List of urban areas in the United Kingdom


This is a list of the most populous urban areas in the 2011 census, as defined by the Office for National Statistics, although the basis for the sourced list is Citypopulation.de because its data is more readily available.
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:
In reporting the 2001 census, ONS gave a clearer definition of the term "built-up" as follows:

List of most populous urban areas

The list below shows the most populated urban areas in the United Kingdom as defined by the Office for National Statistics, 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.
RankBuilt-up areaPopulation
Built-on area Density Primary BUA sub-divisionsMetropolitan AreaNotable changes between 2001 and 2011 censuses
1Greater London Built-up Area9,787,4261,737.95,630London boroughs, Hemel Hempstead, Watford, Woking, Harlow, St Albans, BracknellLondonThe addition of Guildford, Harlow, Bracknell and St Albans
2Greater Manchester Built-up Area2,553,379630.34,051Manchester, Salford, Bolton, Stockport, Oldham, Rochdale, Bury, Trafford, TamesideManchesterThe addition of Golborne, Glossop and Newton-le-Willows
3West Midlands Built-up Area2,440,986598.94,076Birmingham, Wolverhampton, West Bromwich, Dudley, Walsall, SolihullBirmingham
4West Yorkshire Built-up Area1,777,934487.83,645Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield, Huddersfield, Dewsbury, Keighley, HalifaxLeeds-BradfordThe addition of Halifax
5Greater Glasgow Built-up Area1,209,143368.53,390Glasgow, Paisley, ClydebankGlasgow
6Liverpool Built-up Area864,122199.64,329Liverpool, Bootle, Litherland, Crosby, Prescot, St. Helens, Ashton-in-MakerfieldLiverpool/BirkenheadThe addition of Ashton-in-Makerfield
7South Hampshire Built-up Area855,569192.04,455Southampton, Portsmouth, Eastleigh, Gosport, Fareham, Havant, HorndeanSouthampton-PortsmouthPortsmouth Urban Area and Southampton Urban Area combined into one.
The addition of Hedge End, Locks Heath, Bursledon and Whiteley.
Stubbington and Lee-on-the-Solent are no longer part of the built-up area.
8Tyneside Built-up Area774,891180.54,292Newcastle upon Tyne, Gateshead, South Shields, Tynemouth, Wallsend, Whitley Bay, JarrowNewcastle-SunderlandWashington, Chester-Le-Street, Hetton-le-Hole and Houghton-le-Spring are no longer part of the built-up area.
9Nottingham Built-up Area729,977176.44,139Nottingham, Beeston, Carlton, West Bridgford, Ilkeston, HucknallNottingham-Derby
10Sheffield Built-up Area685,368167.54,092Sheffield, Rotherham, RawmarshSheffield
11Bristol Built-up Area617,280144.44,274Bristol, Filton, Pill, Frampton Cotterell, Kingswood, Warmley, Mangotsfield, WinterbourneBristol
12Belfast Urban Area595,879Belfast, Castlereagh, Greenisland, Holywood, Lisburn, NewtownabbeyBelfast
13Leicester Built-up area508,916109.44,653Leicester, Wigston, Oadby, Syston, Blaby, Birstall, Narborough, EnderbyLeicesterRatby no longer part of the built-up area.
Addition of Narborough and Enderby
14Edinburgh482,005Edinburgh
15Brighton and Hove Built-up area474,48589.45,304Brighton and Hove, Worthing, Littlehampton, Shoreham-by-SeaBrightonRottingdean, Saltdean and Findon are no longer part of the built-up area.
16Bournemouth/Poole Built-up area466,266131.03,559Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch, Ferndown, New Milton, Wimborne MinsterBournemouth/PooleFerndown and Wimborne Minster now part of the built-up area.
17Cardiff Built-up area447,287102.34,370Cardiff, Caerphilly, Penarth, PontypriddCardiff-NewportCaerphilly and Pontypridd now part of the built-up area.
18Teesside Built-up area376,633108.23,482Middlesbrough, Stockton-On-Tees, Billingham, RedcarMiddlesbroughEston & Southbank now part of Middlesbrough sub-division, no longer counted as separate sub-division
19Stoke-on-Trent Built-up Area372,775103.93,588Stoke-on-Trent, Newcastle-under-Lyme, KidsgroveStoke-on-Trent
20Coventry Built-up area359,26281.34,420Coventry, BedworthCoventry
21Sunderland Built-up area335,41583.54,018Sunderland, Washington, Chester-Le-Street, Hetton-le-Hole, Houghton-le-SpringNewcastle-SunderlandAddition of Washington, Chester-Le-Street, Hetton-le-Hole and Houghton-le-Spring
22Birkenhead Built-up area325,26488.23,687Birkenhead, Wallasey, Ellesmere Port, BebingtonLiverpool/Birkenhead
23Reading Built-up area318,01483.73,800Reading, Wokingham, Woodley, CrowthorneLondonBracknell no longer part of the built-up area.
24Kingston upon Hull Built-up area314,01882.63,802Kingston upon Hull, Cottingham, HessleHull
25Preston Built-up area313,32282.43,802Preston, Bamber Bridge, Chorley, Fulwood, LeylandPrestonThe addition of Longton and Adlington to the built-up area.
26Newport Built-up area306,84484.23,643Newport, Pontypool, Cwmbran, Blackwood, Risca, Ystrad MynachCardiff-NewportPontypool, Cwmbran and Blackwood added to the built-up area.
27Swansea Built-up area300,35287.63,431Swansea, Neath, Port Talbot, Ystradgynlais, PontardaweSwansea/Neath/Port TalbotYstradgynlais now part of the built-up area.
28Southend-on-Sea Built-up area295,31071.84,111Southend-on-Sea, Hullbridge, Rayleigh, RochfordLondonHullbridge now part of the built-up area.
29Derby Built-up area270,46864.14,219Derby, Borrowash, DuffieldNottingham-Derby
30Plymouth Built-up area260,20359.74,356PlymouthPlymouth
31Luton Built-up area258,01850.75,088Luton, Dunstable, Houghton RegisLondon
32Farnborough/Aldershot Built-up area252,39778.53,217Farnborough, Aldershot, Camberley, Farnham, Frimley, Sandhurst, YateleyLondon
33Medway Towns Built-up area243,93152.24,677Gillingham, Chatham, RochesterLondon
34Blackpool Built-up area239,40961.33,908Blackpool, Lytham St Annes, Poulton-le-Fylde, Thornton, CleveleysBlackpoolFleetwood no longer forms part of the built-up area.
35Milton Keynes Built-up area229,94162.53,678'Milton Keynes', Bletchley, Newport Pagnell, Woburn SandsMilton KeynesThe addition of Woburn Sands.
36Barnsley/Dearne Valley Built-up area223,28159.73,739Barnsley, Wath upon Dearne, Wombwell, HoylandSheffield
37Northampton Built-up area215,96357.93,731Northampton, CollingtreeNorthampton
38Norwich Built-up area213,16661.93,444Norwich, Taverham, Costessey, Cringleford, Colney, Horsham St Faith, Queens Hills, Thorpe End, Trowse with NewtonNorwich
39Aberdeen207,932Aberdeen
40Swindon Built-up area185,60947.13,945Swindon, Haydon Wick, Stratton St. Margaret, Broad Blunsdon, Blunsdon St Andrew, WroughtonSwindon
41Crawley Built-up area180,50858.13,107Crawley, Horley, East Grinstead, Copthorne, Crawley DownLondonThe addition of East Grinstead, Copthorne and Crawley Down.
Reigate and Redhill no longer part of the built-up area.
42Ipswich Built-up area178,83549.13,639Ipswich, Kesgrave, WoodbridgeIpswichThe addition of Woodbridge.
43Wigan Built-up area175,40543.84,009Wigan, Skelmersdale, Standish, Ince-in-MakerfieldManchester
44Mansfield Built-up area171,95848.43,556Mansfield, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Mansfield WoodhouseNottingham-Derby
45Oxford Built-up area171,38037.44,585Oxford, Kennington, WheatleyOxfordThe addition of Kennington and Wheatley.
46Warrington Built-up area165,45644.93,686WarringtonLiverpool/Birkenhead
47Slough Built-up area163,77734.14,797Slough, Stoke Poges, PoyleLondon
48Peterborough Built-up area163,37944.23,693Peterborough, FarcetPeterborough
49Cambridge Built-up area158,43442.13,760Cambridge, Fen Ditton, Girton, HistonCambridgeAddition of Histon and Impington and Fen Ditton
50Doncaster Built-up area158,14143.53,634Doncaster, Bentley, Armthorpe, SprotbroughSheffieldAddition of Bessacarr
51Dundee157,444Dundee
52York Built-up area153,71734.04,518York, EarswickYork
53Gloucester Built-up area150,05340.43,718Gloucester, InnsworthGloucester-Cheltenham
54Burnley Built-up area149,42235.74,183Burnley, Padiham, Brierfield Colne, Barrowford NelsonBlackburn-Burnley
55Telford Built-up area147,98047.73,103Telford, BroseleyTelford
56Blackburn Built-up area146,52135.64,115Blackburn, DarwenBlackburn-Burnley
57Basildon Built-up area144,85937.13,902Basildon, Wickford, Ramsden Heath, North BenfleetLondonThe addition of Wickford to the urban area.
58Grimsby Built-up area134,16035.33,804Grimsby, Cleethorpes, WalthamGrimsbyNew Waltham is no longer part of the Built-up area.
59Hastings Built-up area133,42233.24,019Hastings, BexhillHastings
60High Wycombe Built-up area133,20439.23,398High Wycombe, Cookham, Hughenden ValleyLondon
61Thanet Built-up area125,37027.94,495Margate, Ramsgate, BroadstairsThanet
62Accrington/Rossendale Built-up area125,05930.04,168Accrington, Rawtenstall, Bacup, Great Harwood, Haslingden, OswaldtwistleBlackburn-BurnleyAccrington Urban Area and Rossendale Urban Area combined.
63Burton-upon-Trent Built-up area122,19935.03,487Burton-upon-Trent, SwadlincoteBurton-upon-TrentThe addition of Swadlincote, Stapenhill and Winshill
64Colchester Built-up area121,85932.73,732Colchester, Marks TeyColchester
65Eastbourne Built-up area118,21925.14,705Eastbourne, PolegateBrighton
66Exeter Built-up area117,76328.54,133Exeter, TopshamExeter
67Cheltenham Built-up area116,44728.94,034Cheltenham,Gloucester-Cheltenham
68Paignton/Torquay Built-up area115,41031.53,667Paignton, Torquay, MarldonTorbay
69Lincoln Built-up area114,87932.73,518Lincoln, North HykehamLincoln
70Chesterfield Built-up area113,05734.63,263Chesterfield, Staveley, Wingerworth, HolymoorsideSheffieldAddition of Wingerworth to the Built-up area.
71Chelmsford Built-up area111,51126.24,259Chelmsford, Little WalthamLondon
72Basingstoke Built-up area107,64229.43,662BasingstokeLondon
73Maidstone Built-up area107,62725.44,229MaidstoneLondon
74Bedford Built-up area106,94024.84,309Bedford, KempstonBedford
75Worcester Built-up area101,65924.74,121Worcester, NortonWorcester