# List of urban areas in the United Kingdom

This is a list of the most populous urban areas in the United Kingdom based on the 2011 census, as defined by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

## Definition

The methodology used by ONS in 2011 is set out in 2011 Built-up Areas – Methodology and Guidance, published in June 2013. When ONS reported the results of the 2011 UK census, it used the term "built-up area" rather than the term "urban area" as used in previous censuses. ONS states, however, that the criteria used to define "built-up area" have not changed:
   the definition follows a ‘bricks and mortar’ approach, with areas defined as built-up land with a minimum area of 20 hectares (200,000 m$^2$), while settlements within 200 metres of each other are linked. Built-up area sub-divisions are also identified to provide greater detail in the data, especially in the larger conurbations.
In reporting the 2001 census, the ONS gave a clearer definition of the term "built-up" as follows:
   This comprises permanent structures and the land on which they are situated, including land enclosed by or closely associated with such structures; transportation corridors such as roads, railways and canals which have built up land on one or both sides, or which link built-up sites which are less than 200 metres apart; transportation features such as airports and operational airfields, railway yards, motorway service areas and car parks; mine buildings, excluding mineral workings and quarries; and any area completely surrounded by builtup sites. Areas such as playing fields and golf courses are excluded unless completely surrounded by builtup sites...

## Most populous

The list below shows the most populated urban areas in the United Kingdom as defined by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), but as readily referenced at Citypopulation.de. The list includes all urban areas with a population in excess of 100,000 at the 2011 census.
| # | Area | Population (2011) | Area (km$^2$) | Density (People/ km$^2$) | Primary subdivisions | Notable changes from 2001 to 2011 |
| 1 | Greater London | 9,787,426 | 1,737.9 | 5,630 | London boroughs, Hemel Hempstead, Watford, Woking, Harlow, St Albans, Bracknell | Guildford, Harlow, Bracknell and St Albans added. |
| 2 | Greater Manchester | 2,553,379 | 630.3 | 4,051 | Manchester, Salford, Bolton, Stockport, Oldham, Rochdale, Bury, Atherton, Leigh, Trafford, Tameside | Golborne, Glossop and Newton-le-Willows added. |
| 3 | West Midlands | 2,440,986 | 598.9 | 4,076 | Birmingham, Wolverhampton, West Bromwich, Dudley, Walsall, Solihull | |
| 4 | West Yorkshire | 1,777,934 | 487.8 | 3,645 | Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield, Huddersfield, Dewsbury, Keighley, Halifax | Halifax added |
| 5 | Greater Glasgow | 957,620 | 368.5 | 3,390 | Glasgow, Paisley, Clydebank, Rutherglen, Newton Mearns, Bearsden, Cambuslang, Clarkston, Bishopbriggs | |
| 6 | Liverpool | 864,122 | 199.6 | 4,329 | Liverpool, Bootle, Litherland, Crosby, Prescot, St. Helens, Ashton-in-Makerfield | Ashton-in-Makerfield added |
| 7 | South Hampshire | 855,569 | 192.0 | 4,455 | Portsmouth, Southampton, Eastleigh, Gosport, Fareham, Havant | Portsmouth Urban Area and Southampton Urban Area combined. Hedge End, Locks Heath, Bursledon and Whiteley added. Stubbington and Lee-on-the-Solent removed. |
| 8 | Tyneside | 774,891 | 180.5 | 4,292 | Newcastle upon Tyne, Gateshead, North Tyneside, South Tyneside | Washington, Chester-le-Street, Hetton-le-Hole, Houghton-le-Spring removed. |
| 9 | Nottingham | 729,977 | 176.4 | 4,139 | Nottingham, Beeston, Carlton, West Bridgford, Ilkeston, Hucknall | |
| 10 | Sheffield | 685,368 | 167.5 | 4,092 | Sheffield, Rotherham, Rawmarsh | |
| 11 | Bristol | 617,280 | 144.4 | 4,274 | Bristol, Filton, Pill, Frampton Cotterell, Kingswood, Warmley, Mangotsfield, Winterbourne | |
| 12 | Belfast | 595,879 | 960 | 620 | Belfast, Castlereagh, Greenisland, Holywood, Lisburn, Newtownabbey | |
| 13 | Leicester | 508,916 | 109.4 | 4,653 | Leicester, Wigston, Oadby, Syston, Blaby, Birstall, Narborough, Enderby | Ratby removed and Narborough and Enderby added |
| 14 | Edinburgh | 482,270 | 125 | 4,172 | Edinburgh, Musselburgh, Wallyford | |
| 15 | Brighton and Hove | 474,485 | 89.4 | 5,304 | Brighton and Hove, Worthing, Littlehampton, Shoreham-by-Sea | Rottingdean, Saltdean and Findon removed. |
| 16 | Bournemouth/ Poole | 466,266 | 131.0 | 3,559 | Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch, Ferndown, New Milton, Wimborne Minster | Ferndown and Wimborne Minster added. |
| 17 | Cardiff | 447,287 | 102.3 | 4,370 | Cardiff, Caerphilly, Penarth, Pontypridd | Caerphilly and Pontypridd added. |
| 18 | Teesside | 376,633 | 108.2 | 3,482 | Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, Billingham, Redcar | Eston & Southbank added to Middlesbrough sub-division, no longer counted as separate sub-division |
| 19 | Stoke-on-Trent | 372,775 | 103.9 | 3,588 | Stoke-on-Trent, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Kidsgrove | |
| 20 | Coventry | 359,262 | 81.3 | 4,420 | Coventry, Bedworth | |
| 21 | Sunderland | 335,415 | 137.5 | 4,018 | Sunderland, Washington, Chester-le-Street, Hetton-le-Hole, Houghton-le-Spring | Washington, Chester-le-Street, Hetton-le-Hole and Houghton-le-Spring added. |
| 22 | Birkenhead | 325,264 | 88.2 | 3,687 | Birkenhead, Wallasey, Ellesmere Port, Bebington | |
| 23 | Reading | 318,014 | 83.7 | 3,800 | Reading, Wokingham, Woodley, Crowthorne | Bracknell removed. |
| 24 | Kingston upon Hull | 314,018 | 82.6 | 3,802 | Kingston upon Hull, Cottingham, Hessle | |
| 25 | Preston | 313,322 | 82.4 | 3,802 | Preston, Bamber Bridge, Chorley, Fulwood, Leyland | Longton and Adlington added. |
| 26 | Newport | 306,844 | 84.2 | 3,643 | Newport, Pontypool, Cwmbran, Blackwood, Risca, Ystrad Mynach | Pontypool, Cwmbran and Blackwood added. |
| 27 | Swansea | 300,352 | 87.6 | 3,431 | Swansea, Neath, Port Talbot, Ystradgynlais, Pontardawe | Ystradgynlais added. |
| 28 | Southend-on-Sea | 295,310 | 71.8 | 4,111 | Southend-on-Sea, Hullbridge, Rayleigh, Rochford | Hullbridge added. |
| 29 | Derby | 270,468 | 64.1 | 4,219 | Derby, Borrowash, Duffield | |
| 30 | Plymouth | 260,203 | 59.7 | 4,356 | Plymouth | |
| 31 | Luton | 258,018 | 50.7 | 5,088 | Luton, Dunstable, Houghton Regis | |
| 32 | Farnborough/ Aldershot | 252,397 | 78.5 | 3,217 | Farnborough, Aldershot, Camberley, Farnham, Frimley, Sandhurst, Yateley | |
| 33 | Medway Towns | 243,931 | 52.2 | 4,677 | Gillingham, Chatham, Rochester | |
| 34 | Blackpool | 239,409 | 61.3 | 3,908 | Blackpool, Lytham St Annes, Poulton-le-Fylde, Thornton, Cleveleys | Fleetwood removed. |
| 35 | Milton Keynes | 229,941 | 62.5 | 3,678 | "Milton Keynes", Bletchley, Newport Pagnell, Woburn Sands | Woburn Sands added. |
| 36 | Barnsley/ Dearne Valley | 223,281 | 59.7 | 3,739 | Barnsley, Wath upon Dearne, Wombwell, Hoyland | |
| 37 | Northampton | 215,963 | 57.9 | 3,731 | Northampton, Collingtree | |
| 38 | Norwich | 213,166 | 61.9 | 3,444 | Norwich, Taverham, Costessey, Cringleford, Colney, Horsham St Faith, Queens Hills, Thorpe End, Trowse with Newton | |
| 39 | Aberdeen | 208,190 | 69.5 | 3,050 | Aberdeen | |
| 40 | Swindon | 185,609 | 47.1 | 3,945 | Swindon, Haydon Wick, Stratton St. Margaret, Broad Blunsdon, Blunsdon St Andrew, Wroughton | |
| 41 | Crawley | 180,508 | 58.1 | 3,107 | Crawley, Horley, East Grinstead, Copthorne, Crawley Down | East Grinstead, Copthorne and Crawley Down added. Reigate and Redhill removed. |
| 42 | Ipswich | 178,835 | 49.1 | 3,639 | Ipswich, Kesgrave, Woodbridge | Woodbridge added |
| 43 | Wigan | 175,405 | 43.8 | 4,009 | Wigan, Skelmersdale, Standish, Ince-in-Makerfield | |
| 44 | Mansfield | 171,958 | 48.4 | 3,556 | Mansfield, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Mansfield Woodhouse | |
| 45 | Oxford | 171,380 | 37.4 | 4,585 | Oxford, Kennington, Wheatley | Kennington and Wheatley added |
| 46 | Warrington | 165,456 | 44.9 | 3,686 | Warrington | |
| 47 | Slough | 163,777 | 34.1 | 4,797 | Slough, Stoke Poges, Poyle | |
| 48 | Peterborough | 163,379 | 44.2 | 3,693 | Peterborough, Farcet | |
| 49 | Cambridge | 158,434 | 42.1 | 3,760 | Cambridge, Fen Ditton, Girton, Histon | Histon and Fen Ditton added. |
| 50 | Doncaster | 158,141 | 43.5 | 3,634 | Doncaster, Bentley, Armthorpe, Sprotbrough | Bessacarr added. |
| 51 | Dundee | 157,550 | 49.9 | 3,180 | Dundee, Monifieth, Invergowrie | |
| 52 | York | 153,717 | 34.0 | 4,518 | York, Earswick | |
| 53 | Gloucester | 150,053 | 40.4 | 3,718 | Gloucester, Innsworth | |
| 54 | Burnley | 149,422 | 35.7 | 4,183 | Burnley, Padiham, Brierfield, Colne, Barrowford, Nelson | |
| 55 | Telford | 147,980 | 47.7 | 3,103 | Telford, Broseley | |
| 56 | Blackburn | 146,521 | 35.6 | 4,115 | Blackburn, Darwen | |
| 57 | Basildon | 144,859 | 37.1 | 3,902 | Basildon, Wickford, Ramsden Heath, North Benfleet | Wickford added. |
| 58 | Grimsby | 134,160 | 35.3 | 3,804 | Grimsby, Cleethorpes, Waltham | New Waltham removed. |
| 59 | Hastings | 133,422 | 33.2 | 4,019 | Hastings, Bexhill | |
| 60 | High Wycombe | 133,204 | 39.2 | 3,398 | High Wycombe, Cookham, Hughenden Valley | |
| 61 | Thanet | 125,370 | 27.9 | 4,495 | Margate, Ramsgate, Broadstairs | |
| 62 | Accrington/ Rossendale | 125,059 | 30.0 | 4,168 | Accrington, Rawtenstall, Bacup, Great Harwood, Haslingden, Oswaldtwistle, Church | Accrington and Rossendale areas combined. |
| 63 | Motherwell | 124,540 | 45.1 | 2,765 | Motherwell, Wishaw, Bellshill, Viewpark, Newmains, Holytown | |
| 64 | Burton-upon-Trent | 122,199 | 35.0 | 3,487 | Burton-upon-Trent, Swadlincote | Swadlincote, Stapenhill and Winshill added. |
| 65 | Colchester | 121,859 | 32.7 | 3,732 | Colchester, Marks Tey | |
| 66 | Eastbourne | 118,219 | 25.1 | 4,705 | Eastbourne, Polegate | |
| 67 | Exeter | 117,763 | 28.5 | 4,133 | Exeter, Topsham | |
| 68 | Cheltenham | 116,447 | 28.9 | 4,034 | Cheltenham | |
| 69 | Paignton/ Torquay | 115,410 | 31.5 | 3,667 | Paignton, Torquay, Marldon | |
| 70 | Lincoln | 114,879 | 32.7 | 3,518 | Lincoln, North Hykeham | |
| 71 | Chesterfield | 113,057 | 34.6 | 3,263 | Chesterfield, Staveley, Wingerworth, Holymoorside | Wingerworth added. |
| 72 | Chelmsford | 111,511 | 26.2 | 4,259 | Chelmsford, Little Waltham | |
| 73 | Basingstoke | 107,642 | 29.4 | 3,662 | Basingstoke | |
| 74 | Maidstone | 107,627 | 25.4 | 4,229 | Maidstone | |
| 75 | Bedford | 106,940 | 24.8 | 4,309 | Bedford, Kempston | |
| 76 | Worcester | 101,659 | 24.7 | 4,121 | Worcester, Norton | |