South Norfolk

Local Authority District in England

Norfolk, East of England

§ This page gives an overview of the South Norfolk 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 ⁞ South Norfolk is a largely rural district surrounding Norwich, characterised by farmland, woodlands, and traditional villages. Market towns like Diss, Wymondham, and Harleston are key centres, with historic churches, abbeys, and bustling markets. The River Waveney forms part of its southern boundary, offering scenic landscapes and wildlife. The countryside is dotted with flint cottages, windmills, and walking routes, while the area’s proximity to Norwich adds to its appeal.

The administrative boundary of South Norfolk can be viewed on OpenStreetMap: District Boundary of South Norfolk.

Map of South Norfolk — Administrative Boundary of South Norfolk (Local Authority District)

Key Facts about South Norfolk

What region is South Norfolk in? South Norfolk is in the East of England of England, a region within the UK.

What county is South Norfolk in? South Norfolk is located in the county of Norfolk.

Is South Norfolk a city? No, South Norfolk is not a city. (Note: the UK has 76 officially designated cities.)

Who governs South Norfolk? The local authority for this district is: South Norfolk District Council - responsible for district-level services. Since Norfolk is a two-tier area, county-level services are handled by: Norfolk County Council.

▶ Official website of South Norfolk District Council 🔗 southnorfolkandbroadland.gov.uk

Which police force covers South Norfolk? Policing in South Norfolk is provided by Norfolk Constabulary 🔗 norfolk.police.uk, which serves 7 local authority districts: Breckland ⁞ Broadland ⁞ Great Yarmouth ⁞ King's Lynn and West Norfolk ⁞ North Norfolk ⁞ Norwich ⁞ South Norfolk.

South Norfolk in International Geographies

In the International Territorial Levels (ITLs) hierarchy, South Norfolk is within an ITLs Level 3 area:

(ITL 1) East of England
(ITL 2) ⇒ Norfolk
(ITL 3) ⇒⇒ Breckland and South Norfolk

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.

This district page, South Norfolk, is a sub-page of this county page: Norfolk and this region page: East of England. It zooms in to local authorities and parliamentary constituencies, and provides a list of wards in this district. We have this list page for easy browsing of all UK local authority districts: List of Local Authority Districts.

Constituencies in South Norfolk

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 South Norfolk

South Norfolk is divided into 26 wards, listed below in alphabetical order.

Beck Vale, Dickleburgh & Scole
Bressingham & Burston
Brooke
Bunwell
Central Wymondham
Cringleford
Diss & Roydon
Ditchingham & Earsham
Easton
Forncett
Harleston
Hempnall
Hethersett
Hingham & Deopham
Loddon & Chedgrave
Mulbarton & Stoke Holy Cross
New Costessey
Newton Flotman
North Wymondham
Old Costessey
Poringland, Framinghams & Trowse
Rockland
South Wymondham
Stratton
Thurlton
Wicklewood

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 South Norfolk

South Norfolk is part-parished: 118 civil parishes (listed A-Z below) alongside 1 unparished areas.

Alburgh
Aldeby
Alpington
Ashby St. Mary
Ashwellthorpe and Fundenhall
Aslacton
Barford
Barnham Broom
Bawburgh
Bedingham
Bergh Apton
Bracon Ash
Bramerton
Brandon Parva, Coston, Runhall and Welborne
Bressingham
Brockdish
Brooke
Broome
Bunwell
Burgh St. Peter
Burston and Shimpling
Caistor St Edmund and Bixley
Carleton Rode
Carleton St. Peter
Chedgrave
Claxton
Colney
Costessey
Cringleford
Denton
Deopham
Dickleburgh and Rushall
Diss
Ditchingham
Earsham
East Carleton
Easton
Ellingham
Flordon
Forncett
Framingham Earl
Framingham Pigot
Geldeston
Gillingham
Gissing
Great Melton
Great Moulton
Haddiscoe
Hales
Heckingham
Hedenham
Hellington
Hempnall
Hethersett
Heywood
Hingham
Holverston
Howe
Keswick and Intwood
Ketteringham
Kimberley and Carleton Forehoe
Kirby Bedon
Kirby Cane
Kirstead
Langley with Hardley
Little Melton
Loddon
Long Stratton
Marlingford and Colton
Morley
Morningthorpe and Fritton
Mulbarton
Mundham
Needham
Newton Flotman
Norton Subcourse
Poringland
Pulham Market
Pulham St. Mary
Raveningham
Redenhall with Harleston
Rockland St. Mary
Roydon
Saxlingham Nethergate
Scole
Seething
Shelfanger
Shelton and Hardwick
Shotesham
Sisland
Spooner Row
Starston
Stockton
Stoke Holy Cross
Surlingham
Swainsthorpe
Swardeston
Tacolneston
Tasburgh
Tharston and Hapton
Thurlton
Thurton
Thwaite
Tibenham
Tivetshall
Toft Monks
Topcroft
Trowse with Newton
Wacton
Wheatacre
Wicklewood
Winfarthing
Woodton
Wortwell
Wramplingham
Wreningham
Wymondham
Yelverton

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.

Built-up Areas in South Norfolk

South Norfolk covers 76 built-up areas, listed below in alphabetical order.

Alburgh Street
Alpington and Yelverton
Ashwellthorpe
Barford (South Norfolk)
Beccles *
Bracon Ash
Bressingham
Brooke
Bungay *
Bunwell
Burgh St Peter
Burston
Chedgrave
Colney *
Colton (South Norfolk) *
Costessey *
Cringleford *
Dickleburgh
Diss *
Ditchingham
Earsham *
Easton (Broadland) *
Ellingham and Kirby Cane
Geldeston
Gillingham (South Norfolk)
Great Moulton
Haddiscoe
Hales
Harleston
Hempnall
Hempnall Green
Hethersett
Hingham
Little Melton
Loddon
Long Stratton
Mattishall *
Morley St Botolph
Morley St Peter *
Mulbarton
Needham
Newton Flotman
Norwich *
Poringland
Pulham Market
Pulham St Mary
Queen's Hills *
Reedham *
Rockland St Mary
Roydon (South Norfolk)
Saxlingham Nethergate
Scole
Seething
Shelfanger
Shotesham
Sneath Common
Snow Street
St Olaves *
Stoke Holy Cross
Surlingham
Swainsthorpe
Swardeston
Tacolneston
Tasburgh
Taverham and Drayton *
Thurlton
Thurton
Tibenham
Tivetshall St Mary and Tivetshall St Margaret
Trowse Newton
Wacton
Wicklewood
Woodton
Wortwell
Wreningham
Wymondham (South Norfolk)

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 South Norfolk.)

South Norfolk compared with other districts in the UK

This section shows how South Norfolk compares with other local authority districts in the UK, using a variety of measures and rankings.

South Norfolk has 26 electoral wards.

South Norfolk compared with other districts — ▮ Smaller: 254 ▮ Similar: 31 ▮ Larger: 76 (compared with 361 districts)

South Norfolk has a population of 148,448 (2024 mid-year estimate by ONS)

Population of South Norfolk compared with other districts — Population of South Norfolk, compared with other districts in England and Wales

More local statistics and data for South Norfolk can be found on the ONS statistics for South Norfolk.