Southampton
§ This page gives an overview of the Southampton 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 ⁞ Southampton, on the south coast of Hampshire, is a historic port city with a rich maritime past. The city’s docks are central to its identity, serving as a major cruise terminal. The medieval Bargate and city walls highlight its heritage, while the SeaCity Museum explores its links to the Titanic. Southampton Common and riverside parks provide green areas, while the Rivers Test and Itchen frame the city with estuaries and wetlands. Its coastal and riverside setting gives it a distinctive character.
Southampton Boundary Map
This map shows the official boundary of the Southampton 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 Southampton can also be viewed on OpenStreetMap: District Boundary of Southampton.
Key Facts about Southampton
What region is Southampton in? Southampton is in the South East of England, a region within the UK.
What county is Southampton in? Southampton is in the county of Hampshire.
Is Southampton a city? Yes, Southampton is a city. Southampton holds official city status as one of the 76 designated cities in the UK.
Who governs Southampton? The local government for this district is: Southampton City Council (Unitary Authority).
▶ Official website of Southampton City Council 🔗 southampton.gov.uk
Which police force covers Southampton? Policing in Southampton is provided by Hampshire Constabulary 🔗 hampshire.police.uk, which serves 14 local authority districts: Basingstoke and Deane ⁞ East Hampshire ⁞ Eastleigh ⁞ Fareham ⁞ Gosport ⁞ Hart ⁞ Havant ⁞ Isle of Wight ⁞ New Forest ⁞ Portsmouth ⁞ Rushmoor ⁞ Southampton ⁞ Test Valley ⁞ Winchester.
Southampton in International Geographies
In the International Territorial Levels (ITLs) hierarchy, Southampton is an ITLs Level 3 area:
- (ITL 1) South East
- (ITL 2) ⇒ Hampshire and Isle of Wight
- (ITL 3) ⇒⇒ Southampton
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 Southampton
Southampton 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 Southampton
Southampton is divided into 17 wards, listed below in alphabetical order.
- Banister & Polygon
- Bargate
- Bassett
- Bevois
- Bitterne Park
- Coxford
- Freemantle
- Harefield
- Millbrook
- Peartree
- Portswood
- Redbridge
- Shirley
- Sholing
- Swaythling
- Thornhill
- Woolston
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 Southampton
Southampton 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 Southampton
Below is a list of post towns in Southampton, grouped by postcode area:
SO ▸ Southampton (SO14 / SO15 / SO16 / SO17 / SO18 / SO19 / SO30 / SO31 / SO32 / SO40 / SO45 / SO52 / SO97)
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 Southampton
Southampton covers 4 built-up areas, listed below in alphabetical order.
- Chilworth (Test Valley) *
- Rownhams and Nursling *
- Southampton *
- West End (Eastleigh) *
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 Southampton.)
We have this list page for easy browsing of all built-up areas: List of all Built-up Areas in GB.
Railway Stations in Southampton
Southampton 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 Southampton Local Authority District and are grouped by train operating company for clarity.
- South Western Railway ▸ Southampton Central (SO15 1AL) ⁞ St Denys (SO17 2EZ) ⁞ Woolston (SO19 2DJ) ⁞ Sholing (SO19 8HH) ⁞ Bitterne (SO18 1GG) ⁞ Swaythling (SO18 2LB) ⁞ Millbrook (Hants) (SO15 0AB) ⁞ Redbridge (SO15 0NB)
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.
Southampton compared with other districts in the UK
This section shows how Southampton compares with other local authority districts in the UK, using a variety of measures and rankings.
Southampton has 17 electoral wards.
Southampton has a population of 259,424 (2024 mid-year estimate by ONS)
Population and Migration Trends in Southampton
This chart shows the population trend for Southampton 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 Southampton can be found on the ONS statistics for Southampton.