Built-up areas in the North East

The types of settlement where people in the North East live, with population estimates for cities and towns, information about age profiles and a map of population density patterns..

Population Census 2021
Download as a PDF

What are built-up areas?

Built-up areas (BUAs) are a geography based on the physical built environment. They are created by using Ordnance Survey topographic information to identify distinct areas of developed land, such as cities, towns, and villages. This allows statistics to be published based on actual settlements rather than administrative boundaries.

BUAs are classified by population size as minor, small, medium, large or major, with the latest classifications based on Census 2021 populations, the latest available population estimates. There will be annual updates as part of the small area population estimates dataset.

The BUA geography was previously two tiered but the new version no longer includes larger areas such as Tyneside and Greater Manchester. Many of the larger 2021 BUAs are effectively successors to 2011 BUA subdivisions. However, populations for these areas at the two censuses cannot be directly compared because of boundary changes.


North East built-up areas (BUAs)

In the North East combined authority (CA) area in 2021:

At the time of the 2021 census:


Geographical comparisons

The North East population's distribution by built-up area type and local authority area is complex. In 2021:

The census outputs compare the North East to England excluding London and to the eight core city areas that include England's largest conurbations outside of London. In 2021:


Population by age

In the North East in 2021:

Among the 23 North East BUAs with the largest populations in 2021:


Population density map

The census provides information about the population density of a range of area types and the ONS website has an interactive map that can reveal local patterns within built-up areas.

A version of the map is below, centred on the North East. Information for geographies smaller than local authority areas can be viewed by zooming in further.

 

Page published:
Page last updated: