Plymouth
§ This page gives an overview of the Plymouth local authority district, bringing together key facts, maps, and data to help you quickly understand the area. This is one of 361 LAD profiles on Baseview.
Overview ⁞ Plymouth is a coastal city in Devon, located between Dartmoor and the English Channel. Its historic harbour, the Hoe with views over Plymouth Sound, and the Mayflower Steps highlight its maritime heritage. The Barbican area preserves narrow streets, quays, and historic buildings, while the Royal William Yard and National Marine Aquarium add cultural attractions. The River Tamar forms a natural border with Cornwall, and the surrounding countryside includes moorland, valleys, and estuaries. Plymouth’s seafront setting and naval history define its character.
Plymouth Boundary Map
This map shows the official boundary of the Plymouth local authority district, based on the latest geographic data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). It provides a clear view of the district’s extent and helps you understand how the area fits within the wider regional and national landscape.
Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2025. Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
The administrative boundary of Plymouth can also be viewed on OpenStreetMap: District Boundary of Plymouth.
Key Facts about Plymouth
What region is Plymouth in? Plymouth is in the South West of England, a region within the UK.
What county is Plymouth in? Plymouth is in the county of Devon.
Is Plymouth a city? Yes, Plymouth is a city. Plymouth holds official city status as one of the 76 designated cities in the UK.
Who governs Plymouth? The local government for this district is: Plymouth City Council (Unitary Authority).
▶ Official website of Plymouth City Council 🔗 plymouth.gov.uk
Which police force covers Plymouth? Policing in Plymouth is provided by Devon & Cornwall Police 🔗 devon-cornwall.police.uk, which serves 12 local authority districts: Cornwall ⁞ East Devon ⁞ Exeter ⁞ Isles of Scilly ⁞ Mid Devon ⁞ North Devon ⁞ Plymouth ⁞ South Hams ⁞ Teignbridge ⁞ Torbay ⁞ Torridge ⁞ West Devon.
Plymouth in International Geographies
In the International Territorial Levels (ITLs) hierarchy, Plymouth is an ITLs Level 3 area:
- (ITL 1) South West
- (ITL 2) ⇒ Devon
- (ITL 3) ⇒⇒ Plymouth
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 Plymouth
Plymouth is divided into 3 parliamentary constituencies, listed below in alphabetical order.
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 Plymouth
Plymouth is divided into 20 wards, listed below in alphabetical order.
- Budshead
- Compton
- Devonport
- Drake
- Efford and Lipson
- Eggbuckland
- Ham
- Honicknowle
- Moor View
- Peverell
- Plympton Chaddlewood
- Plympton Erle
- Plympton St Mary
- Plymstock Dunstone
- Plymstock Radford
- Southway
- St Budeaux
- St Peter and the Waterfront
- Stoke
- Sutton and Mount Gould
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. We have this list page for easy browsing of all electoral wards: List of all Electoral Wards in the UK.
Parishes in Plymouth
Plymouth 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. We have this list page for easy browsing of all parishes: List of Civil Parishes in England and Wales.
Post Towns in Plymouth
Below is a list of post towns in Plymouth, grouped by postcode area:
PL ▸ Plymouth (PL1 / PL2 / PL3 / PL4 / PL5 / PL6 / PL7 / PL8 / PL9 / PL95)
The UK postal hierarchy begins with broad postcode areas (such as “CB” or “M”), which are divided into smaller postcode districts (such as “CB8” or “M1”) to support accurate mail routing. Each postal address is anchored by a designated post town, the official locality name used in the UK postcode system, which operates independently from Local Authority Districts —the administrative boundaries used for council tax and local government services. Because they serve different purposes, a property’s postal address and its local authority district do not always align exactly.
Built-up Areas in Plymouth
Plymouth covers 2 built-up areas, listed below in alphabetical order.
- Plymouth *
- Sherford *
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 Plymouth.)
We have this list page for easy browsing of all built-up areas: List of all Built-up Areas in GB.
Railway Stations in Plymouth
Plymouth is served by a number of National Rail stations, providing rail connections to nearby towns, cities, and destinations across Great Britain. The railway stations listed below are located within the Plymouth Local Authority District and are grouped by train operating company for clarity.
- Great Western Railway ▸ Plymouth (PL4 6AB) ⁞ Devonport (PL1 4QN) ⁞ Keyham (PL2 2BP) ⁞ Dockyard (Devonport) (PL2 1RX) ⁞ St Budeaux Victoria Road (PL5 1JJ) ⁞ St Budeaux Ferry Road (PL5 1JJ)
This is a district-level view only. For a complete list of all National Rail stations across Great Britain, see the UK National Rail Stations Directory.
Plymouth compared with other districts in the UK
This section shows how Plymouth compares with other local authority districts in the UK, using a variety of measures and rankings.
Plymouth has 20 electoral wards.
Plymouth has a population of 272,067 (2024 mid-year estimate by ONS)
Population and Migration Trends in Plymouth
This chart shows the population trend for Plymouth from 2015 to 2024. It provides a quick overview of whether the local authority is growing, stable, or declining over time, and helps set context for the migration patterns shown below.
Population change is influenced by natural change (births minus deaths) and migration. The net migration chart below focuses on migration, separating internal migration (moves within the UK) from international migration (moves to and from abroad). Positive values indicate net inflows, while negative values indicate net outflows. The rate labels (per 1,000 residents) help compare migration intensity across years, even when the population size changes.
More local statistics and data for Plymouth can be found on the ONS statistics for Plymouth.