This list of built-up areas for England was compiled by the Office for National Statistics after the 2021 UK Census.[1] Built-up area boundaries are defined and named by the ONS. (In ONS reports of the 2011 and 2021 censuses, many of these areas were called "built-up sub-areas" of larger urban areas; as of October 2024[update], the ONS has not defined a new nomenclature for the urban areas or released any data for them.)
Classifications
[edit]Population range | BUA classed as[1] | Approximate settlement type |
---|---|---|
200,000+ | major | cities |
75,000-199,999 | large | large towns or smaller cities |
20,000-74,999 | medium | medium towns |
5,000-19,999 | small | larger village or small town |
0-4,999 | minor | hamlet or village |
Major
[edit]The ONS classified all built-up areas with a population of at least 200,000 as major. Most are cities[1] with some exceptional towns; Luton, Northampton and Reading) The West Midlands county has three cities over 200,000; Birmingham, Coventry and Wolverhampton.
# | Built-up area | 2021 Population | County | Related places | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
ONS[2] | Citypopulation[3] | ||||
1 | London | — | 8,776,535 | Greater London City of London |
|
2 | Birmingham | 1,121,375 | 1,121,408 | West Midlands | |
3 | Leeds | 536,280 | 536,321 | West Yorkshire | |
4 | Liverpool | 506,565 | 506,552 | Merseyside | |
5 | Sheffield | 500,535 | 500,552 | South Yorkshire | |
6 | Manchester | 470,405 | 470,411 | Greater Manchester | |
7 | Bristol | 425,215 | 425,232 | Bristol | |
8 | Leicester | 406,580 | 406,588 | Leicestershire | |
9 | Coventry | 344,285 | 344,322 | West Midlands | |
10 | Bradford | 333,950 | 333,931 | West Yorkshire |
|
11 | Nottingham | 299,790 | 299,797 | Nottinghamshire | |
12 | Newcastle upon Tyne | 286,445 | 286,468 | Tyne and Wear | |
13 | Brighton and Hove | 277,105 | 277,106 | East Sussex | |
14 | Derby | 275,575 | 275,599 | Derbyshire | |
15 | Kingston upon Hull | 270,810 | 270,806 | East Riding of Yorkshire |
|
16 | Plymouth | 266,955 | 266,983 | Devon | |
17 | Milton Keynes [a] | 197,340 | 197,354 | Buckinghamshire | |
18 | Stoke-on-Trent | 260,560 | 260,602 | Staffordshire | |
19 | Southampton | 249,620 | 249,604 | Hampshire | |
20 | Northampton | 243,520 | 243,511 | Northamptonshire |
|
21 | Wolverhampton | 234,025 | 234,015 | West Midlands | |
22 | Luton | 233,525 | 233,498 | Bedfordshire |
|
23 | Portsmouth | 223,305 | 223,312 | Hampshire | |
24 | Reading | 203,795 | 203,808 | Berkshire | |
25 | Norwich | 200,770 | 200,752 | Norfolk |
Large
[edit]The ONS classified all built-up areas between 199,999 and 75,000 as large-sized, most include large towns or smaller cities.[1]
# | Built-up area | 2021 Population | County | Related places | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
ONS[2] | Citypopulation[3] | ||||
26 | Bournemouth | 196,455 | 196,445 | Dorset | |
27 | Peterborough | 190,605 | 190,584 | Cambridgeshire |
|
28 | Bolton | 184,090 | 184,073 | Greater Manchester |
|
29 | Swindon | 183,680 | 183,638 | Wiltshire | |
30 | Southend-on-Sea | 182,305 | 182,287 | Essex | |
31 | Warrington | 174,970 | 174,954 | Cheshire |
|
32 | Oxford | 170,805 | 170,798 | Oxfordshire |
|
33 | Sunderland | 168,315 | 168,277 | Tyne and Wear | |
34 | Slough | 166,855 | 166,877 | Berkshire | |
35 | Kingswood and Fishponds | 160,270 | 160,260 | Gloucestershire and Bristol |
|
36 | Telford | 156,910 | 156,896 | Shropshire |
|
37 | Cambridge | 152,740 | 152,725 | Cambridgeshire |
|
38 | Ipswich | 151,565 | 151,562 | Suffolk |
|
39 | Blackpool | 149,070 | 149,056 | Lancashire |
|
40 | Middlesbrough | 148,215 | 148,219 | North Yorkshire | |
41 | York | 141,685 | 141,671 | North Yorkshire |
|
42 | Huddersfield | 141,675 | 141,692 | West Yorkshire |
|
43 | Poole | 141,005 | 140,977 | Dorset | |
44 | Watford | 131,325 | 131,326 | Hertfordshire |
|
45 | Colchester | 130,245 | 130,248 | Essex |
|
46 | Exeter | 126,175 | 126,156 | Devon |
|
47 | Blackburn | 124,955 | 124,983 | Lancashire |
|
48 | Crawley | 120,550 | 120,549 | West Sussex | |
49 | Gloucester | 118,555 | 118,541 | Gloucestershire |
|
50 | Stockport | 117,935 | 117,941 | Greater Manchester | |
51 | Basingstoke | 117,210 | 117,207 | Hampshire |
|
52 | Basildon | 115,955 | 115,964 | Essex | |
53 | Cheltenham | 115,940 | 115,959 | Gloucestershire |
|
54 | Gateshead | 115,280 | 115,316 | Tyne and Wear | |
55 | Worthing | 111,620 | 111,621 | West Sussex | |
56 | Rochdale | 111,255 | 111,261 | Greater Manchester |
|
57 | Oldham | 110,720 | 110,718 | Greater Manchester | |
58 | Chelmsford | 110,625 | 110,606 | Essex |
|
59 | Birkenhead | 109,835 | 109,848 | Merseyside |
|
60 | Maidstone | 109,490 | 109,490 | Kent |
|
61 | Gillingham | 108,480 | 108,483 | Kent |
|
62 | Salford | 108,410 | 108,409 | Greater Manchester | |
63 | Solihull | 107,735 | 107,728 | West Midlands |
|
64 | St Helens | 107,680 | 107,677 | Merseyside | |
65 | Worcester | 105,465 | 105,455 | Worcestershire | |
66 | Lincoln | 104,555 | 104,565 | Lincolnshire | |
67 | West Bromwich | 103,110 | 103,112 | West Midlands |
|
68 | Eastbourne | 99,180 | 99,189 | East Sussex |
|
69 | Wakefield | 97,870 | 97,852 | West Yorkshire |
|
70 | Wythenshawe | 97,660 | 97,635 | Greater Manchester |
|
71 | Bedford | 97,235 | 97,241 | Bedfordshire | |
72 | Hemel Hempstead | 95,985 | 95,961 | Hertfordshire | |
73 | Preston | 94,490 | 94,508 | Lancashire | |
74 | Stevenage | 94,470 | 94,456 | Hertfordshire |
|
75 | Southport | 94,440 | 94,421 | Merseyside |
|
76 | Bath | 94,080 | 94,092 | Somerset |
|
77 | Harlow | 93,580 | 93,566 | Essex | |
78 | Royal Sutton Coldfield | 93,375 | 93,369 | West Midlands |
|
79 | Darlington | 93,015 | 93,037 | County Durham | |
80 | Chester | 92,760 | 92,742 | Cheshire |
|
81 | Hastings | 91,490 | 91,480 | East Sussex | |
82 | Nuneaton | 88,815 | 88,813 | Warwickshire |
|
83 | Halifax | 88,115 | 88,109 | West Yorkshire |
|
84 | Hartlepool | 87,995 | 87,984 | County Durham | |
85 | Aylesbury | 87,950 | 87,967 | Buckinghamshire | |
86 | Doncaster | 87,455 | 87,457 | South Yorkshire | |
87 | Grimsby | 85,925 | 85,911 | Lincolnshire |
|
88 | Wallasey | 85,610 | 85,611 | Merseyside |
|
89 | Stockton-on-Tees | 84,815 | 84,801 | County Durham | |
90 | Weston-super-Mare | 84,605 | 84,628 | Somerset |
|
91 | High Wycombe | 83,535 | 83,523 | Buckinghamshire |
|
92 | Ashford | 82,140 | 82,164 | Kent | |
93 | Redditch | 81,635 | 81,637 | Worcestershire |
|
94 | Wigan | 81,580 | 81,557 | Greater Manchester |
|
95 | Scunthorpe | 81,265 | 81,286 | Lincolnshire |
|
96 | Bury | 81,095 | 81,101 | Greater Manchester | |
97 | Bracknell | 78,675 | 78,660 | Berkshire |
|
98 | Burnley | 78,255 | 78,270 | Lancashire |
|
99 | Rugby | 78,120 | 78,117 | Warwickshire |
|
100 | Guildford | 77,880 | 77,854 | Surrey | |
101 | Carlisle | 77,730 | 77,728 | Cumbria |
|
102 | Chatham | 76,955 | 76,983 | Kent |
|
103 | Newcastle-under-Lyme | 76,505 | 76,503 | Staffordshire |
|
104 | Chesterfield | 76,420 | 76,402 | Derbyshire |
|
105 | Burton upon Trent | 76,255 | 76,270 | Staffordshire |
|
106 | Tamworth | 76,090 | 76,092 | Staffordshire |
|
107 | Shrewsbury | 76,015 | 75,992 | Shropshire |
|
108 | Woking | 75,660 | 75,666 | Surrey |
|
109 | St Albans | 75,540 | 75,537 | Hertfordshire |
|
110 | Harrogate | 75,515 | 75,507 | North Yorkshire |
Medium
[edit]The ONS classified all built-up areas between 75,000 and 20,000 as medium-sized, most are moderate towns with some exceptional cities or villages.[1]
49,700 to 74,999
[edit]Hereford, Canterbury, Lancaster and Durham have city status, all others are towns and Rochester formerly had city status.
# | Built-up area | 2021 Population | County | |
---|---|---|---|---|
ONS[2] | Citypopulation[3] | |||
111 | Crewe | 74,120 | 74,123 | Cheshire |
112 | South Shields | 73,345 | 73,325 | Tyne and Wear |
113 | Stafford | 71,690 | 71,673 | Staffordshire |
114 | Rotherham | 71,535 | 71,542 | South Yorkshire |
115 | Barnsley | 71,405 | 71,422 | South Yorkshire |
116 | Lowestoft | 71,315 | 71,327 | Suffolk |
117 | Walsall | 70,775 | 70,778 | West Midlands |
118 | Gosport | 70,110 | 70,131 | Hampshire |
119 | Dartford | 69,130 | 69,134 | Kent |
120 | Bognor Regis | 68,435 | 68,408 | West Sussex |
121 | Corby | 68,160 | 68,164 | Northamptonshire |
122 | Paignton | 67,520 | 67,488 | Devon |
123 | Maidenhead | 67,375 | 67,374 | Berkshire |
124 | Rochester | 67,285 | 67,274 | Kent |
125 | Ellesmere Port | 65,430 | 65,421 | Cheshire |
126 | Loughborough | 64,860 | 64,884 | Leicester |
127 | Dudley | 64,270 | 64,275 | West Midlands |
128 | Dewsbury | 63,720 | 63,722 | West Yorkshire |
129 | Mansfield | 63,445 | 63,438 | Nottinghamshire |
130 | Margate | 63,320 | 63,322 | Kent |
131 | Kettering | 63,150 | 63,144 | Northamptonshire |
132 | Cannock | 63,065 | 63,054 | Staffordshire |
133 | Sale | 62,550 | 62,547 | Greater Manchester |
134 | Taunton | 61,665 | 61,674 | Somerset |
135 | Runcorn | 61,645 | 61,635 | Cheshire |
136 | Farnborough | 60,655 | 60,652 | Hampshire |
137 | Tynemouth | 60,605 | 60,600 | Tyne and Wear |
138 | Hereford | 60,480 | 60,475 | Herefordshire |
139 | Halesowen | 60,110 | 60,097 | West Midlands |
140 | Widnes | 59,935 | 59,939 | Cheshire |
141 | Huyton with Roby | 59,845 | 59,846 | Merseyside |
142 | Scarborough | 59,505 | 59,497 | North Yorkshire |
143 | Gravesend | 58,105 | 58,102 | Kent |
144 | Bebington | 57,600 | 57,597 | Merseyside |
145 | Kidderminster | 57,560 | 57,553 | Worcestershire |
146 | Stourbridge | 56,950 | 56,935 | West Midlands |
147 | Smethwick | 56,340 | 56,338 | West Midlands |
148 | Weymouth | 55,535 | 55,543 | Dorset |
149 | Brentwood | 55,340 | 55,358 | Essex |
150 | Barrow-in-Furness | 55,255 | 55,251 | Cumbria |
151 | Canterbury | 55,090 | 55,087 | Kent |
152 | Wellingborough | 54,425 | 54,412 | Northamptonshire |
153 | Sittingbourne | 54,390 | 54,392 | Kent |
154 | Macclesfield | 54,345 | 54,340 | Cheshire |
155 | Bootle | 53,720 | 53,718 | Merseyside |
156 | Carlton | 53,555 | 53,555 | Nottinghamshire |
157 | Clacton-on-Sea | 53,200 | 53,208 | Essex |
158 | Lancaster | 52,655 | 52,660 | Lancashire |
159 | Beeston | 52,355 | 52,356 | Nottinghamshire |
160 | Banbury | 52,045 | 52,052 | Oxfordshire |
161 | Torquay | 52,035 | 52,037 | Devon |
162 | Folkestone | 51,995 | 51,991 | Kent |
163 | Kingswinford | 51,910 | 51,904 | West Midlands |
164 | Bloxwich | 51,875 | 51,879 | West Midlands |
165 | Welwyn Garden City | 51,505 | 51,524 | Hertfordshire |
166 | Washington | 51,320 | 51,312 | Tyne and Wear |
167 | Royal Leamington Spa | 51,310 | 51,323 | Warwickshire |
168 | Royal Tunbridge Wells | 51,220 | 51,232 | Kent |
169 | Hinckley | 50,725 | 50,712 | Leicestershire |
170 | Durham | 50,510 | 50,515 | County Durham |
171 | Wokingham | 50,325 | 50,320 | Berkshire |
172 | Crosby | 50,215 | 50,213 | Merseyside |
173 | Horsham | 50,215 | 50,223 | West Sussex |
174 | Yeovil | 50,170 | 50,176 | Somerset |
175 | Thundersley and South Benfleet |
49,885 | 49,881 | Essex |
30,000 to 49,699
[edit]"Citypopulation.de" does not record areas with a population lower than Thundersley and South Benfleet.
Winchester, Lichfield and Chichester have city status between 30,000 and 49,700.
20,000 to 29,999
[edit]Truro officially has city status.
See also
[edit]- List of cities in the United Kingdom
- City status in the United Kingdom, differing ways which cities have become cities.
- List of towns in England, England's towns in alphabet order and the differing ways which towns have become towns.
- List of towns and cities in England by historical population, the development of urban centres in England and before England through time.
- Settlements in ceremonial counties of England by population, places with 5,000 or more residents by county and the highest populated built-up area in each county.
- List of English districts by population, population of each local government district in England.
- List of urban areas in the United Kingdom sets out the population of each 2011 built-up area in the UK.
- List of built-up areas in Wales by population, Welsh equivalent.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e "Towns and cities, characteristics of built-up areas, England and Wales: Census 2021". Retrieved 13 April 2024.
- ^ a b c d e "Figure 1: Explore population characteristics of individual BUAs". Retrieved 13 March 2024.
- ^ a b c "UNITED KINGDOM: Countries and Major Cities". Retrieved 4 May 2024.
- ^ "United Kingdom: Countries and Major Urban Areas". citypopulation.de. 11 November 2022. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
Notes
[edit]- ^ Under the 1967 designation of Milton Keynes, Bletchley is also officially included. This would give the city a higher population of 264,349, according to "citypopulation.de".[4]