Once known for its world-leading steel industry, Sheffield today is a city that has recovered from the fallout of industrial decline and is burgeoning once again. As with some of the other great northern cities — Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds — Sheffield is a city that has embraced its creativity, cultural heritage, and world-class universities to drive it towards exponential growth. As with most places in Yorkshire, Sheffield has never been too shouty about what it has to offer. But that makes it a hidden gem. Bands like Pulp and the Arctic Monkeys have grown out of Sheffield, whilst the cities art scene is the biggest outside of London. The city is also home to some of the UK’s best bars and restaurants — particularly if you’re into your craft beer.
All of this is great, but what really makes Sheffield an amazing place to move to as a teacher is the balance of low living costs, great schools and accessible transport links. The extensive redevelopment of the city since the start of the 21st century has helped the city grow by 60% since 1997. Despite these high levels of growth, house prices are 75% less than London. On a teachers salary, your standard of living will be higher in Sheffield than almost any other city in the UK. The city of seven hills might not be aesthetically pleasing as London — or perhaps even Liverpool — but there are so many reasons to live in Sheffield right now. As a teacher, looking beyond the veneer of other cities and moving to Sheffield might just be the best move you’ll ever make.
