The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has just updated its Rural Urban Classification for England and Wales, a crucial tool that helps us understand our diverse geography. Released in March 2025, this classification is fundamental for everything from government funding allocations to understanding local service needs and shaping regional development strategies.
The official classification defines areas as either Rural or Urban based on several key factors:
- Address density
- Physical settlement form
- Population size
- Relative access to major towns and cities (with populations of over 75,000 people)
The Rural Urban Classification (2021) updates and refines the 2011 classification using the latest data from the 2021 Census. One significant change is the replacement of ‘Sparsity’ with ‘Relative access’, which acts as a proxy for potential access to goods, services, and employment. This shift reflects a growing understanding of how connectivity shapes the experience of living in different areas. Other improvements include simplified categories, improved density profile calculations, higher resolution geospatial data, and additional supporting information for analysts.
The 2021 classification is determined at the Census Output Area level, the smallest geographical unit for Census data, with classifications for larger areas built upon these. Areas are considered Urban settlements if they have a population of 10,000 or more. Areas with fewer residents are classified as Rural, encompassing rural towns, villages, hamlets, isolated dwellings, and open countryside. Dwelling density further categorises rural areas into smaller or larger settlements. Crucially, all Output Areas are also classified by their proximity to major towns and cities, based on estimated travel time by road:
- ‘Nearer to a major town or city’ – OAs can reach a major town or city (population of 75,000+) within 30 minutes by car.
- ‘Further from a major town or city’ – OAs cannot reach a major town or city within 30 minutes by car.
This results in the following categories for all output areas:
Rural
- Smaller Rural: Further from a major town or city
- Smaller Rural: Nearer to a major town or city
- Larger Rural: Further from a major town or city
- Large Rural: Nearer to a major town or city
Urban
- Urban: Further from a major town or city
- Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Local authorities are then classified based on the proportion of their population in rural areas and their proximity to major towns and cities:
- Majority rural authorities: 50%+ rural population
- Intermediate rural authorities: 35% to <50% rural population
- Intermediate urban authorities: 20% to <35% rural population
- Urban authorities: <20% rural population
- Majority further from a major town or city: 50%+ of population further away
- Majority nearer to a major town or city: <50% of population further away
In 2021, 38.4 million people in England and Wales (64.4%) lived in ‘Urban’ local authorities, while 13.1 million lived in ‘Intermediate’ or ‘Majority’ rural authorities. Interestingly, 52.1 million people lived in local authorities considered ‘majority nearer to a major town or city’, with 12.7% of the population residing in authorities classified as ‘majority further from a major town or city’.
It’s important to note that the change in methodology between the 2011 and 2021 classifications means direct comparisons are not possible. The previous system included more detailed settlement types and the concept of ‘sparse settings’. These changes have led to some authorities experiencing a significant shift in their classification, particularly where their rurality was linked to the population of hub towns. Population changes since the last census have also played a role.
The Rural Urban Classification does not define the complex economic, social, or cultural aspects of rurality. However, it provides an invaluable framework for understanding the geographical landscape of England and Wales. Understanding these classifications and their nuances is crucial for anyone working in regional development, policy, or simply seeking a clearer picture of the diverse landscape of our country.