Based on 2021 Census data, areas with the highest percentages of "White British" residents, indicating lower ethnic diversity, are often found in the North East of England and Wales. Specific, smaller, historically defined cities, such as Ripon in North Yorkshire, have been cited as having populations that are over 97% White British.
The city with the lowest percentage of white residents in the UK is Leicester, where white people are no longer the majority, with about 41% identifying as white according to 2021 census data, making it one of the most ethnically diverse cities alongside places like Birmingham, Luton, and London boroughs such as Newham and Brent.
London is one of the most linguistically diverse cities in the world. More than 300 languages are spoken across its boroughs, reflecting its status as a global metropolis. Areas such as Southall, Brick Lane and Chinatown offer rich cultural experiences, from authentic cuisine to traditional festivals.
Brent, Newham and Tower Hamlets have the highest percentage of non-White British residents and the highest proportion of households with multiple ethnic groups.
The ten local authorities with the largest proportion of people who identified as Asian were: Redbridge (47.33%), Slough (46.75%), Harrow (45.23%), Tower Hamlets (44.43%), Leicester (43.40%), Newham (42.21%), Luton (36.99%), Hounslow (36.73%), Blackburn with Darwen (35.66%) and Hillingdon (33.32%).
British cities are, on the whole, less ethnically segregated than American ones. By the same measure, Chicago, Detroit, New York and Miami are all more segregated than Leicester or Birmingham. It shouldn't be too surprising that segregation has gone down as immigration goes up.
The Partition of India in 1947 led to many people leaving India to try making a home elsewhere, and some of these emigrants came to Leicester which still had a busy clothing industry, guaranteeing work was always available.
Based on UK census data from 2021 (2022 in Scotland), London emerges as the most popular destination for migrants (Figure 1). Although less than 10% of the total UK-born population lived in London, the city was home to one-third of the total foreign-born population in the country.
Edinburgh is the best city in the UK to head to if you're interested in top-rated cultural attractions! This comes as no surprise, as the city is bursting with a variety of cultural offerings, from impressive museums and art galleries to fabulous theatre performances and comedy clubs.
The UK region with the lowest proportion of non-British nationals is North East England (4%). The map shows that the percentage of the non-British population is generally lower outside of London, and the lowest levels tend to be found in rural areas.
There isn't one single "most run-down" town, as it depends on the metric, but recent reports frequently cite Walsall (West Midlands) as Britain's most deprived for overall quality of life (Good Growth for Cities Index 2025), while Jaywick (Essex) is repeatedly named England's most deprived neighbourhood by government data. Other towns often mentioned for significant decline due to economic hardship, unemployment, and urban decay include areas in Blackpool, Hastings, and Middlesbrough, alongside places like Portsmouth and Aldershot facing specific challenges.
Indians emerge wealthiest ethnic group in UK, says LSE study. A London School of Economics report reveals significant wealth growth for people of Indian origin in the UK over the past decade, while the Pakistani ethnic group experienced a decline.
While "gloomiest" is subjective, Bradford was frequently cited in 2023 studies by Betway as the UK's gloomiest city based on low sunshine, high wind, and rainfall, despite local defenses highlighting its cultural vitality. Other contenders often mentioned for dreary weather include Aberdeen, Blackpool, Glasgow, and Preston, though different metrics (sunshine vs. rain) yield varied results, with some recent surveys also pointing to places like Havering or Slough in terms of overall "miserable" living conditions.
Which city of England is known as the Black Country?
Today the term commonly refers to the majority of the four metropolitan boroughs of Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton although it is said that "no two Black Country men or women will agree on where it starts or ends".
The city or district with the largest population by 'Indian' ethnicity outside the capital, according to the 2021 census in England and Wales, was Leicester (pop.
"While Northern Ireland has become a more diverse culture over the past two decades, it still remains the least diverse region of the UK," the research said.
London has the largest Pakistani population in the UK by total numbers, with significant communities also in Birmingham, Bradford (often called "Bradistan"), and Manchester, though Bradford and other cities have a higher percentage of Pakistanis in their overall population. Greater London has the highest absolute number (over 290,000 in 2021), followed by Birmingham and then Bradford.
According to the 2021 Census, Leicester has more Muslims (33%) than Hindus (25%), though both groups form significant minorities, with Christians being the largest religious group at 35%, while a notable portion of residents follow no religion (23%). Muslims are concentrated in eastern Leicester (like Spinney Hills), while Hindus are more prominent in northern areas (like Belgrave).
New York City itself also contains by far the largest Indian American population of any individual city in North America, estimated at 246,454 as of 2017.
