Share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents was 25.7% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in United Kingdom, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2020, share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in United Kingdom stood at 25.7%.
The figure is up 12.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in United Kingdom peaked at 29.3% in 1950 and was at its lowest, 21.9%, in 1990.
That places United Kingdom 51st out of 180 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 15 years of available data.
Share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 29.3% | — |
| 1955 | 26.7% | -8.9% |
| 1960 | 28.5% | +6.7% |
| 1965 | 27.6% | -3.2% |
| 1970 | 26.2% | -4.9% |
| 1975 | 25.3% | -3.5% |
| 1980 | 24.4% | -3.5% |
| 1985 | 22.2% | -9.0% |
| 1990 | 21.9% | -1.4% |
| 1995 | 22.0% | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 22.2% | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 22.4% | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 22.8% | +2.1% |
| 2015 | 23.4% | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 25.7% | +9.8% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 25.7% is above the median for high income countries, which is 15.3%, 1.7× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 25.7% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 11.6%, 2.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 28.0% | 26.7% | 29.3% | 2 |
| 1960s | 28.0% | 27.6% | 28.5% | 2 |
| 1970s | 25.8% | 25.3% | 26.2% | 2 |
| 1980s | 23.3% | 22.2% | 24.4% | 2 |
| 1990s | 22.0% | 21.9% | 22.0% | 2 |
| 2000s | 22.3% | 22.2% | 22.4% | 2 |
| 2010s | 23.1% | 22.8% | 23.4% | 2 |
| 2020s | 25.7% | 25.7% | 25.7% | 1 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More reference data data for United Kingdom
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.13 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 3.97 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 13.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.01 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 13.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 10.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 6.51 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 15.81 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 59.34 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 5.48 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in United Kingdom?
- Share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents in United Kingdom was 25.7% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 29.3% in 1950.
- What is the lowest share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.9% in 1990.
- How does United Kingdom rank for share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents?
- United Kingdom ranks 51st out of 180 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in cities with more than 1 million residents. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of the total population living in cities with 1 million or more people. City boundaries are defined using a consistent global approach based on satellite imagery and population data.