UK Cities by Population 2026: Top 10 Largest Ranked

If you’ve ever wondered how the UK’s cities stack up against each other in size, you’re looking at one of the more striking imbalances in Western Europe. London holds roughly eight times the population of the next biggest city — a gap that reshapes everything from housing policy to transport funding. The Office for National Statistics projects the UK will grow by 4.9 million people (7.3%) between 2022 and 2032, with city populations at the heart of that shift. This guide walks through where the numbers stand, what counts as a city, and which places are gaining residents fastest.

Largest City: London (9,927,020) · Second Largest: Manchester (2,853,370) · Third Largest: Birmingham (2,724,410) · Fourth Largest: Glasgow (1,730,280) · Fifth Largest: Southampton (974,131)

What are the 10 largest cities in the UK by population?

The UK’s urban hierarchy is heavily skewed toward London. Sources vary in their exact rankings depending on whether they measure city proper boundaries, urban agglomerations, or wider metropolitan areas — a distinction the Office for National Statistics notes causes significant variance in reported figures. The contrast is stark: London sits at roughly 9.9 million in 2026 projections, while the next largest city falls well below 3 million.

London reached 9 million residents in 2020, climbing to approximately 9.8 million by 2023, with the World Population Review projecting a figure approaching 9.93 million by 2026. According to the UK Government’s official city growth projections, London is projected to gain +2.67 million residents between 2011 and 2036 — the largest increase among all 63 cities tracked.

Manchester and Birmingham follow at considerable distance. World Population Review places Manchester at roughly 2.85 million for 2026 and Birmingham at approximately 2.72 million. The government’s projections confirm this regional pattern: Manchester is expected to add +272,000 residents and Birmingham +354,000 between 2011 and 2036.

When viewed through a wider lens — including metro-area and built-up area measurements — the gap between London’s roughly 9.9 million and Manchester’s nearly 3 million illustrates how concentration shapes the UK’s urban geography. According to CitiesABC, “London is in a league of its own — no other city even comes close.”

The implication: policymakers allocating regional funding face a structural imbalance that no single city-ranking table can fully capture.

London

• Population: 9,927,020 (2026 projection)
• Projected growth 2011-2036: +2.67 million
• Source: World Population Review, UK Gov

Manchester

• Population: 2,853,370 (2026 projection)
• Projected growth 2011-2036: +272,000
• Source: World Population Review

Birmingham

• Population: 2,724,410 (2026 projection)
• Projected growth 2011-2036: +354,000
• Source: World Population Review

Glasgow

• Population: 1,730,280 (2026 projection)
• Ranking: 1st in Scotland
• Source: World Population Review

Others in the top 10

• Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle, Sheffield, Bristol, Edinburgh, and Cardiff round out the upper rankings depending on which metric is used
• Worldometers ranks Sheffield as the 10th largest UK city at 549,695 in 2025

What is the largest town in the UK that is not a city?

City status in the UK is a legal designation conferred by the monarch, not a measure of population — a quirk that creates an odd gap between size and title. Several towns with substantial populations lack official city status, while some much smaller places carry the label.

Reading holds the distinction of being England’s largest town without city status, with a population approaching 255,000. Despite exceeding many officially designated cities in size, Reading has never received a royal charter granting city status. The criteria for city designation have historically included having a cathedral, being historically significant, or meeting population thresholds — but these have been applied inconsistently over time.

Other large towns sharing this status include Milton Keynes, with a population above 300,000, and Northampton, each surpassing several official cities in size but lacking the formal designation. Peterborough, notably, received city status in 2012 despite having a population of only around 190,000 at the time — a reminder that population alone does not determine the label.

Reading

• Population: ~255,000
• Status: Largest English town without city status
• Growth rate 2013-2023: 12.6%
• Source: Centre for Cities

Distinction between towns and cities

• City status: Legal designation via royal charter
• Population thresholds: No fixed minimum — historically inconsistent
• Other criteria: Cathedral cities, county towns, places of historical importance
• Source: Wikipedia

What is the UK’s fastest growing city?

When growth rates are measured over the decade from 2013 to 2023, the fastest expanding UK cities are not the largest ones. Centre for Cities data reveals a pattern where mid-sized cities are absorbing the highest percentage growth, often driven by commuting links to major urban centres and more affordable housing.

Peterborough recorded 14.0% population growth from 2013 to 2023, ranking 4th among UK cities tracked by Centre for Cities. Telford followed closely at 13.5%, while Reading and Northampton both posted 12.6% growth over the same period. These figures substantially outpace the growth seen in London, Birmingham, or Manchester on a percentage basis.

The ONS projection explorer confirms the broader trend: the UK population is projected to grow by 4.9 million (7.3%) over the decade between mid-2022 and mid-2032. None of the 63 tracked cities are projected to shrink — even the smallest-gain cities like Blackburn, Burnley, and Grimsby are each expected to add around 4,000 residents by 2036.

The growth data raises an interesting tension: population rankings by size look very different from rankings by growth rate. A reader using one table may conclude London dominates everything, while the other reveals a more distributed pattern of expansion across the country.

2024 growth data

• Peterborough: 14.0% growth 2013-2023 (4th fastest)
• Telford: 13.5% growth 2013-2023
• Reading: 12.6% growth 2013-2023
• Northampton: 12.6% growth 2013-2023
• Source: Centre for Cities

Statista rankings

• Statista and other aggregators track city growth alongside static population rankings
• Growth rate rankings differ significantly from size rankings
• Mid-sized cities consistently show higher percentage growth than top-tier urban areas

What are the top 3 cities in the UK?

The top three UK cities by population form a clear hierarchy, though the gap between positions varies. London stands alone at the top with approximately 9.9 million residents in 2026 projections, while Manchester and Birmingham trade positions depending on whether city proper or metro-area definitions are used.

In most published rankings — including those from Ciphr, which uses ONS mid-2024 estimates — the order holds as London, Birmingham, then Manchester. However, World Population Review, which measures metropolitan areas, places Manchester slightly ahead of Birmingham for 2026.

The long-term government projections support Birmingham’s strong growth trajectory, with +354,000 projected residents versus Manchester’s +272,000 through 2036. For investors, developers, or policy planners, the question of whether to treat Birmingham or Manchester as the second-largest UK city carries real implications for resource allocation and planning decisions.

London

• Population: 9,927,020 (2026 projection)
• Metro population: ~9.5-9.9 million depending on definition
• Ranking: 1st by wide margin
• Source: World Population Review

Manchester

• Population: 2,853,370 (metro 2026 projection)
• City proper: ~550,000
• Ranking: 2nd or 3rd depending on metric
• Source: World Population Review

Birmingham

• Population: 2,724,410 (metro 2026 projection)
• City proper: ~1,150,000
• Ranking: 3rd or 2nd depending on metric
• Source: World Population Review

Which UK city has the best quality of life?

Population size and quality of life rarely correlate positively in UK cities. London, the largest by far, typically scores poorly on affordability metrics while excelling in career opportunities and cultural amenities. Smaller cities often rank highest when cost of living, commute times, and community cohesion are weighted more heavily.

Quality-of-life rankings vary significantly by what metrics are prioritised. Ciphr’s analysis of ONS data and other quality-of-life indices consistently place cities like York, Edinburgh, and Bristol near the top — citing factors including relative affordability, access to green space, employment rates, and lower crime figures. Aberdeen, despite its oil-industry wealth, has faced quality-of-life challenges as the energy sector has contracted.

The trade-off is real: cities offering the best career and cultural opportunities — London, Manchester, Edinburgh — also carry the highest housing costs and congestion levels. Conversely, quieter cities like Bradford or Hull offer affordability but fewer employment prospects.

Rankings

• York, Edinburgh, Bristol frequently rank highest on composite quality-of-life indices
• London ranks high on culture and careers but low on affordability
• Scottish cities (Glasgow, Edinburgh) rank well on social indicators

OneFamily data

• OneFamily and similar financial services data track city livability from an affordability perspective
• Housing-to-income ratios vary dramatically between London and provincial cities
• Commute times and transport access feature in most quality-of-life comparisons

The catch: quality-of-life rankings reward whatever a reader values most — making the “best” city answer fundamentally personal rather than statistical.

“The UK population is projected to grow by 4.9 million (7.3%) over the 10 years between mid-2022 and mid-2032.”

— Office for National Statistics (Official National Projections)

“None of the 63 cities will see a reduction in numbers according to these projections.”

— UK Government (Government Report on City Growth)

“London is in a league of its own — no other city even comes close.”

— CitiesABC (Publisher)

For planners and investors tracking UK urban trends, the headline takeaway is straightforward: every major city is growing, the gap between London and the rest remains vast, and the fastest expansion is happening in mid-sized towns that haven’t yet reached city status. Reading’s population may never officially make it onto a “largest cities” table, yet it adds residents faster than several designated cities. The definition question — whether measured by legal status, city boundary, urban area, or metro region — changes not just the ranking order but where investment and policy attention may be most urgently needed.