A new study which looked at how learning really works in British communities, has placed the new city among the top 20 brainiest areas in the country.
Rather than ranking places purely on who has the fanciest university, 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. In other words, not just “who’s got the degrees,” but “who’s actually investing in brains.”
Milton Keynes ranked 18th overall with a total score of 39.59, standing out as a modern success story built on innovation and education.
With 27.95% of residents holding higher degrees, the city ranks 16th in England, showing that its youthful, fast-growing population is well-educated and ambitious.
Schools in Milton Keynes achieve a 74.9% GCSE pass rate in English and Maths (22nd), while 2.23 vocational qualifications per capita (25th) highlight a healthy mix of academic and technical learning. 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.
While access to libraries is somewhat limited, with just seven across the area, the study noted that Milton Keynes has an active intellectual culture, hosting 324.77 public lectures and academic events per 10,000 people, ranking 13th nationally.
Though only 3.47% of schools are rated outstanding by Ofsted (47th), the city’s strong focus on lifelong learning and innovation more than compensates.
The study was carried out by Unit4
