Exeter, a city of under 140,000 residents, is the UK’s most sustainable urban area, according to a study of 94 locations by CoworkingCafe. The Devon city claimed first place ahead of Cambridge, Milton Keynes, and Watford, while London ranks 28th and Birmingham 57th.
With around 84% of adults in Great Britain reporting greener lifestyle changes, according to the Office for National Statistics, and ministers reviewing EV targets until 23rd October, the ranking highlights where local infrastructure can make sustainable choices easier. Only 53% named climate change and the environment among the most important issues facing the UK, but a majority are adapting how they live, influenced by local authority measures such as kerbside recycling collections, charge points, cycle lanes, clean air zones, and planning policy.
The study evaluated nine key sustainability metrics across 94 urban areas, including carbon emissions per capita, air quality, household recycling, rooftop solar installation density, and access to green space. Full-fibre broadband coverage was also factored in as the digital backbone behind smart energy and waste systems. Each location received a score out of a theoretical maximum of 100 points.
Top performers and regional variations
Exeter
The city recorded 2.33 tonnes of CO2 per resident, the eighth-lowest figure nationally, and had the ninth-cleanest air, with fine particle pollution (PM2.5) averaging 5.52 micrograms per cubic metre. It also had 101.5 solar PV installations per 1,000 households, the fourth-highest uptake in the UK. Exeter has 239 public EV chargers per 100,000 residents and an eco-friendly car share of 24.7%. Institutional support comes from the Met Office and a university with a climate research footprint. However, its household recycling rate stands at 36.9%, placing it 43rd, while full-fibre coverage of 78.8% puts it in 51st position.
Cambridge
A total of 63.1% of its full-time equivalent workforce is employed in the 10 lowest-emission industries, second only to Hemel Hempstead. The city has 289.9 public EV chargers per 100,000 residents, the 6th-highest figure nationally, and 90.4 solar installations per 1,000 households, also ranking sixth. Full-fibre availability reaches 88.3%, while fine particle pollution levels rank 73rd.
Milton Keynes
Hybrid, plug-in hybrid, fully electric, or range-extended vehicles make up 40.8% of locally registered cars, the 4th-highest share in the study, supported by 328.6 public chargers per 100,000 residents. Household recycling stands at 51.9%, ranking 5th, while full-fibre coverage reaches 95.7%, ranking fourth. Residents live a median 473 metres from a park, while carbon emissions rank 52nd at 3.01 tonnes per resident.
Watford
The town has 672.8 public EV chargers per 100,000 residents, second only to Coventry. It records 2.40 tonnes of CO2 per capita, the 11th-lowest figure, and residents live a median 368 metres from a park. Solar uptake ranks 92nd, with 26.1 installations per 1,000 households, while fine particle pollution ranks 89th.
Edinburgh
As the highest-placed large city, it has the fourth-lowest fine particle pollution nationally, a median distance of 322 metres to a park, ranking 10th-shortest, a low emission zone enforced since 2024, and 58.5% of its workforce in low-emission industries. Per capita CO2 emissions stand at 3.25 tonnes, ranking 69th, while solar uptake stands at 38.9 installations per 1,000 households, ranking 67th.
Swansea
The city recycles 71.7% of household waste, nearly 20 percentage points ahead of the best English performer, and ranks third-lowest for fine particle pollution. It has 146.4 chargers per 100,000 residents and an eco-friendly car share of 13.1%.
Glasgow
The city records 2.70 tonnes of CO2 per resident, the 30th-lowest figure, and has the fifth-cleanest air, 91.5% full-fibre coverage, and 54.7% of its workforce in low-emission employment. Household recycling ranks 68th at 30.6%, while solar uptake ranks 81st at 33.5 installations per 1,000 households.
Reading
Emissions stand at 2.36 tonnes per resident, the 10th-lowest figure, while low-emission employment accounts for 58.1% and full-fibre coverage reaches 94.8%, ranking joint sixth. Its eco-friendly car share ranks 50th at 12.8%, while charging infrastructure ranks 21st, with 187.5 chargers per 100,000 residents.
Bristol
Residents live a median 293 metres from a park, the sixth-shortest distance, while emissions stand at 2.53 tonnes per resident, the 14th-lowest figure, and 56.7% of the workforce is in low-emission employment. The city ranks 74th for chargers, with 83.5 per 100,000 residents, and 76th for eco-friendly car share at 11.1%.
Cardiff
Household recycling reached 64.1%, the 3rd-best rate, while low-emission employment stood at 58.2%, ranking seventh. The median distance to a park was 364 metres, while emissions ranked 72nd at 3.39 tonnes per resident.
Stockport
It achieved a 49.3% eco-friendly car share, 2nd only to Peterborough, and a 49.3% recycling rate, ranking ninth. It ranks 50th for chargers, with 114.8 per 100,000 residents.
Cheltenham
Emissions stand at 2.56 tonnes per resident, ranking 17th, while solar installations stand at 62.5 per 1,000 households, ranking 21st. The town has 239 chargers per 100,000 residents, ranking 13th, while fine particle pollution stands at 6.48 µg/m³. Low-emission employment accounts for 50.9%, and household recycling stands at 34.7%, ranking 52nd.
Bournemouth
Solar uptake stands at 60.6 installations per 1,000 households, while air quality ranks 13th-cleanest. Emissions stand at 2.62 tonnes per resident, and household recycling reaches 53.9%, the fourth-highest rate nationally. Its eco-friendly car share ranks 86th at 10.4%, while low-emission employment stands at 42.9%.
Ipswich
Emissions stand at 2.24 tonnes per resident, the fifth-lowest figure, while full-fibre coverage reaches 94.8%, ranking joint sixth. The town has 253.1 chargers per 100,000 residents, ranking ninth, and an eco-friendly car share of 9.9%, ranking 90th.
Weston-super-Mare
Solar uptake stands at 128 installations per 1,000 households, the 2nd-highest figure, while household recycling reaches 51.2%, ranking seventh. Air quality ranks 11th-cleanest, while the median distance to a park ranks 91st at 826 metres.
Outside the top 15, Peterborough (#16) recorded 135.6 solar installations per 1,000 households and an eco-friendly car share of 49.8%, alongside 3.67 tonnes of CO2 per resident, ranking 86th. Hemel Hempstead (#17) led for low-emission employment at 65.2%. Luton (#18) recorded 2.12 tonnes of CO2 per resident, while Worthing (#21) had the lowest overall emissions at 2.10 tonnes per resident.
Kingswood and Fishponds (#19) recorded 77.1 solar installations per 1,000 households and an eco-friendly car share of 33.7%. Coventry had the highest density of public EV chargers, while Dundee recorded the cleanest overall air quality.