Quick facts
Reading overview
Reading (orange) and the other large cities of United Kingdom
Reading lies in England in United Kingdom at 51.46°N, 0.97°W, about 51 m above sea level. The local time zone is Europe/London (UTC+1); GeoNames classifies it as a district seat.
It is smaller than Islington (319,143) and larger than Kingston upon Hull (314,018). The largest city in United Kingdom is London with 8,961,989 people; the capital, London, has 8,961,989.
The national capital, London, is about 59 km away; the nearest large city is Basingstoke, 23 km from Reading.
United Kingdom as a whole has a live population of 70,040,452 (+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 Reading
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Basingstoke England | 23 km | 107,642 |
| High Wycombe England | 25 km | 133,204 |
| Slough England | 27 km | 164,793 |
| Woking England | 32 km | 103,900 |
| Oxford England | 38 km | 162,100 |
| Watford England | 46 km | 125,707 |
| Harrow England | 46 km | 149,246 |
| Sutton England | 55 km | 187,600 |
Largest cities in 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 Reading?
Reading has about 318,014 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Reading the capital of United Kingdom?
No. The capital of United Kingdom is London (8,961,989 people), about 59 km away. Reading is the 18th largest city of the country and a district seat.
How big is Reading compared with the rest of United Kingdom?
Its 318,014 residents are 0.5% of the 70,040,452 people living in United Kingdom today. London is larger with 8,961,989 people.
Where is Reading?
In England, United Kingdom, at latitude 51.46 and longitude -0.97, 51 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Basingstoke (23 km), High Wycombe (25 km), Slough (27 km).
Explore more
Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Reading Population 2026 — United Kingdom. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/united-kingdom/reading/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/united-kingdom/reading/">Reading 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 2026-10-20. More about our data.