The Leicester Urban Area or Leicester Built Up Area (2011 onwards) is an urban agglomeration defined by the Office of National Statistics (ONS), centred on the City of Leicester in the East Midlands, England. With a population of 559,017 at the time of the 2021 census,^[1] increased from 508,916 at the time of the 2011 census, the Built Up Area is the eleventh largest in England and thirteenth largest in the United Kingdom. It comprises Leicester itself and its suburbs, all of which are contiguous with or situated in close proximity to the city.

As at 2011 the Leicester Urban Area was home to 51.8% of the total population of Leicestershire^[2] (2001: 48.5%). A 2017 quote from the Leicester City Council website states that "The Greater Leicester urban area is one of the fastest growing in the country, with a population of about 650,000, of which 350,000 live within the city council area"^[3].

Analysis: 2011

Leicester built-up area in 2011. Directly contiguous outer suburbs now merged into Leicester. Syston now a subdivision; Ratby removed completely; new south western areas included.

  Leicester subdivision

  Other subdivisions

  City of Leicester unitary authority boundary

Leicester Built-up Area 2011 Census[4]
Urban subdivision	Population
Leicester ONS	City & inner suburbs in detail   City 329,283 Leicester UNITARY 329,839 *less Ashton Green 556   Inner suburbs 114,477 Wigston 32,321 Oadby 23,849 Braunstone Town 16,850 Thurmaston 9,668 Glenfield 9,109 Leicester Forest East 6,719 Glen Parva 6,189 Kirby Muxloe 4,667 Thurnby and Bushby 3,301 Scraptoft 1,804	City & inner suburbs 443,760
Narborough / Enderby	12,996	Outer suburbs 65,156
Syston	12,804
Blaby / Whetstone	12,760
Birstall	12,216
Groby	6,782
Cosby	3,506
Queniborough	2,326
Littlethorpe	1,766
Total		508,916
Change % from 2001		15.3%

Analysis: 2001

Leicester urban area in 2001. Northern Beaumont Leys included.

  Leicester subdivision

  Other subdivisions

Leicester Urban Area 2001 Census[5]
Urban subdivision	Population
Leicester ONS	City & inner suburbs in detail   City 273,758 Leicester UNITARY 279,921 *less Beaumont Leys (see below) 5,579 *less Ashton Green 584   Inner suburbs 56,816 Braunstone Town 14,981 Syston 11,608 Thurmaston 8,945 Glenfield 9,193 Glen Parva 5,902 Thurnby and Bushby 3,147 Scraptoft 1,521 Leicester Forest East 1,519	City & inner suburbs 330,574
Wigston	33,116	Outer suburbs 110,639
Oadby	22,679
Blaby / Whetstone	12,263
Birstall	11,480
Kirby Muxloe	9,500
Groby	6,256
Beaumont Leys	5,579
Ratby	3,862
Cosby	3,647
Queniborough	2,257
Total		441,213
Change % from 1991		5.8%

Analysis: 1991

Leicester urban area in 1991, with newly added southern subdivisions.

  Leicester subdivision

  Other subdivisions

Leicester Urban Area 1991 Census[6]
Urban subdivision	Population
Leicester ONS	City & inner suburbs in detail   City 270,493 Leicester UNITARY   Inner suburbs 48,025 Braunstone Town Glen Parva Glenfield Leicester Forest East Scraptoft Syston Thurmaston Thurnby and Bushby	City & inner suburbs 318,518
Wigston	32,864	Outer suburbs 98,083
Oadby	18,538
Birstall	11,770
Kirby Muxloe	7,780
Groby	7,183
Blaby	6,538
Whetstone	4,032
Ratby	3,601
Cosby	3,390
Queniborough	2,387
Total		416,601
Change % from 1981		3%

Analysis: 1981

Leicester urban area in 1981, showing shaded 'outer suburbs' subdivisions. The small text lists 'inner suburbs' within the Leicester ONS subdivision, but outside the unitary authority (city council) area.

  Leicester subdivision

  Other subdivisions

Analysis: Notes

The Leicester ^ONS sub-totals are explained with reference to the following:

• For 2011, there have been certain reclassifications from 'outer' to 'inner suburbs' thus contributing to the increase in population of Leicester ^ONS compared to 2001 and prior.
• The ONS's definition of "Leicester" in the 2001 census excluded the northern area of the Beaumont Leys ward, which was counted separately, and amalgamated several surrounding towns and villages. Its boundaries and population were not the same as that of the Leicester ^UNITARY, which had a separate population of 279,921 at the 2001 Census and includes Beaumont Leys. See the 2001 Leicester ^ONS analysis.
• Ongoing refinements in methodology between the two census dates meant that contiguous suburbs, external to the city boundaries and which were subdivided up to 2001, were merged into the 2011 Leicester ^ONS figure. These, along with infilling at the margins, also accounted for the removal of Ratby and the addition of new subdivisions.
• Leicester ^ONS figures do not include the Ashton Green/Glebelands/Thurcaston Park development (containing 556 residents in 2011). Although within the city boundaries, this incipient addition is in effect a satellite village given that there is 'green separation'. This categorisation is likely to change as future residential expansion planned around the development,^[8] converges towards Beaumont Leys and Birstall; both part of the urban area/BUA.

The Kirby Muxloe figures up to 2001 includes the portion of Leicester Forest East which is to the west of the M1 motorway. The eastern section is part of the Leicester ^ONS subdivision, and is listed separately in the 2001 table.

Although Stoughton is shown as a small leg of the urban area, its figures are not counted.

52°38′N 1°08′W / 52.63°N 1.13°W / 52.63; -1.13

See also

• List of settlements in Leicestershire by population
• List of urban areas in the United Kingdom
• List of metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom
• City Regions (United Kingdom; North, West and North Sussex-super-Mare)

References

External links

• Scalable Office for National Statistics map of the 2011 Leicester Urban Area
• Office for National Statistics: Census 2001 - Table KS01 (Usual resident population)
• Office for National Statistics: Census 2001 - Maps and index to urban areas