Quick facts
Manchester overview
Manchester (orange) and the other large cities of United Kingdom
Manchester lies in England in the United Kingdom at 53.48°N, 2.24°W, about 51 m above sea level. The local time zone is Europe/London (UTC+0 / UTC+1); GeoNames classifies it as a district seat.
It is smaller than Glasgow (626,410) and larger than Sheffield (556,500). The largest city in the United Kingdom is London with 8,961,989 people and is also the capital.
The national capital, London, is about 262 km away; the nearest large city is Salford, 4 km from Manchester.
The United Kingdom as a whole has a live population of 70,042,031 (+0.5% a year) and ranks #22 of 238 countries — see the United Kingdom population page for the full statistics and the United Kingdom atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Manchester
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Salford England | 4 km | 129,794 |
| Stockport England | 10 km | 139,052 |
| Oldham England | 10 km | 237,110 |
| Bolton England | 17 km | 141,331 |
| Warrington England | 25 km | 172,330 |
| Wigan England | 27 km | 175,405 |
| St Helens England | 33 km | 183,200 |
| Blackburn England | 34 km | 146,521 |
Largest cities in the United Kingdom
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LondonCapital | England | 8,961,989 |
| 2 | Birmingham | England | 1,157,603 |
| 3 | Glasgow | Scotland | 626,410 |
| 4 | Manchester | England | 568,996 |
| 5 | Sheffield | England | 556,500 |
| 6 | Leeds | England | 536,280 |
| 7 | Edinburgh | Scotland | 514,990 |
| 8 | Liverpool | England | 496,770 |
| 9 | Bristol | England | 479,024 |
| 10 | Cardiff | Wales | 372,089 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Manchester?
Manchester has about 568,996 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Manchester the capital of the United Kingdom?
No. The capital of the United Kingdom is London (8,961,989 people), about 262 km away. Manchester is the 4th largest city of the country and a district seat.
How big is Manchester compared with the rest of the United Kingdom?
Its 568,996 residents are 0.8% of the 70,042,031 people living in the United Kingdom today. London is larger with 8,961,989 people.
Where is Manchester?
In England, the United Kingdom, at latitude 53.48 and longitude -2.24, 51 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Salford (4 km), Stockport (10 km), Oldham (10 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Manchester Population 2026 — United Kingdom. Retrieved October 21, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/united-kingdom/manchester/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/united-kingdom/manchester/">Manchester Population 2026 — United Kingdom</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-21. More about our data.