Preston
§ This page gives an overview of the Preston 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 ⁞ Preston, on the River Ribble in central Lancashire, is a historic city with a blend of modern and traditional features. Landmarks include the Harris Museum, Avenham and Miller Parks, and a vibrant docklands area now redeveloped into marinas and leisure spaces. The city has Victorian architecture alongside contemporary shopping and cultural venues, with surrounding villages and countryside providing a rural backdrop. Preston’s riverside setting and lively centre make it a key urban hub in Lancashire.
Preston Boundary Map
This map shows the official boundary of the Preston 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 Preston can also be viewed on OpenStreetMap: District Boundary of Preston.
Key Facts about Preston
What region is Preston in? Preston is in the North West of England, a region within the UK.
What county is Preston in? Preston is located in the county of Lancashire.
Is Preston a city? Yes, Preston is a city. Preston holds official city status as one of the 76 designated cities in the UK.
Who governs Preston? The local authority for this district is: Preston City Council - responsible for district-level services. Since Lancashire is a two-tier area, county-level services are handled by: Lancashire County Council.
▶ Official website of Preston City Council 🔗 preston.gov.uk
Which police force covers Preston? Policing in Preston is provided by Lancashire Constabulary 🔗 lancashire.police.uk, which serves 14 local authority districts: Blackburn with Darwen ⁞ Blackpool ⁞ Burnley ⁞ Chorley ⁞ Fylde ⁞ Hyndburn ⁞ Lancaster ⁞ Pendle ⁞ Preston ⁞ Ribble Valley ⁞ Rossendale ⁞ South Ribble ⁞ West Lancashire ⁞ Wyre.
Constituencies in Preston
Preston is divided into 2 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 Preston
Preston is divided into 16 wards, listed below in alphabetical order.
- Ashton
- Brookfield
- Cadley
- City Centre
- Deepdale
- Fishwick & Frenchwood
- Garrison
- Greyfriars
- Ingol & Cottam
- Lea & Larches
- Plungington
- Preston Rural East
- Preston Rural North
- Ribbleton
- Sharoe Green
- St Matthew's
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 Preston
Preston is part-parished: 9 civil parishes (listed A-Z below) alongside 4 unparished areas.
- Barton
- Broughton
- Goosnargh
- Grimsargh
- Haighton
- Ingol and Tanterton
- Lea
- Whittingham
- Woodplumpton
A civil parish is the lowest tier of local government in England, used for villages, small towns, and suburbs. They have their own local authority, either a parish council or a parish meeting, which provides local services like managing parks, allotments, and streetlights, and represents the community's views to larger councils.
We have this list page for easy browsing of all parishes: List of Civil Parishes in England and Wales.
Built-up Areas in Preston
Preston covers 12 built-up areas, listed below in alphabetical order.
- Bamber Bridge *
- Barton (Preston) *
- Bilsborrow *
- Broughton (Preston)
- Cottam (Preston) *
- Fulwood
- Goosnargh
- Grimsargh *
- Longridge (Ribble Valley) *
- Penwortham *
- Preston (Preston)
- Woodplumpton
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 Preston.)
We have this list page for easy browsing of all built-up areas: List of all Built-up Areas in GB.
Railway Stations in Preston
Preston 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 Preston Local Authority District and are grouped by train operating company for clarity.
Avanti West Coast ▸ Preston (Lancs) (PR1 8AP)
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.
Preston compared with other districts in the UK
This section shows how Preston compares with other local authority districts in the UK, using a variety of measures and rankings.
Preston has 16 electoral wards.
Preston has a population of 162,864 (2024 mid-year estimate by ONS)
Population and Migration Trends in Preston
This chart shows the population trend for Preston 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 Preston can be found on the ONS statistics for Preston.