Manchester became the most talked about UK city outside of London, overtaking Liverpool for the first time, according to new analysis from consultancy ING.
Excluding London, Northern cities now account for more than half of all conversations about UK cities, with Manchester, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Newcastle, Leeds and Bradford all ranking in the top 15. According to the report, governance reform and the rise of AI-powered discovery are reshaping how people encounter cities online.
The annual UK’s Most Talked About Cities ranking measures online mentions from news outlets, digital publications and social media, and is widely used as a leading indicator of how visible cities are in the online conversation. This, in turn, is linked to their overall success in attracting tourism, investment, business and prosperity.
Sunderland, Hull and Lancaster are among the UK cities rising fastest in the rankings this year, with online visibility growing more quickly than many of their peers. All three are members of Key Cities, a cross-party network representing 22 small to mid-sized cities across the UK. More than half of this year’s ten fastest climbers belong to the network, including Exeter, Colchester and Southampton, alongside these northern cities.
The growing prominence of UK cities reflects a wave of sweeping governance changes, with six of this year’s ten fastest‑rising cities located in recently established or soon‑to‑be‑established combined authorities. Meanwhile local government reorganisation creates both opportunity and challenge: while a wider geography can allow places to tell a more expansive story, it can also make it harder to articulate a clear, focused narrative.
The top ten fastest‑rising cities in this year’s ranking are:
=1 Sunderland (up 6)
=1 Exeter (up 6)
=1 Hull (up 6)
4 Colchester (up 5)
=5 Glasgow (up 4)
=5 Lancaster (up 4)
=7 Belfast (up 3)
=7 Brighton (up 3)
=7 Nottingham (up 3)
=7 Southampton (up 3)
The growing prominence of UK cities reflects a wave of sweeping governance changes, with six of this year’s ten fastest‑rising cities located in recently established or soon‑to‑be‑established combined authorities.
What is driving the visibility of UK cities?
As cities are compared, searched and summarised more extensively, the need for them to demonstrate change that is clear, relevant and easy to understand is more important than ever.
Visibility across all UK cities in the study increased by 42% compared with the previous year, higher than the equivalent figure for European cities, which sits at 38%. The UK is now home to nine cities with more than 15 million conversations – more than any other European country – meaning that more UK cities now have the visibility to compete on the international stage.
Culture also continues to play a crucial role in raising city visibility. Bradford’s City of Culture status has boosted it into the UK’s top 15 most talked-about cities, with 17% of news coverage about Bradford coming from highly influential outlets such as the Financial Times, The Guardian, and the BBC.
Lucie Murray, Head of Cities at ING, said: “This year’s report shows a clear shift in the visibility of UK cities, with Northern cities excelling in terms of overall online presence, growth, and culture-led content. They are able to articulate change in ways that are clear, credible and easy to understand.
“Manchester and Liverpool continue to compete for the position of the UK’s most talked-about city outside London, but other Northern cities are making waves. Sunderland’s visibility is growing as major projects like Riverside Sunderland and Crown Works studios put the city into the spotlight, and Bradford’s designation as the UK City of Culture has paid clear dividends in its visibility in the most influential sources.
“Ultimately it’s the cities that align their stories with policy priorities, cultural investment and long term regeneration, and that communicate these consistently, that are more likely to turn attention into lasting profile.”
