List of English cities by population

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List of English cities by population

This is a list of the largest cities and towns of England ordered by population. The populations are 2001 census

United Kingdom Census 2001

A nationwide census, commonly known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th Census in the United Kingdom....
figures from the Office for National Statistics

Office for National Statistics

The Office for National Statistics is the executive office of the UK Statistics Authority, a non-ministerial department which reports directly to the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
(ONS), using the Key Statistics for Urban Areas figures, that attempt to divorce the populations of towns and cities from the Local Authority district(s) that they are contained within. These have been sorted with populations greater than 100,000.

These figures are not the population of local government areas

Local government

Local governments are administrative offices that are smaller than a state. The term is used to contrast with offices at nation-state level, which are referred to as the central government, national government, or federal government....
such as city

City status in the United Kingdom

City status in the United Kingdom is granted by the British monarchy to a select group of communities. The holding of city status gives a settlement no special rights other than that of calling itself a "city"....
or borough

Borough status in the United Kingdom

Borough status in the United Kingdom is granted by royal charter to local government districts in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The status is purely honorary, and does not give any additional powers to the Borough Council or inhabitants of the district....
council areas, for these see List of English districts by population

List of English districts by population

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Encyclopedia

This is a list of the largest cities and towns of England ordered by population. The populations are 2001 census

United Kingdom Census 2001

Office for National Statistics

Local government

City status in the United Kingdom

Borough status in the United Kingdom

List of English districts by population

The figures are mid-year population estimates for 2007 for the Districts of England, from the Office for National Statistics.All listed below are non-metropolitan districts unless otherwise stated to be London boroughs or metropolitan boroughs....
. In some examples where the Local Authority has very limited boundaries, the population of some outside suburbs has been included by the ONS; in other cases, where the Local Authority has very generously-drawn boundaries, the population of rural areas within the boundary has been excluded. In some cases, suburbs of towns that are within the local authority boundary, but have been recognised by ONS as separate settlements within the larger urban area, have been excluded from the figure (e.g. Beaumont Leys

Beaumont Leys

Beaumont Leys is a large modern suburb of Leicester, England to the north-west of the city and is widely regarded as one of the most deprived areas in England....
not counted towards Leicester

Leicester

Leicester is a city status in the United Kingdom and unitary authority area in the East Midlands of England. It is the county town of Leicestershire....
, and Clifton

Clifton, Nottinghamshire

Clifton is a council estate and village in of the city of Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England founded by Sir Robert Clifton. The estate has a number of shop-clusters and relatively good transport links with the city and surrounding areas....
not counted towards Nottingham

Nottingham

Nottingham is one of the three major city status in the United Kingdom in the East Midlands and is in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire, England....
). In many areas rather than follow modern local authority boundaries, the figures follow pre-1974 local government boundaries (for example, Oldbury

Oldbury, West Midlands

Oldbury is a town in the West Midlands in England. It is a part of the Black Country and the administrative centre of the borough of Sandwell....
/Smethwick

Smethwick

Smethwick is a town in the Birmingham, in the West Midlands of England. It is situated on the edge of the city of Birmingham, within the Historic counties of England of Staffordshire....
are counted as a single unit, corresponding to the pre-1974 County Borough of Warley

County Borough of Warley

Warley was, from 1966 to 1974, a county borough and civil parish formed by the combination of the existing county borough of Smethwick with the municipal boroughs of Oldbury, West Midlands and Rowley Regis, by recommendation of the Local Government Commission for England ....
).

These figures, on the other hand, should also not be confused with the population of conurbation

Conurbation

A conurbation is an urban area or agglomeration comprising a number of cities, large towns and larger urban areas that, through population growth and physical expansion, have merged to form one continuous urban and industrially developed area....
s. The original ONS statistics were calculated and presented in that format; but in this list urban areas and urban sub-divisions recognised as towns with a population greater than 100,000 have been extracted and listed separately. Thus, for instance, the Greater Manchester Urban Area

Greater Manchester Urban Area

The Greater Manchester Urban Area is an area of land defined by the Office for National Statistics consisting of the large conurbation surrounding and including the Manchester in North West England....
has a far larger population than that accredited to Manchester

Manchester

Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. Manchester was granted City status in the United Kingdom in 1853....
here; this list counts towns such as Salford

Salford

Salford lies at the heart of the City of Salford, a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, in North West England. Salford is located by a meander of the River Irwell, which forms its boundary with the city of Manchester to the east....
, Sale

Sale, Greater Manchester

Sale is a town within the Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on flat ground on the south bank of the River Mersey, south of Stretford, northeast of Altrincham, and southwest of the city of Manchester....
and Stockport

Stockport

Stockport is a large town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on elevated ground on the River Mersey at the influx of the rivers River Goyt and River Tame, Greater Manchester, southeast of the city of Manchester....
separately.

This system has not, however, been followed with respect to London. The population given is for the administrative area of Greater London

Greater London

Greater London is the top-level administrative subdivision covering London, England. The administrative area was officially created in 1965 and covers the City of London , the City of Westminster and the other 31 London boroughs....
(that is the 32 London Borough

London borough

The administrative area of Greater London contains thirty-two London boroughs. Inner London comprises twelve of these boroughs plus the City of London....
s and London

City of London

The City of London is a geographically small city status in the United Kingdom within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which, along with Westminster, the modern conurbation grew....
only and not the entire Greater London Urban Area

Greater London Urban Area

The Greater London Urban Area is the conurbation or continuous urban area based around London, in south east England with an estimated population of 8,505,000 in 2005 The urban area measured 1,623.3 km? as of the 2001 Census....
identified by the ONS) as this would include places like Watford

Watford

Watford is a town and Non-metropolitan district in Hertfordshire, England, situated 19 miles northwest of London and within the bounds of the M25 motorway....
and Woking

Woking

Woking is a large town and civil parish that shares its name with the surrounding Non-metropolitan district, located in the west of Surrey, England....
which are distinct and separate towns.

This internal inconsistency in its tabulation explains why the list shows such a steep drop-off after London. The actual City of London

City of London

Greater London

New town

A new town, planned community or planned city is a city, town, or community that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed in a previously undeveloped area....
s Telford

Telford

Telford is a large new towns in the United Kingdom in the borough of Telford and Wrekin and ceremonial counties of England of Shropshire, England, approximately east of Shrewsbury, and west of Birmingham....
and Milton Keynes

Milton Keynes

Milton Keynes , often abbreviated to MK, is a large town in South East England, about north-west of London. It is also the principal town of the Milton Keynes , within the ceremonial counties of England of Buckinghamshire....
are given the Urban Area figures, as there are no appropriate Urban Subdivision figures given.

Rank	Urban sub-area	Population	Status	Ceremonial county Ceremonial counties of England The ceremonial counties are areas of England that are appointed a Lord Lieutenant, and are defined by the government as the Counties for the purposes of the Lieutenancies Act 1997 with reference to the metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England and Lieutenancies Act 1997....	Notes
1	London London London is the capital of both England and the United Kingdom, and the most populous municipality in the European Union. An important settlement for two millennia, History of London goes back to its founding by the Roman Empire....	7,172,091	City	Greater London Greater London Greater London is the top-level administrative subdivision covering London, England. The administrative area was officially created in 1965 and covers the City of London , the City of Westminster and the other 31 London boroughs.... , City of London City of London The City of London is a geographically small city status in the United Kingdom within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which, along with Westminster, the modern conurbation grew....	Greater London administrative area only
2	Birmingham Birmingham Birmingham is a city status in the United Kingdom and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. Birmingham is the most populous of England's English Core Cities Group, and is the List of United Kingdom cities by population British city after London, with a population of 1,010,200 ....	970,892	City	West Midlands West Midlands (county) The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in West Midlands England with a population of 2,591,300. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....	Metropolitan district, minus Sutton Coldfield Sutton Coldfield Sutton Coldfield is a town within the Birmingham, in the West Midlands of England. Sutton is located about from central Birmingham, in the northeast of the city, with a population of List of English cities by population recorded in the 2001 census.... , which is counted separately, plus areas in the north of the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull Metropolitan Borough of Solihull The Metropolitan Borough of Solihull is a metropolitan borough in the ceremonial county of West Midlands in the United Kingdom. It is named after its main town of Solihull, which is the seat of Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council.... (Castle Bromwich Castle Bromwich Castle Bromwich is a suburb situated within the northern part of the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in the England West Midlands . It is bordered by the rest of the borough to the south east, North Warwickshire to the east and north east; also Shard End to the south west, Castle Vale and Minworth to the north and Hodge Hill to the west - al... etc). Population of entire West Midlands conurbation West Midlands conurbation The West Midlands conurbation is the name given to the large conurbation that includes the cities of Birmingham and Wolverhampton and the large towns of Dudley, Walsall, West Bromwich, Solihull, Stourbridge, Halesowen and Sutton Coldfield in the England West Midlands .... is 2,284,093 (2005 estimate)
3	Liverpool Liverpool Liverpool [] is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a History of borough status in England and Wales in 1207 and was granted City status in the United Kingdom in 1880....	469,017	City	Merseyside Merseyside Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. Taking its name from the River Mersey, the title "Merseyside" came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974, after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, and the county consists of five metropolitan boroughs adjoining the Mersey estuary,...	Metropolitan district.
4	Leeds Leeds Leeds is located on the River Aire in West Yorkshire, England. It is the urban core and administrative centre of the wider metropolitan borough of the City of Leeds....	443,247	City	West Yorkshire West Yorkshire West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of List of ceremonial counties of England by population....	Excludes the areas of Bramhope Bramhope Bramhope is a village and civil parish in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough, West Yorkshire, England, north of Holt Park and Cookridge, and north west of Horsforth.... , Guiseley Guiseley Guiseley is a small town in the City of Leeds in the metropolitan county of West Yorkshire, England, and is generally considered to be a north western suburb of Leeds.... , Yeadon Yeadon, West Yorkshire Yeadon is a town within the City of Leeds metropolitan borough, in West Yorkshire, England. It is home to Leeds Bradford International Airport.... , Garforth Garforth Garforth is a town within the City of Leeds metropolitan borough, in West Yorkshire, England. The United Kingdom Census 2001 lists 23,892 residents in the Garforth and Swillington ward - 80.57% of which are homeowners, 20% more than the average for Leeds.... , Wetherby Wetherby Wetherby is a market town within the metropolitan borough of the City of Leeds, in West Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Wharfe, and has been for centuries a crossing place and staging post on the A1 road , being mid-way between London and Edinburgh.... , Otley Otley Otley is a market town and civil parish in the metropolitan borough of the City of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, by the River Wharfe. Historic counties of England a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, the town has a total resident population of 14,348.... , Morley Morley, West Yorkshire Morley is a market town and civil parish within the metropolitan borough of the City of Leeds, in West Yorkshire, England. It lies approximately south-west of Leeds city centre.... , Rawdon and Scarcroft Scarcroft Scarcroft is a village north west of Leeds City Centre in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough, West Yorkshire, England. The village lies on the main A58 road between Leeds and Wetherby.... . In 2001 the entire local authority population was 715,404. The population of the entire West Yorkshire Urban Area West Yorkshire Urban Area The West Yorkshire Urban Area is a term used by the Office for National Statistics to refer to a conurbation in West Yorkshire, England, based mainly on Leeds, Bradford, Huddersfield, Wakefield, but excluding towns such as Castleford, Halifax, West Yorkshire, Pontefract and Wetherby which though part of the county of West Yorkshire are consi... is 1,499,465.
5	Sheffield Sheffield Sheffield is a city status in the United Kingdom and metropolitan borough in South Yorkshire, England. It is so named because of its origins in a field on the River Sheaf that runs through the city....	439,866	City	South Yorkshire South Yorkshire South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of List of ceremonial counties of England by population....	Excludes the areas of Beighton Beighton Beighton ward—which includes the Districts of Sheffield of Beighton, Hackenthorpe, Owlthorpe, and Sothall—is one of the 28 electoral wards in Sheffield, England.... , Chapeltown Chapeltown, South Yorkshire Chapeltown is in northern Sheffield, in South Yorkshire, England. It is forms part of the Ecclesfield civil parish. There are a wide variety of Retailing, pubs and restaurants as well as a supermarket.... and Mosborough Mosborough Mosborough ward — which includes the Districts of Sheffield of Halfway, Mosborough village, Waterthorpe, and Westfield — is one of the 28 electoral wards in Sheffield, England.... /Highlane. Entire Urban area is 640,720 (including Rotherham Rotherham Rotherham is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Don, South Yorkshire, close to its confluence with the River Rother, South Yorkshire, between Sheffield and Doncaster.... )
6	Bristol Bristol Bristol is a City status in the United Kingdom, unitary authority area and Ceremonial counties of England in South West England, west of London, and east of Cardiff....	420,556	City	Bristol Bristol Bristol is a City status in the United Kingdom, unitary authority area and Ceremonial counties of England in South West England, west of London, and east of Cardiff....
7	Manchester Manchester Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. Manchester was granted City status in the United Kingdom in 1853....	394,269	City	Greater Manchester Greater Manchester Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of List of ceremonial counties of England by population. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Metropolitan Borough of Bury, Metropolitan Borough of...	Population of entire Greater Manchester Urban Area Greater Manchester Urban Area The Greater Manchester Urban Area is an area of land defined by the Office for National Statistics consisting of the large conurbation surrounding and including the Manchester in North West England.... is 2,244,931 (2005 estimate)
8	Leicester Leicester Leicester is a city status in the United Kingdom and unitary authority area in the East Midlands of England. It is the county town of Leicestershire....	330,574	City	Leicestershire Leicestershire Leicestershire County Hall, situated in Glenfield, Leicestershire, about 3 miles northwest of Leicester city centre, is the seat of Leicestershire County Council and the headquarters of the county authority....	District minus Beaumont Leys, plus Scraptoft, Glenfield, Thurmaston, Thurnby. Excludes Oadby and Wigston Oadby and Wigston Oadby and Wigston is a Non-metropolitan district and borough in the England county of Leicestershire. It is composed of the areas of Oadby, Wigston Magna and South Wigston....
9	Coventry Coventry Coventry is a City status in the United Kingdom and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. With a population of 303,475 at the United Kingdom Census 2001 , Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom....	303,475	City	West Midlands West Midlands (county) The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in West Midlands England with a population of 2,591,300. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
10	Kingston upon Hull Kingston upon Hull Kingston upon Hull , almost invariably referred to as Hull, is a City status in the United Kingdom and unitary authority area in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England....	301,416	City	East Riding of Yorkshire East Riding of Yorkshire The East Riding of Yorkshire, or simply East Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan district with unitary authority status, and is a ceremonial counties of England of England....	District plus suburbs outside local authority border (Haltemprice Haltemprice Haltemprice was a former urban district and currently refers to an area in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, directly to the west of Kingston upon Hull.... )
11	Bradford Bradford Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield....	293,717	City	West Yorkshire West Yorkshire West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of List of ceremonial counties of England by population....	Excludes areas of North Bradford, including Shipley Shipley, West Yorkshire Shipley is a town in West Yorkshire, England, by the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, north of Bradford, England and north-west of Leeds.... and Bingley Bingley Bingley is a market town in the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford, in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated on the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal.... .
12	Stoke-on-Trent Stoke-on-Trent Stoke-on-Trent is a City status in the United Kingdom in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of ....	259,252	City	Staffordshire Staffordshire Staffordshire is a landlocked Counties of England in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Stafford. Part of the National Forest, England lies within its borders....	Includes suburbs outside local authority border: Brown Edge and Blythe Bridge Blythe Bridge Blythe Bridge is a village situated in the Staffordshire Moorlands, although it is effectively a south-eastern suburb of the city of Stoke-on-Trent....
13	Wolverhampton Wolverhampton Wolverhampton is a City status in the United Kingdom and metropolitan borough of the West Midlands , England. In 2004, the local government district had an estimated population of 239,100; the wider Urban Area had a population of List of English cities by population, which makes it the 13th most populous city in England....	251,462	City	West Midlands West Midlands (county) The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in West Midlands England with a population of 2,591,300. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
14	Nottingham Nottingham Nottingham is one of the three major city status in the United Kingdom in the East Midlands and is in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire, England....	249,584	City	Nottinghamshire Nottinghamshire Nottinghamshire is an Counties of England in the East Midlands, which borders South Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire and Derbyshire. The county town is traditionally Nottingham, though the council is now based in West Bridgford, a suburb of Greater Nottingham ....	Excludes Clifton
15	Plymouth Plymouth Plymouth is a City status in the United Kingdom and unitary authority on the coast of Devon, England, about south west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers River Plym to the east and River Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound....	243,795	City	Devon Devon Devon is a large Counties of England in South West England. The county is also referred to as Devonshire, but that is an entirely unofficial name, rarely used inside of the county but often indicating a shire....
16	Southampton Southampton Southampton is the largest City status in the United Kingdom in the ceremonial county of Hampshire, on the south coast of England, and is sited around 100 km south-west of London and 30 km north-west of Portsmouth....	234,224	City	Hampshire Hampshire Hampshire , sometimes historically Southamptonshire, Hamptonshire, , or the County of Southampton, is a Counties of England on the south coast of England....
17	Reading Reading, Berkshire Reading is a town in England, located at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, midway between London and Swindon off the M4 motorway....	232,662	Town	Berkshire Berkshire Berkshire is a Home Counties in the South East England of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1958, and Letters patent issued confirming...	Includes suburbs in West Berkshire West Berkshire West Berkshire is a Districts of England in the ceremonial county of Berkshire, England, governed by a unitary authority . Its administrative capital is Newbury, Berkshire, located almost equidistantly between Bristol and London.... and Wokingham Wokingham (district) Wokingham is a Districts of England in Berkshire, United Kingdom. It is named after its main town, Wokingham. Other places in the district include Arborfield, Barkham, Charvil, Earley, Finchampstead, Hurst, Berkshire, Sonning, Remenham, Ruscombe, Shinfield, Twyford, Berkshire, Wargrave, Winnersh and Woodley.... districts
18	Derby Derby Derby is a city status in the United Kingdom in the East Midlands region of England in the United Kingdom. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent, Derbyshire and is located in the south of the non-metropolitan county of Derbyshire....	229,407	City	Derbyshire Derbyshire Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains....
19	Dudley Dudley Dudley is a large town in the West Midlands , England, with a population of List of English cities by population. Since 1974 it has been the administrative centre of the wider Metropolitan Borough of Dudley; the original County Borough had undergone a lesser expansion in 1966....	194,919	Town	West Midlands West Midlands (county) The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in West Midlands England with a population of 2,591,300. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
20	Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne is a City status in the United Kingdom and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Situated on the north bank of the River Tyne, the city developed from a Roman Empire settlement called Pons Aelius, though it owes its name to the Newcastle Castle built in 1080, by Robert Curthose, the eldest son of...	189,863	City	Tyne and Wear Tyne and Wear Tyne and Wear is a metropolitan county in North East England England around the mouths of the Rivers River Tyne and River Wear. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....	Excludes Gosforth Gosforth Gosforth is an area of Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England to the north of the city centre. Gosforth constituted an urban district from 1895 to 1974, when it was merged with the county borough of Newcastle, the urban district of Newburn and parts of Castle Ward Rural District into the Metropolitan Borough of Newcastle upon Tyne.... and Newburn Newburn Newburn is a semi rural village in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, in the metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear. As of 2001, the area had a population of 41,294....
21	Northampton Northampton Northampton is a large market town and Non-metropolitan district in the East Midlands region of England. It is about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, and lies on the River Nene....	189,474	Town	Northamptonshire Northamptonshire Northamptonshire is a landlocked Counties of England in the England East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the United Kingdom Census 2001....
22	Portsmouth Portsmouth Portsmouth city status in the United Kingdom located in the Counties of England of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is the UK's only island city and is located on Portsea Island....	187,056	City	Hampshire Hampshire Hampshire , sometimes historically Southamptonshire, Hamptonshire, , or the County of Southampton, is a Counties of England on the south coast of England....
23	Luton Luton Luton is a large town in the East of England England, 32 miles north of London. Historically, Luton is within the county of Bedfordshire, and since 1997, the town has been a unitary authority....	185,543	Town	Bedfordshire Bedfordshire Bedfordshire is a county in England that forms part of the East of England Regions of England.Its county town is Bedford, Bedfordshire. It borders Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire....
24	Preston Preston Preston is a city and non-metropolitan district of Lancashire, in North West England. It is located on the north bank of the River Ribble, and was granted City status in the United Kingdom in 2002, becoming England's 50th city in the 50th year of Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom's reign....	184,836	City	Lancashire Lancashire Lancashire is a Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England of Historic counties of England in the North West England of England, bounded to the west by the Irish Sea....	Includes part of South Ribble South Ribble South Ribble is a non-metropolitan district and borough of Lancashire, England. Its council is based in Leyland, Lancashire. In May 2007 it was officially declared "Excellent" by the Audit Commission, gaining its place among the best 5 district councils in the country.... district including Walton-le-Dale Walton-le-Dale Walton-le-Dale is an area of the South Ribble, in Lancashire, England. It lies on south bank of the River Ribble, and the south-side of the city of Preston, adjacent to Bamber Bridge....
25	Milton Keynes Milton Keynes Milton Keynes , often abbreviated to MK, is a large town in South East England, about north-west of London. It is also the principal town of the Milton Keynes , within the ceremonial counties of England of Buckinghamshire....	184,506 †	Town	Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire is a Ceremonial counties of England and Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England home counties Counties of England in South East England England....	Includes Newport Pagnell Newport Pagnell Newport Pagnell is a town in the Milton Keynes , England. It is separated by the M1 motorway from Milton Keynes itself, though part of the same urban area.... , outside the designated new town area
26	Sunderland Sunderland Sunderland is a city in Tyne and Wear, England. It was formerly a county borough but now forms part of the City of Sunderland. It is situated at the mouth of the River Wear....	177,739	City	Tyne and Wear Tyne and Wear Tyne and Wear is a metropolitan county in North East England England around the mouths of the Rivers River Tyne and River Wear. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....	Excludes Washington Washington, Tyne and Wear Washington is a town within the metropolitan borough of the City of Sunderland in Tyne and Wear, England, although it has been in the Newcastle Upon Tyne List of postcode districts in the United Kingdom since the 19th Century.... , Houghton-le-Spring Houghton-le-Spring Houghton-le-Spring is a town in the county of Tyne and Wear, North East England that has its recorded origins in Norman times. It is situated almost equidistant between the cathedral city of Durham 7 miles to the south-west and the City of Sunderland about 6 miles to the north-east.... and Hetton-le-Hole Hetton-le-Hole Hetton-le-Hole is a village/town and civil parish situated between County Durham and the City of Sunderland, England. It is on the A182 road between Houghton-le-Spring and Easington, County Durham....
27	Norwich Norwich Norwich , is a city status in the United Kingdom in Norfolk, East Anglia which is in Eastern England. It is the regional administrative centre and county city of Norfolk....	174,047	City	Norfolk Norfolk Norfolk is a low-lying Counties of England in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and with Suffolk to the south....	Includes Thorpe St. Andrew
28	Walsall Walsall Walsall is a large industrial town in the West Midlands of England. It is located northwest of Birmingham and east of Wolverhampton. Historic counties of England a part of Staffordshire, Walsall is a component area of the West Midlands conurbation, and is sometimes described as part of the Black Country....	170,994	Town	West Midlands West Midlands (county) The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in West Midlands England with a population of 2,591,300. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
29	Bournemouth Bournemouth Bournemouth is a large town in the Bournemouth in Dorset, England. The town has a population of 163,444 according to the United Kingdom Census 2001, making it the largest settlement in Dorset....	167,527	Town	Dorset Dorset Dorset , is a Counties of England in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester, Dorset, situated in the south of the county at ....
30	Southend-on-Sea Southend-on-Sea Southend-on-Sea is a unitary authority area, town, and seaside resort in the ceremonial counties of England of Essex in the East of England England....	160,257	Town	Essex Essex Essex is a counties of England in the East of England England. The county town is Chelmsford, and the highest point of the county is Chrishall Common near the village of Langley, Essex, close to the Hertfordshire border, which reaches ....
31	Swindon Swindon Swindon is a City sized town and unitary borough authority in the ceremonial county of Wiltshire in South West England England. It is midway between Bristol, west and Reading, Berkshire, east....	155,432	Town	Wiltshire Wiltshire *Wiltshire* is a Ceremonial counties of England in the South West England of England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire....
32	Huddersfield Huddersfield Huddersfield is a large market town within the Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city....	146,234	Town	West Yorkshire West Yorkshire West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of List of ceremonial counties of England by population....
33	Poole Poole Poole is a large coastal town and seaport in Dorset on the south coast of England. The town is east of Dorchester, Dorset, and Bournemouth adjoins Poole to the east....	144,800	Town	Dorset Dorset Dorset , is a Counties of England in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester, Dorset, situated in the south of the county at ....
34	Oxford Oxford Oxford is a City status in the United Kingdom, and the county town of Oxfordshire, in South East England. It has a population of 151,000. The rivers River Cherwell and River Thames run through Oxford and meet south of the city centre....	143,016	City	Oxfordshire Oxfordshire Oxfordshire is a county in the South East England region, bordering on Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, and Warwickshire....
35	Middlesbrough Middlesbrough Middlesbrough is a town in the Tees Valley conurbation of North East England and sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire. It is the largest and most populous settlement within the Middlesbrough , which encompasses the town and several outlying villages which have become suburbs....	142,691	Town	North Yorkshire North Yorkshire North Yorkshire is a shire county or shire county, located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial counties of England in that region and also partly in North East England....
36	Blackpool Blackpool Blackpool is a seaside resort in Lancashire, England. Lying along the coast of the Irish Sea, it has a population of 142,900, making it the North West England#Important cities and towns settlement in North West England behind Manchester, Liverpool and Warrington....	142,283	Town	Lancashire Lancashire Lancashire is a Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England of Historic counties of England in the North West England of England, bounded to the west by the Irish Sea....
37	Bolton Bolton Bolton is a large town in Greater Manchester, in the North West England region of England.Situated close to the West Pennine Moors, north west of the city of Manchester, it is the largest and most populous settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, the former county borough of Bolton has a population of 139,403, though this figure d...	139,403	Town	Greater Manchester Greater Manchester Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of List of ceremonial counties of England by population. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Metropolitan Borough of Bury, Metropolitan Borough of...
38	Ipswich Ipswich Ipswich is a non-metropolitan district and the county town of Suffolk, England on the estuary of the River Orwell. Nearby towns are Felixstowe in Suffolk, Harwich in Essex and Colchester also in Essex....	138,718	Town	Suffolk Suffolk Suffolk is a Non-metropolitan counties of England of Historic counties of England in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south....
39	Telford Telford Telford is a large new towns in the United Kingdom in the borough of Telford and Wrekin and ceremonial counties of England of Shropshire, England, approximately east of Shrewsbury, and west of Birmingham....	138,241 †	Town	Shropshire Shropshire Shropshire , alternatively known as *Salop* or abbreviated, in print only, *Shrops*, is a Counties of England in the West Midlands of England....
40	York York York is a walled city, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire and River Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city status in the United Kingdom is noted for its rich heritage and it has played an important role throughout much of its almost 2,000 year existence....	137,505	City	North Yorkshire North Yorkshire North Yorkshire is a shire county or shire county, located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial counties of England in that region and also partly in North East England....
41	West Bromwich West Bromwich West Bromwich is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell, in the West Midlands , England. It is north west of Birmingham lying on the A41 road London-to-Birkenhead road....	136,940	Town	West Midlands West Midlands (county) The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in West Midlands England with a population of 2,591,300. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
42	Peterborough Peterborough Peterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of as of June 2006. For ceremonial counties of England purposes it is in the Counties of England of Cambridgeshire....	136,292	City	Cambridgeshire Cambridgeshire Cambridgeshire is a Counties_of_the_United_Kingdom#England in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex, England and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west....
43	Stockport Stockport Stockport is a large town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on elevated ground on the River Mersey at the influx of the rivers River Goyt and River Tame, Greater Manchester, southeast of the city of Manchester....	136,082	Town	Greater Manchester Greater Manchester Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of List of ceremonial counties of England by population. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Metropolitan Borough of Bury, Metropolitan Borough of...
44	Brighton Brighton Brighton is a city on the south coast of England and, with its neighbours Hove and Portslade, forms the Brighton and Hove.The ancient settlement of Brighthelmston dates from before the Domesday Book , but it emerged as a health resort during the 18th Century and became a destination for day-trippers after the arrival of the railway in...	134,293	Town	East Sussex East Sussex East Sussex is a Counties of England in South East England England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey, Brighton and Hove and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel....	Excludes Rottingdean Rottingdean Rottingdean is a coastal village next to the town of Brighton and technically within the City status in the United Kingdom of Brighton and Hove, in East Sussex, on the south coast of England.... /Saltdean Saltdean Saltdean is a part of the city of Brighton and Hove situated on the chalk cliffs of the south coast of England in East Sussex, United Kingdom. It is approximately 5 miles east of Brighton, 5 miles west of Newhaven, East Sussex, and 6 miles south of Lewes.... ; Is the town of Brighton, not the conjoined local authority of Brighton and Hove
45	Slough Slough Slough is a Borough status in the United Kingdom and unitary authority area within the Ceremonial counties of England of Berkshire, England, situated west of London....	126,276	Town	Berkshire Berkshire Berkshire is a Home Counties in the South East England of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1958, and Letters patent issued confirming...
46	Gloucester Gloucester Gloucester is a city status in the United Kingdom, Non-metropolitan district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West England region of England....	123,205	City	Gloucestershire Gloucestershire Gloucestershire is a Counties of England in South West England England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
47	Watford Watford Watford is a town and Non-metropolitan district in Hertfordshire, England, situated 19 miles northwest of London and within the bounds of the M25 motorway....	120,960	Town	Hertfordshire Hertfordshire Hertfordshire is a Ceremonial counties of England and Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England Counties of England in the East of England region of England....	Urban sub-area of Greater London; includes large parts of Three Rivers Three Rivers (district) Three Rivers is a Non-metropolitan district in Hertfordshire in the East of England. Its council is based in Rickmansworth.It was formed on 1 April 1974 by the merger of Rickmansworth Urban District and Chorleywood Urban District with part of Watford Rural District....
48	Rotherham Rotherham Rotherham is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Don, South Yorkshire, close to its confluence with the River Rother, South Yorkshire, between Sheffield and Doncaster....	117,262	Town	South Yorkshire South Yorkshire South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of List of ceremonial counties of England by population....
49	Cambridge Cambridge The city status in the United Kingdom of Cambridge is a College town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies about 50 miles north of London....	113,442 ††	City	Cambridgeshire Cambridgeshire Cambridgeshire is a Counties_of_the_United_Kingdom#England in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex, England and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west....
50	Exeter Exeter Exeter Exeter was the most south-westerly Roman fortified settlement in Roman Britain and has existed since time immemorial. Exeter Cathedral, founded in 1050 is Anglicanism....	106,772	City	Devon Devon Devon is a large Counties of England in South West England. The county is also referred to as Devonshire, but that is an entirely unofficial name, rarely used inside of the county but often indicating a shire....
51	Eastbourne Eastbourne Eastbourne is a large town and borough of East Sussex, on the south coast of England, with an estimated population of 94,816 as of 2007. The area has seen human activity since the stone age and it remained one of small settlements until the 19th century when its four hamlets gradually merged to form a town....	106,562	Town	East Sussex East Sussex East Sussex is a Counties of England in South East England England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey, Brighton and Hove and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel....
52	Sutton Coldfield Sutton Coldfield Sutton Coldfield is a town within the Birmingham, in the West Midlands of England. Sutton is located about from central Birmingham, in the northeast of the city, with a population of List of English cities by population recorded in the 2001 census....	105,452	Town	West Midlands West Midlands (county) The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in West Midlands England with a population of 2,591,300. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
53	Blackburn Blackburn Blackburn is a large town in Lancashire, England. It lies to the north of the West Pennine Moors on the southern edge of the Ribble Valley, east of the city of Preston, and north-northwest of the city of Manchester....	105,085	Town	Lancashire Lancashire Lancashire is a Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England of Historic counties of England in the North West England of England, bounded to the west by the Irish Sea....
54	Colchester Colchester Colchester is a town, and the largest settlement within the Colchester , in Essex, England.It has a population of List of English cities by population....	104,390	Town	Essex Essex Essex is a counties of England in the East of England England. The county town is Chelmsford, and the highest point of the county is Chrishall Common near the village of Langley, Essex, close to the Hertfordshire border, which reaches ....
55	Oldham Oldham Oldham is a large town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amongst the Pennines on elevated ground between the rivers River Irk and River Medlock, south-southeast of Rochdale, and northeast of the city of Manchester....	103,544	Town	Greater Manchester Greater Manchester Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of List of ceremonial counties of England by population. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Metropolitan Borough of Bury, Metropolitan Borough of...
56	St Helens St Helens, Merseyside St Helens is a large town in Merseyside, England. It is the largest settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens with a population of just over 100,000 of an urban area with a total population of 176,843 at the time of the United Kingdom Census 2001....	102,629	Town	Merseyside Merseyside Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. Taking its name from the River Mersey, the title "Merseyside" came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974, after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, and the county consists of five metropolitan boroughs adjoining the Mersey estuary,...
57	Crawley Crawley Crawley is a town and local government district with Borough status in England and Wales in West Sussex, England. It is south of London, north of Brighton and Hove, and northeast of the county town of Chichester, covers an area of and had a population of 99,744 at the time of the United Kingdom Census 2001....	100,547	Town	West Sussex West Sussex West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial counties of England until 1974 and the coming into force of the Local Government...

Notes :† – population is given for entire urban area, as the urban subdivision figure was not considered appropriate.

†† – the actual name of the Urban Subdivision is Cambridge/Milton, the population of the Parish of Milton (code 12UG072 in the ONS 2001 Census publication "Key Statistics for parishes in England and communities in Wales" published 16 March 2004) is given as 4,275. This figure has been deducted from the Urban Subdivision figure of 117,717 to show the population of Cambridge alone.

List of English cities by population

See also