee, 3.5, £20,000
21. Newcastle, 3.5, £22,000
22. Bristol, 3.5, £25,598
23. Blackpool, 3.5, £18,000
24. Hull, 3.5, £22,500
25. Peterborough, 2.4, £22,060

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Read David Sapsted's article on Brexit: The great relocation battle – which discusses the tussle for European agencies relocating post-Brexit – in the Autumn 2017 issue of Relocate Magazine.

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