Leicester
§ This page gives an overview of the Leicester local authority district, bringing together key facts, maps, and data to help you quickly understand the area. One of 361 district profiles on Baseview.
Overview ⁞ Leicester is a vibrant, multicultural city on the River Soar, known for its Roman and medieval heritage alongside modern attractions. Leicester Cathedral, which houses the tomb of King Richard III, and the nearby King Richard III Visitor Centre highlight its historic significance. The city is also home to the National Space Centre, diverse markets, and a thriving food and cultural scene. Riverside parks, Victorian buildings, and modern shopping districts add to its character, while its long history blends seamlessly with contemporary life.
The administrative boundary of Leicester can be viewed on OpenStreetMap: District Boundary of Leicester.
Key Facts about Leicester
What region is Leicester in? Leicester is in the East Midlands of England, a region within the UK.
What county is Leicester in? Leicester is in the county of Leicestershire.
Is Leicester a city? Yes, Leicester is a city. Leicester holds official city status as one of the 76 designated cities in the UK.
Who governs Leicester? The local government for this district is: Leicester City Council (Unitary Authority).
▶ Official website of Leicester City Council 🔗 leicester.gov.uk
Which police force covers Leicester? Policing in Leicester is provided by Leicestershire Police 🔗 leics.police.uk, which serves 9 local authority districts: Blaby ⁞ Charnwood ⁞ Harborough ⁞ Hinckley and Bosworth ⁞ Leicester ⁞ Melton ⁞ North West Leicestershire ⁞ Oadby and Wigston ⁞ Rutland.
Leicester in International Geographies
In the International Territorial Levels (ITLs) hierarchy, Leicester is within one of ITLs Level 2 area, Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire, that contains the following 4 ITLs Level 3 areas:
(ITL 1) East Midlands
(ITL 2) ⇒ Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire
(ITL 3) ⇒⇒ Leicester ⁞ Leicestershire CC and Rutland ⁞ West Northamptonshire ⁞ North Northamptonshire
The International Territorial Levels are used by OECD member countries for statistical purposes to classify administrative areas. We have this listable page for easy browsing of ITL names and codes: International Territorial Levels.
Constituencies in Leicester
A constituency is a specific geographical area that elects one Member of Parliament (MP) to represent them in the House of Commons. The United Kingdom is divided into 650 parliamentary constituencies. We have this list page for easy browsing of all UK parliamentary constituencies: List of Constituencies.
Wards in Leicester
Leicester is divided into 21 wards, listed below in alphabetical order.
- Abbey
- Aylestone
- Beaumont Leys
- Belgrave
- Braunstone Park & Rowley Fields
- Castle
- Evington
- Eyres Monsell
- Fosse
- Humberstone & Hamilton
- Knighton
- North Evington
- Rushey Mead
- Saffron
- Spinney Hills
- Stoneygate
- Thurncourt
- Troon
- Westcotes
- Western
- Wycliffe
In the UK, a ward is a subdivision of a local authority area, used mainly for electoral and statistical purposes. Defined by the ONS, wards represent the primary unit for local elections, each returning one or more councillors to the local council. Wards are also used as a key geography for presenting population and census data.
Parishes in Leicester
Leicester is entirely unparished—there are no civil parishes in this local authority district.
Parishes are the lowest tier of local government; where they don’t exist, those very local services and representation sit directly with the principal council.
Built-up Areas in Leicester
Leicester covers 8 built-up areas, listed below in alphabetical order.
- Anstey *
- Birstall *
- Leicester *
- Leicester Forest East and Kirby Muxloe *
- Oadby *
- Thurcaston *
- Thurmaston *
- Wigston *
In the UK, a Built-up Area (BUA) is a continuous urban area of at least 20 hectares (0.2 km²), defined by the ONS as land where buildings are generally no more than 200 metres apart, such as towns, cities, or large villages. (Note: A BUA name marked with an asterisk (*) indicates that the area is situated partly in the district of Leicester.)
Leicester compared with other districts in the UK
This section shows how Leicester compares with other local authority districts in the UK, using a variety of measures and rankings.
Leicester has 21 electoral wards.
Leicester has a population of 388,348 (2024 mid-year estimate by ONS)
More local statistics and data for Leicester can be found on the ONS statistics for Leicester.