Below are the 10 largest UK cities by population in according to estimates from a range of data sources, including the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
They are listed by – Rank. City – Region / Country – Population
- London – Greater London area – 9,400,000
- Manchester – North West – 2,750,000
- Birmingham – West Midlands – 2,626,000
- Leeds – Yorkshire – 1,902,000
- Glasgow – Scotland – 1,681,000
- Liverpool – North West – 906,000
- Newcastle – North East – 814,000
- Nottingham – East Midlands – 794,000
- Sheffield – Yorkshire – 735,000
- Bristol – South West – 694,000
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the UK population was approximately 67.1 million people in mid 2020, while estimates from Statista, ONS and the United Nations suggest that the UK population is between 67.6 and 68.2 million people in mid 2021.
You may also be interested in a list of all UK cities by population showing statistics as of 2022.
Selected population statistics related to this list of cities:
- The top 10 largest cities in the UK account for roughly 20% of the country’s population between them.
- Some population surveys combine Southampton and Portsmouth into a single urban area of 924,000, which would place that area at 6th on the list.
- While England and Scotland are represented in the top 10, Northern Ireland’s largest city is Belfast at a population of 635,000, while Cardiff is the largest city in Wales with a population of 481,000.
- According to Centre for Cities data, Cambridge, Milton Keynes, Norwich, Oxford, Peterborough and Swindon are the fastest growing cities in the UK, driven in part by innovation, strong local universities and a vibrant jobs market.
