Rural and urban statistics

The rural/urban classification was introduced in 2004 and defines the rurality of very small geographies. The classification has since been updated in 2011 and again in 2021 to account for the changes in the population identified in the 2011 and 2021 censuses. The most recently updated classification identifies six main settlement types with 'nearer to a major town or city' and 'further from a major town or city' replacing the 'sparsity' classification that was used in 2011.  

Most of the population in Shropshire live in rural locations, at 57.39% of the total. Of the 42.61% of the population that live in urban areas, most live in 'urban: nearer to a major town or city'. In this context, with a population of more than 75,000, Shrewsbury is classified as a major town. Other than Shrewsbury, Oswestry, Market Drayton, Broseley, Bridgnorth and Ludlow are the main urban centres. Ludlow and parts of Oswestry are classed as 'further from a major town or city' as they're not within a 30-minute journey by road of either Shrewsbury or an alternative non-Shropshire major town or city. The urban areas of Shropshire account for less than 3% of land mass. 

More Shropshire residents live in the most rural areas ('smaller rural') than in the more densely populated rural areas ('larger rural'), and 60% of all those living rurally are classed as living 'nearer to a major town or city'. More than 94% of Shropshire’s land mass is classified as 'smaller rural'. 

Source: Rural Urban Classification 2021, ONS Mid-year population estimates 2022 

Note:

• Major town or city defined as a built-up area with at least 75,000 usual residents 
• 'Nearer to a major town or city' – residents can access within 30 minutes of travel by road
• 'Further from a major town or city' – residents can't access within 30 minutes of travel by road 

The following tables show the breakdown of the population according to rural urban classification in Shropshire compared with England and Wales...

Detailed classifications 

The 2021 rural urban classification also has a more detailed layer of classifications, splitting urban classifications into three ('nearer to a major town or city', 'nearer to a medium urban area' and 'nearer to a small urban area') and 'larger rural areas' and 'smaller rural areas' into four each ('nearer to a major town or city', 'nearer to a medium urban area', 'nearer to a small urban area' and 'remote'). 

Source: Rural Urban Classification 2021, ONS Mid-year population estimates 2022 

Note:

• Major town or city defined as a built-up area with at least 75,000 usual residents
• Medium urban area defined as maximum of 30,000 usual residents
• Small urban area defined as a maximum of 10,000 usual residents
• Remote: unable to reach a place of 10,000 people within 30 minutes 

Local authority classifications 

The RUC 2021 classifies local authorities according to eight classifications:

• Urban: majority nearer to a major town or city 

• Urban: majority further from a major town or city 

• Intermediate urban: majority nearer to a major town or city  

• Intermediate urban: majority further from a major town or city  

• Intermediate rural: majority nearer to a major town or city  

• Intermediate rural: majority further from a major town or city 

• Majority rural: majority nearer to a major town or city  

• Majority rural: majority further from a major town or city 

Shropshire is classified as 'majority rural: majority nearer to a major town or city'. 

In terms of the proportion of the population that lives in rural output areas, Shropshire ranks amongst the top quintile of local authority districts in respect of rurality (ranking 41st out of 331 district, borough and unitary authorities).