What Are the Biggest Cities in the UK?

The Largest Cities in the UK by Population (2025-2026 Data)

London is the UK’s largest city, with a population of around 9 million people according to the latest ONS mid-year estimate for Greater London. It’s followed by Birmingham, Leeds, Glasgow, and Sheffield. Exactly where each city ranks can shift depending on whether you’re counting the city proper, the wider urban area, or the metropolitan population — this guide explains each measure as you go.

1. London — around 9 million (Greater London)
2. Birmingham — around 1.17 million
3. Leeds — around 840,000
4. Glasgow — around 654,000
5. Sheffield — around 579,000

What Are the Largest Cities in the UK?

London is the largest UK city by a wide margin, with a population of around 9 million according to Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures. Birmingham, Leeds, Glasgow, Sheffield, and Bradford follow, though the exact order can shift depending on how you draw the line around a city.

That’s because “city” means different things in the UK. The ONS publishes population figures for city-proper boundaries (the historic or local authority area), for built-up urban areas, and for wider metropolitan regions — and each measure can put a different city on top. A city with a small local authority boundary, such as Bristol, can look smaller on paper than one with a larger administrative area, even if a similar number of people actually live in and around it day to day.

Each of the UK’s four nations has its own largest city too: London for England, Glasgow for Scotland, Cardiff for Wales, and Belfast for Northern Ireland.

It’s also worth knowing that “city” status in the UK isn’t purely a population measure. It’s a title granted by royal charter, historically tied to having a cathedral and now awarded through occasional competitions — which is why some fairly small towns hold city status while some larger towns don’t.

For a wider sense of scale, it’s worth comparing these figures with the biggest cities in the world — even London, the UK’s largest city, doesn’t come close to the populations of the world’s biggest urban centres.

The UK’s Largest Cities Ranked by Population

Here’s how the UK’s largest cities compare, ranked by local authority (city-proper) population, using the latest figures available from the ONS, National Records of Scotland, and NISRA.

Source: Office for National Statistics; National Records of Scotland. Figures use local authority / city-proper boundaries and are the latest population estimates available at the time of writing; the ranking changes if built-up area or metropolitan figures are used instead. Belfast (351,900, 2025 Mid-Year population estimates, NISRA) sits just outside this top 12 by city-proper population but remains Northern Ireland’s largest city.

Rankings shift again once you switch to built-up area or metropolitan definitions, since some cities — Leeds and Sheffield among them — have compact local authority boundaries that don’t capture their full urban sprawl. If you’re comparing cities for research, work, or relocation, it’s worth checking which boundary a source is using before comparing figures directly.

London — The UK’s Largest City

London’s population stands at around 9,122,909, according to the ONS mid-2025 estimate for Greater London — the area covered by the Greater London Authority (GLA) and Transport for London (TfL). That’s different from the City of London itself, the historic financial district often called the “Square Mile,” which has only a few thousand residents. It’s different again from London’s wider metropolitan area, which some estimates put at 12 to 13 million people once the surrounding commuter belt is included.

London also drives a substantial share of the UK’s economic output: Greater London’s gross value added (GVA) makes up close to a quarter of the UK total, according to ONS regional accounts, reflecting its concentration of finance, media, and professional services. Its neighbourhoods range from the financial towers of Canary Wharf to the markets and street art of Shoreditch and the shops of the West End, each with a distinct identity within the wider city.

Administratively, Greater London is made up of 32 boroughs plus the City of London, each with its own local council responsible for services such as housing, schools, and waste collection. This is part of why London statistics can look so different depending on whether a source means the whole city or just one borough.

If you’re curious exactly how London’s population has changed over recent years, How Many People Live in London? breaks down the latest figures in more detail.

Birmingham — The UK’s Second Largest City

Birmingham is the UK’s second-largest city, with a population of around 1,176,960 according to the latest ONS mid-year estimate. Birmingham City Council is often described as the largest local authority in Europe by population, a reflection of the city’s sheer scale rather than an unusual boundary quirk.

The city hosted the Commonwealth Games in 2022, which brought new sporting venues and a wave of regeneration to areas including Perry Barr and the creative quarter of Digbeth. The 2021 Census also recorded Birmingham as one of the UK’s most ethnically diverse cities, with no single ethnic group forming a majority of the population. Alongside its manufacturing and automotive heritage, Birmingham’s economy today spans finance, technology, and education, and the city falls under the West Midlands Combined Authority, which coordinates transport and investment across the wider region.

Birmingham is also often said to have more miles of canal than Venice, a legacy of its industrial past that’s now home to bars, restaurants, and towpath walks through areas like Brindleyplace.

The Largest Cities in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland

Outside England, each nation’s capital or largest city carries its own population count and character.

Glasgow is Scotland’s largest city, with a population of around 654,330 according to National Records of Scotland. Once built on shipbuilding along the River Clyde, it’s now a hub for business, education, and the arts, and it hosted the United Nations’ COP26 climate summit in 2021. It’s also home to two of Scotland’s biggest football clubs, Celtic and Rangers, whose fixtures draw supporters from across the country.

Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital, has a population of around 531,370, also according to National Records of Scotland. It’s best known for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, widely recognised as the world’s largest arts festival, and its Old Town and Georgian New Town together form a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Beyond the festival calendar, the city is a long-established centre for financial services and higher education, home to the University of Edinburgh.

Cardiff is the capital and largest city of Wales, with a population of around 381,516. It’s been Wales’s official capital since 1955, and its regenerated docklands are now home to the Wales Millennium Centre and the Principality Stadium. The city is also home to National Museum Cardiff and a growing media and broadcasting sector.

Belfast is Northern Ireland’s largest city, with a population of around 345,418 according to the 2021 Census (NISRA). It’s best known as the birthplace of the RMS Titanic, and the Titanic Quarter, built on the former shipyards, is now one of the city’s main visitor attractions. Queen’s University Belfast and a growing technology sector add to the city’s role as Northern Ireland’s economic and cultural centre.

Other Major UK Cities Worth Knowing

A handful of other cities round out the UK’s largest urban centres, each with its own specialism.

Leeds, Yorkshire’s largest city, has a population of around 840,550. Once built on textiles and manufacturing, it’s now a major centre for business, law, and education, with one of the largest student populations outside London, and its indoor Kirkgate Market remains one of the biggest in Europe. The Victoria Quarter and Corn Exchange add to the city’s reputation as a shopping and dining destination.

Sheffield, in South Yorkshire, has a population of around 579,517. Long known for steel manufacturing — “Made in Sheffield” is still a mark of quality on cutlery and tools worldwide — the city also sits on the doorstep of the Peak District, one of the UK’s national parks, giving residents easy access to open countryside that few other UK cities can match. Sheffield is also built across seven hills, a feature locals often compare to Rome.

Bradford, with a population of around 557,758, holds the UK City of Culture title for 2025, a year-long programme of arts and cultural events across the city. Bradford was also the UK’s first UNESCO City of Film, reflecting its long history in early cinema and photography, and it’s known for a curry house scene often rated among the best in the country.

Leicester’s population stands at around 383,116. The city drew international attention in 2012, when archaeologists discovered the remains of King Richard III beneath a car park. He was later reburied at Leicester Cathedral in 2015. Leicester City’s Premier League title win in 2016 gave the city another moment in the spotlight.

Newcastle upon Tyne has a population of around 320,838. Its Victorian bridges over the River Tyne and a growing digital and life sciences sector have helped it remain one of the UK’s most recognisable northern cities, and its metropolitan area stretches into neighbouring Gateshead and North Tyneside. The Grainger Town area, with its Georgian architecture and independent shops, is one of the city centre’s best-known quarters.

What Makes the UK’s Largest Cities Significant?

Population Growth and Urbanisation Trends

ONS mid-year population estimates show that most of the UK’s largest cities continue to grow, driven mainly by international migration rather than a rising birth rate. Cities with large universities and expanding digital or life sciences sectors, including Manchester, Leeds, and Bristol, have been among the fastest-growing over the past decade, alongside London and the wider South East. The ONS publishes these estimates separately for England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, alongside equivalent figures from National Records of Scotland and NISRA, which is why comparing growth across all four nations requires checking more than one source.

Economic Contribution

London alone generates close to a quarter of UK gross value added (GVA), according to ONS regional accounts, making it by far the country’s largest single economic contributor. Beyond the capital, ten major English, Scottish, Welsh, and Northern Irish cities, including Birmingham, Leeds, Glasgow, Sheffield, and Belfast, form the Core Cities Group, a partnership that argues for greater investment and devolved powers for the UK’s largest urban economies outside London. The group’s case is that these cities, taken together, already account for a substantial share of UK economic output and could contribute more with greater local control over transport, skills, and infrastructure spending.

Cultural Diversity and Heritage

The 2021 Census recorded record levels of ethnic and cultural diversity in several of the UK’s largest cities, with London, Birmingham, and Leicester each home to communities from across the world. A number of UK cities also hold UNESCO Creative City status recognising their cultural output, including Bradford for film and Nottingham for literature — a reminder that a city’s significance isn’t only about population size.

If you want to see where that diversity is most visible day to day, Top 7 Most Diverse Neighbourhoods in the UK looks at specific areas worth knowing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the largest city in the UK?

London is the UK’s largest city, with a population of around 9 million according to the latest ONS mid-year estimate for Greater London. It’s also the UK’s capital and by far its largest economic centre, generating close to a quarter of the country’s total economic output.

What are the top 10 largest cities in the UK?

By local authority population, the UK’s largest cities are London, Birmingham, Leeds, Glasgow, Manchester, Sheffield, Bradford, Edinburgh, Liverpool, and Bristol. The exact order can shift depending on whether you use city-proper, built-up area, or metropolitan population figures.

What is the second largest city in the UK?

Birmingham is the UK’s second-largest city, with a population of around 1,176,960 according to ONS estimates. Birmingham City Council is often described as the largest local authority in Europe by population, reflecting the sheer scale of the city itself.

Is Glasgow or Edinburgh bigger?

Glasgow is larger than Edinburgh by population, with around 654,330 residents compared with Edinburgh’s 531,370, according to National Records of Scotland. Glasgow is Scotland’s largest city and industrial hub, while Edinburgh, the capital, leads in tourism, festivals, and finance.

What is the largest city in Wales?

Cardiff is the largest city in Wales, with a population of around 381,516. It has been the country’s official capital since 1955 and is home to the Senedd, the Welsh Parliament, along with major cultural venues such as the Wales Millennium Centre.

What’s the difference between a city and an urban area in the UK?

A UK city is usually a local authority area with historic or royal city status, while an urban area (or built-up area) is a continuously developed patch of land that can span several local authorities. Urban area figures are often higher because they capture a city’s full surrounding sprawl.

Key Takeaways

• London is the UK’s largest city, with a population of around 9,122,909 according to the ONS mid-2025 estimate for Greater London.
• How a city ranks depends on the boundary used — city-proper, built-up area, and metropolitan population figures can each produce a different order.
• Each UK nation has its own largest city: London (England), Glasgow (Scotland), Cardiff (Wales), and Belfast (Northern Ireland).
• Bradford holds the UK City of Culture title for 2025, a year-long programme of arts and cultural events across the city.
• ONS mid-year estimates show most large UK cities are still growing, driven mainly by international migration rather than birth rate.

Conclusion

How big a UK city looks on paper depends heavily on how you measure it: local authority boundaries, built-up areas, and metropolitan regions can each tell a different story about the same place. What doesn’t change is that London, Birmingham, Glasgow, and the UK’s other major cities remain the country’s main hubs for work, culture, and community life.

If you’ve settled in one of these cities and send money home, Best Ways to Send Money From the United Kingdom runs through the options so you can compare costs before you transfer. Wherever you’re sending from, Remitly is here to help make that part of settling in a little more straightforward.

Last reviewed: September 2026