Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon scores 979 on the UK Local Growth Index, placing it 166th of 361 authorities and 21 points below the UK benchmark. Its strongest result is on Scaling, where it ranks 49th nationally, well ahead of the UK average. Investment is the area of greatest drag, sitting 78 points below the benchmark.
Each score is averaged across the authority's active companies, with corporate groups counted once. That averaging means a smaller authority with highly active companies can score above a larger one, making this a fair comparison between authorities of very different sizes.
The UK as a whole scores 1,000, so at 979 Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon sits just below the national baseline. The likely range of 964 to 994 shows how much the score could move with a slightly different mix of companies; a score is only published when that range is narrow enough to rely on.
Northern Ireland
Each dot shows the pillar score on a scale where the UK as a whole scores 1,000, marked by the line. The paler band is the likely range. The composite weights Innovation, Scaling and Investment 30% each and ESG 10%.
How Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon's composite score of 979 is built up, pillar by pillar.
Innovation
958
Below average nationally
800UK 1,0001,700+
−42 points against the UK · Likely range 933–983 · 30% of the composite
Innovation measures patents, academic spinouts, R&D grant value, innovative sector tags and IS-8 sector tags. At 958, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon sits 42 points below the UK benchmark on this pillar, ranking 227th of 361 authorities, placing it in the bottom quarter nationally for the innovative characteristics of its companies.
Tagged with any industry or buzzword on a curated list of innovative sectors, for example chips, biotechnology, quantum, AI, data, SaaS, FinTech and CleanTech. About 2.5% of companies.
Tagged with any of the eight IS-8 sectors: advanced manufacturing, clean energy, creative industries, digital and technologies, financial services, life sciences, professional and business services, and defence. About 18% of companies.
We publish a score for each pillar, not for the measures inside it. The percentage beside each measure is how much it counts towards the pillar score. Select the lock to see the companies behind a measure on the Beauhurst platform.
Scaling
1,034
Well above average nationally
800UK 1,0001,700+
+34 points against the UK · Likely range 1,004–1,064 · 30% of the composite
Scaling measures whether companies are scaleups, their headcount growth rate and whether they have attended an accelerator. This is the authority's strongest pillar: ranking 49th of 360, it sits 34 points above the UK benchmark, meaning its companies are adding staff and reaching scaleup status at a rate that outperforms 86.4% of authorities nationwide.
Annualised three-year employee growth rate over the latest four years of accounts, including group accounts, for companies with five or more employees at the start (capped). All other companies count as zero.
We publish a score for each pillar, not for the measures inside it. The percentage beside each measure is how much it counts towards the pillar score. Select the lock to see the companies behind a measure on the Beauhurst platform.
Investment
922
Below average nationally
800UK 1,0001,700+
−78 points against the UK · Likely range 895–949 · 30% of the composite
Investment measures whether companies have raised equity in the last five years, the amount raised and whether a raise was a company's first ever equity deal. At 922, this is the weakest pillar, sitting 78 points below the UK benchmark and ranking 279th of 360 authorities, indicating that equity-raising activity among local companies is below the national average.
Whether the company's first equity deal ever was in the last five years. A first-time raiser always counts as an equity raiser too.
We publish a score for each pillar, not for the measures inside it. The percentage beside each measure is how much it counts towards the pillar score. Select the lock to see the companies behind a measure on the Beauhurst platform.
ESG
1,045
Above average nationally
800UK 1,0001,700+
+45 points against the UK · Likely range 1,022–1,068 · 10% of the composite
ESG measures clean energy activity, other green activity, environmental accolades, social and governance signals, and not-for-profit proxy status. At 1,045, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon scores 45 points above the UK benchmark, ranking 103rd of 361 authorities and outperforming 71.5% of all authorities on the environmental and social characteristics of its companies.
Is limited by guarantee without share capital, a rough indicator of non-profit status.
We publish a score for each pillar, not for the measures inside it. The percentage beside each measure is how much it counts towards the pillar score. Select the lock to see the companies behind a measure on the Beauhurst platform.
Compared to Northern Ireland
The chart below compares Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon's composite score of 979 with those of its neighbouring authorities across Northern Ireland.
What is Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon's score on the UK Local Growth Index?
The authority scores 979, placing it 166th of 361 UK local authorities and 21 points below the UK benchmark of 1,000.
How does Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon rank within Northern Ireland?
It ranks 8th of the 11 authorities in Northern Ireland, scoring 33 points below the Northern Ireland average of 1,012.
Which pillar is strongest for Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon?
Scaling is the strongest pillar, with a score of 1,034, ranking 49th of 360 authorities and sitting 34 points above the UK benchmark.
Where does the authority perform weakest?
Investment is the weakest pillar at 922, some 78 points below the UK benchmark, and ranked 279th of 360 authorities. This reflects comparatively low equity-raising activity among local companies.
How many companies does the index cover in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon?
The index covers 7,179 active companies in the authority, with corporate groups counted once rather than as individual registered entities.
What does the likely range mean for this authority's score?
The likely range of 964 to 994 shows how much the score could shift with a slightly different mix of companies. Scores are only published when that range is narrow enough to rely on.
Explore the data behind the index
Every score on this page is built from real, named company activity, patent filings, fundraisings, spinouts and scaleups. Book a call to see the data behind any authority's score, and how Beauhurst can support your work.
