page_title: North West England
section_title: Cities and towns
hierarchical_section_title: North West England / Cities and towns
caption_attribution_description: English: Preston City Centre, Lancashire
context_page_description: North West England is one of nine official regions of England and consists of the five counties Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside. The North West had a population of 7,052,000 in 2011. It is the third-most-populated region in the United Kingdom, after the South East and Greater London. The largest settlements are Manchester, Liverpool, Warrington, Blackpool, Chester, Stockport, Sale and Bolton.
context_section_description: GM = Greater Manchester, ME = Merseyside, CU = Cumbria, LA = Lancashire, CH = Cheshire
  Population > 400,000
  Manchester, GM
  Liverpool, ME
  Population > 100,000
  Warrington, CH
  Blackpool, LA
  Chester, CH
  Stockport, GM
  Sale, GM
  Bolton, GM
  Preston, LA
  Rochdale, GM
  Blackburn, LA
  Wigan, GM
  St. Helens, ME
  Wythenshawe, GM
  Salford, GM
  Population > 70,000
  Oldham, GM
  Southport, ME
  Birkenhead, ME
  Bury, GM
  Bootle, ME
  Carlisle, CU
  Northwich, CH
  Burnley, LA
  Barrow-in-Furness, CU
  Crewe, CH
  Population > 50,000
  Runcorn, CH
  Widnes, CH
  Wallasey, ME
  Ellesmere Port, CH
  Altrincham, GM
  Macclesfield, CH
  Crosby, ME
  Leigh, GM
  Population > 30,000
  Accrington, LA
  Lancaster, LA
  Ashton-under-Lyne, GM
  Middleton, GM
  Lytham St Annes, LA
  Urmston, GM
  Kirkby, ME
  Skelmersdale, LA
  Eccles, GM
  Stretford, GM
  Denton, GM
  Leyland, LA
  Chadderton, GM
  Morecambe, LA
  Chorley, LA
  Hyde, GM
  Huyton, ME
  Thornton-Cleveleys, LA
  Prestwich, GM
  Saddleworth, GM
  Winsford, CH
  Farnworth, GM
  Population > 20,000
  Radcliffe, GM
  Nelson, LA
  Ashton-in-Makerfield, GM
  Kendal, CU
  Heywood, GM
  Reddish, GM
  Darwen, LA
  Hindley, GM
  Cheadle Hulme, GM
  Fleetwood, LA
  Congleton, CH
  Swinton, GM
  Workington, CU
  South Turton, GM
  Westhoughton, GM
  Wilmslow, CH
  Ormskirk, LA
  Golborne, GM
  Whitehaven, CU
  Stalybridge, GM
  Marple, GM
  Whitefield, GM
  Droylsden, GM
  Penwortham, LA
  Formby, ME
  Litherland, ME
  Newton-le-Willows, ME
  Atherton, GM
  Rawtenstall, LA
  Royton, GM
  Walkden, GM
  Shaw and Crompton, GM
  Failsworth, GM
  Maghull, ME
  Halewood, ME
  Horwich, GM
  Population > 10,000
  Irlam, GM
  Dukinfield, GM
  Colne, LA
  Poulton-le-Fylde, LA
  Sandbach, CH
  Ramsbottom, GM
  Moreton, ME
  Bramhall, GM
  Nantwich, CH
  Haslingden, LA
  Upton, ME
  Hazel Grove, GM
  Clitheroe, LA
  Neston, CH
  Tyldesley, GM
  Romiley, GM
  Pendlebury, GM
  Woodley, GM
  Ulverston, CU
  Penrith, CU
  Maryport, CU
  Heysham, LA
  Population > 5,000
  Frodsham, CH
  Gatley, GM
  Dalton-in-Furness, CU
  Windermere, CU
  Millom, CU
  Cleator Moor, CU
  Cockermouth, CU
  Carnforth, LA
caption: Preston City Centre
exif: {"Image XResolution": "72", "Image YResolution": "72", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Image Software": "picnik.com", "Image YCbCrPositioning": "Centered"}