List of settlements in Devon by population explained
File:2011_map_of_towns_and_cities_in_Devon_by_population.svg|300px|thumb|Interactive map showing the location of the towns and cities within Devon. The size of the circle corresponds to the size of its 2011 population and the shade of blue or red to its population growth or decline respectively. circle 416 949 80 1. Plymouth 256,384 (6%)circle 837 604 54 2. Exeter 117,773 (6%)circle 826 862 40 3. Torquay 65,245 (2%)circle 797 905 35 4. Paignton 49,021 (2%)circle 922 701 29 5. Exmouth 34,432 (4%)circle 458 237 25 6. Barnstaple 24,033 (14%)circle 772 810 25 7. Newton Abbot 24,029 (2%)circle 860 416 23 8. Tiverton 21,335 (13%)circle 835 948 20 9. Brixham 16,693 (-5%)circle 351 296 20 10. Bideford 16,610 (13%)circle 847 778 19 11. Teignmouth 14,749 (2%)circle 1029 637 19 12. Sidmouth 13,737 (4%)circle 873 745 18 13. Dawlish 13,161 (0%)circle 404 785 18 14. Tavistock 12,280 (6%)circle 354 276 17 15. Northam 12,062 (9%)circle 554 947 17 16. Ivybridge 11,851 (-2%)circle 419 100 17 17. Ilfracombe 11,509 (6%)circle 1058 527 17 18. Honiton 11,156 (3%)circle 781 785 16 19. Kingsteignton 10,451 (-2%)circle 924 463 15 20. Cullompton 8,499 (11%)circle 741 530 14 21. Crediton 7,600 (10%)circle 719 903 14 22. Totnes 7,456 (0%)circle 725 740 13 23. Bovey Tracey 7,168 (3%)circle 499 585 13 24. Okehampton 7,104 (18%)circle 1143 596 13 25. Seaton 7,096 (4%)circle 1199 541 13 26. Axminster 6,557 (14%)circle 657 1059 12 27. Kingsbridge 5,887 (6%)circle 406 361 12 28. Great Torrington 5,714 (8%)circle 785 989 12 29. Dartmouth 5,605 (2%)circle 965 696 11 30. Budleigh Salterton 5,185 (7%)circle 1004 572 11 31. Ottery St. Mary 4,898 (11%)circle 615 295 11 32. South Molton 4,875 (16%)circle 776 725 10 33. Chudleigh 4,378 (12%)circle 670 815 10 34. Ashburton 4,087 (4%)circle 650 850 10 35. Buckfastleigh 3,631 (-1%)circle 852 649 10 36. Exminster 3,616 (9%)circle 1147 591 9 37. Colyton 3,165 (6%)circle 256 509 8 38. Holsworthy 2,641 (15%)circle 901 494 7 39. Bradninch 2,206 (13%)circle 655 1109 7 40. Salcombe 1,909 (1%)circle 572 520 7 41. North Tawton 1,859 (16%)circle 451 499 7 42. Hatherleigh 1,729 (25%)circle 168 319 7 43. Hartland 1,724 (3%)circle 663 666 7 44. Moretonhampstead 1,703 (10%)circle 612 655 6 45. Chagford 1,449 (-1%)circle 592 403 6 46. Chulmleigh 1,323 (1%)circle 1128 626 6 47. Beer 1,317 (-5%)desc bottom-leftThis list is of towns and cities in Devon in order of their population, according to the 2011 census data from the Office for National Statistics. It comprises the Key Statistics for local authorities, civil parishes and wards that attempt to show their populations. The largest settlement in Devon is the city and unitary authority of Plymouth with a population of 256,720, whereas the smallest settlement was the town and civil parish of Beer with a population of 1,317. The city of Exeter, which is home to Exeter Cathedral, is the county town and headquarters of Devon County Council. The ceremonial county of Devon includes unitary authority areas of Plymouth and Torbay, but the non-metropolitan county of Devon excludes such unitary authority areas. It is governed by Devon County Council, whereas Plymouth and Torbay can govern themselves on matters such as transport and education.
Traditionally a town is any settlement which has received a charter of incorporation, more commonly known as a town charter, approved by the monarch. However, since 1974, any civil parish has the right to declare itself as a town. Prior to 1888, city status was given to settlements home to a cathedral of the Church of England such as Exeter. After 1888 it was no longer a necessary condition, leading to Plymouth gaining city-status in 1928. Historical towns such as Plympton, Stonehouse and Devonport, which were merged into the city of Plymouth, have not been included, as well as Topsham, which became a part of Exeter's urban district, and St Marychurch, which was annexed by Torquay. However, the unitary authority area of Torbay recognises the three towns of Torquay, Paignton and Brixham. The ward for Ottery St Mary is also included, as it is titled Ottery St Mary Town.
Changes to population structures have, however, led to explosions in non-traditional settlements that do not fall into traditional, bureaucratic definitions of 'towns'. Several villages, which are not included in this list, have grown steadily and are more populous than many towns. For example, the ward of Fremington, with a population of 4,310.[1] would be ranked 34 whilst its neighbour Braunton civil parish, with a population of 8,128,[2] would be ranked 21.
| 2011 rank | Town/city | Population | Increase
since 2001 | Notes | Image |
|---|
| 2011[3] | 2001[4] |
|---|
| 1 | Plymouth | 256,384 | 240,720 | 6.1% | City and unitary authority, which includes the suburbs of Plympton and Plymstock. Plympton used to be a separate town and Plymstock is a parish. | |
| 2 | Exeter | 117,773 | 111,076 | 5.7% | City, urban district and the county town (capital) of Devon | |
| 3 | Torquay | 65,245[5] | 63,998[6] | 1.9% | Part of the unitary authority of Torbay | |
| 4 | Paignton | 49,021 | 48,251 | 1.6% | Part of the unitary authority of Torbay | |
| 5 | Exmouth | 34,432 | 32,972 | 4.2% | Civil parish | |
| 6 | Barnstaple | 24,033 | 20,724 | 13.8% | Civil parish | |
| 7 | Newton Abbot | 24,029 | 23,580 | 1.9% | Civil parish | |
| 8 | Tiverton | 21,335 | 18,621 | 12.7% | Civil parish | |
| 9 | Brixham | 16,693 | 17,457 | -4.6% | Civil parish; part of the unitary authority of Torbay.[7] | |
| 10 | Bideford | 16,610 | 14,407 | 13.3% | Civil parish | |
| 11 | Teignmouth | 14,749 | 14,413 | 2.3% | Civil parish | |
| 12 | Sidmouth | 13,737 | 13,135 | 4.4% | Civil parish | |
| 13 | Dawlish | 13,161 | 13,135 | 0.2% | Civil parish | |
| 14 | Tavistock | 12,280 | 11,604 | 5.5% | Civil parish | |
| 15 | Northam | 12,062 | 11,018 | 8.7% | Civil parish | |
| 16 | Ivybridge | 11,851 | 12,056 | -1.7% | Civil parish | |
| 17 | Ilfracombe | 11,509 | 10,840 | 5.8% | Civil parish | |
| 18 | Honiton | 11,156 | 10,857 | 2.7% | Civil parish | |
| 19 | Kingsteignton | 10,451 | 10,615 | -1.6% | Civil parish | |
| 20 | Cullompton | 8,499 | 7,609 | 10.5% | Civil parish | |
| 21 | Crediton | 7,600 | 6,837 | 10.0% | Civil parish | |
| 22 | Totnes | 7,456 | 7,444 | 0.2% | Civil parish | |
| 23 | Bovey Tracey | 7,168 | 6,929 | 3.3% | Civil parish | |
| 24 | Okehampton | 7,104 | 5,846 | 17.7% | Civil parish | |
| 25 | Seaton | 7,096 | 6,798 | 4.2% | Civil parish | |
| 26 | Axminster | 6,557 | 5,626 | 14.2% | Civil parish | |
| 27 | Kingsbridge | 5,887 | 5,521 | 6.2% | Civil parish | |
| 28 | Great Torrington | 5,714 | 5,279 | 7.6% | Civil parish | |
| 29 | Dartmouth | 5,605 | 5,512 | 1.7% | Civil parish | |
| 30 | Budleigh Salterton | 5,185 | 4,801 | 7.4% | Civil parish | |
| 31 | Ottery St. Mary | 4,898 | 4,366 | 10.9% | Ward, which refers to Ottery St Mary as a "town". | |
| 32 | South Molton | 4,875 | 4,093 | 16.0% | Civil parish | |
| 33 | Chudleigh | 4,378 | 3,846 | 12.2% | Civil parish | |
| 34 | Ashburton | 4,087 | 3,909 | 4.4% | Civil parish | |
| 35 | Buckfastleigh | 3,631 | 3,661 | -0.8% | Civil parish | |
| 36 | Exminster | 3,616 | 3,310 | 8.5% | Civil parish | |
| 37 | Colyton | 3,165 | 2,964 | 6.4% | Civil parish including Colyford | |
| 38 | Holsworthy | 2,641 | 2,256 | 14.6% | Civil parish | |
| 39 | Bradninch | 2,206 | 1,916 | 13.1% | Civil parish | |
| 40 | Salcombe | 1,909 | 1,893 | 0.8% | Civil parish | |
| 41 | North Tawton | 1,859 | 1,570 | 15.5% | Civil parish | |
| 42 | Hatherleigh | 1,729 | 1,306 | 24.5% | Civil parish | |
| 43 | Hartland | 1,724 | 1,676 | 2.8% | Civil parish | |
| 44 | Moretonhampstead | 1,703 | 1,536 | 9.8% | Civil parish | |
| 45 | Chagford | 1,449 | 1,470 | -1.4% | Civil parish | |
| 46 | Chulmleigh | 1,323 | 1,308 | 1.1% | Civil parish | |
| 47 | Beer | 1,317 | 1,381 | -4.9% | Civil parish | | |
See also
References
50.7°N -3.8°W
Notes and References
- Web site: Ward population 2011. 19 February 2015.
- Web site: Key Figures for 2011 Census: Key Statistics: Braunton. Office for National Statistics. Neighbourhood Statistics. 2017-02-12. 2011-03-28.
- Web site: 2011 Population: All Usual Residents. Office for National Statistics. Neighbourhood Statistics. 2017-02-12. 2011-03-27. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20090106173813/http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/. 2009-01-06.
- Web site: Key Figures for 2001 Census: All people. Office for National Statistics. Neighbourhood Statistics. 2008-11-28. 2001-04-01. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20090106173813/http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/. 2009-01-06.
- Web site: Census 2011 - Torbay Profile . 3 July 2013 . Torbay Council . 12 February 2017 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140222175922/http://www.torbay.gov.uk/index/yourcouncil/factsfigures/censusprofile.doc . 22 February 2014 . dmy . (Word document)
- Web site: Key Statistics for Tobray — May 2005. PDF. 2. The Consultation and Research Team, Torbay Council. Census 2001. 2008-11-28. https://web.archive.org/web/20120213210517/http://www.torbay.gov.uk/appendix-b-key_statistics_for_torbay_apr.pdf. 13 February 2012. dead.
- Web site: Brixham Town Council. Torbay Council. 2009-10-29. 2009-10-29. https://web.archive.org/web/20091009181027/http://www.torbay.gov.uk/index/council/brixhamtowncouncil.htm. 9 October 2009. dead.
