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Fact check: Which cities in the UK have the largest Muslim populations as of 2025?
Executive Summary
The analyses collectively identify a consistent set of UK cities often cited as having the largest or most significant Muslim populations by share and absolute numbers — notably Birmingham, Bradford, Tower Hamlets, Manchester, Luton, Leicester, Newham, Blackburn with Darwen, Slough and parts of Greater London — with variations in ranking depending on metric and source [1] [2]. Recent demographic reporting and census-summary analyses from 2025 emphasise growth, youthful age profiles and geographic concentration in certain northern towns and London boroughs, while also noting socioeconomic disparities and differing measurement focuses across reports [3].
1. What claimants say about the "biggest" Muslim populations — multiple lists, one core group
Several sources assert overlapping city lists when answering which UK cities have the largest Muslim populations. One 2025 list names Birmingham, Bradford, Tower Hamlets, Manchester, Newham, Blackburn with Darwen, Luton, Redbridge, Slough and Leicester as top locations by significant Muslim presence, and claims Tower Hamlets has the highest proportion at nearly 40% [1]. Other reports do not produce a top-ten but emphasise Bradford, Walsall and Oldham for high UK-born Muslim shares, indicating significant local communities [2]. These overlapping names form a consistent core of cities repeatedly highlighted across the analyses.
2. How the data sources differ — percentage share versus absolute counts
The analyses reveal two different measurement approaches: proportion of local population and absolute number of Muslims. Tower Hamlets is cited for a very high percentage share (nearly 40%), reflecting dense urban concentration [1]. Conversely, larger metropolitan areas like Birmingham and Manchester may top absolute counts simply because of overall population size even if the percentage is lower [1]. The Muslim Council of Britain census summaries discussed in 2025 focus on national totals and demographic change — 4 million Muslims in the UK and notable increases between 2011 and 2021 — which influences how cities are interpreted as “largest” depending on the metric used [2] [3].
3. Dates matter — the timeline of growth and recent reporting
The documents are from 2025 and the latter half of that year, with publication dates ranging from January to September 2025; this timing captures census-summary analysis and subsequent reporting on local concentrations and population change [3] [1] [4]. The Muslim Council of Britain’s census summary in early 2025 frames national growth—an increase of 1.2 million Muslims between 2011 and 2021—establishing the demographic backdrop for city-level discussions [2]. Later 2025 local-area reporting and lists build on that foundation, but their conclusions reflect different emphases: percentage concentration, UK-born share, or local population growth [4] [2].
4. What the census summary adds — youth, UK-born share and spatial inequality
The Muslim Council of Britain’s 2025 summaries emphasise that Muslims now constitute about 6% of the UK population (around 4 million), that half of Muslims are UK-born, and that there are strong youth and entrepreneurial signals alongside deprivation disparities — 39% residing in the most deprived areas of England and Wales [2] [3]. These national patterns help explain why some cities appear repeatedly on local lists: concentrations in northern towns and certain London boroughs reflect both historical migration patterns and more recent demographic growth, a point linked to local socioeconomic outcomes in the cited analyses [3].
5. Conflicting emphases — local UK-born share versus incoming population growth
Some analyses highlight cities with particularly high UK-born Muslim shares — Bradford (65%), Walsall (61%), Oldham (59%) — suggesting long-established, locally rooted Muslim communities [2] [5]. Other commentary and lists focus on places with recent increases or large absolute numbers driven by broader national migration and fertility patterns [2] [4]. These differing emphases can produce seemingly conflicting rankings: a place may top a list by percentage of Muslims or by UK-born share while another ranks higher by total Muslim headcount or recent population growth.
6. Political and social context — why city lists appear in different stories
The cited analyses connect demographic facts to narratives: some pieces situate these cities in discussions about electoral mobilization and the “Muslim vote,” while others treat them as indicators of socioeconomic challenge or entrepreneurial vitality [6] [3]. These framing choices reflect distinct agendas — political mobilisation, community profiling, or policy-focused poverty analysis — and they shape which cities are spotlighted and why. Readers should note whether a list serves a political narrative, a community advocacy purpose, or a demographic reporting aim, since that affects selection and emphasis [6] [3].
7. Bottom line for "largest Muslim populations as of 2025" — a cautious synthesis
Synthesising the analyses: the most commonly named cities with the largest or most significant Muslim populations in 2025 include Birmingham, Bradford, Tower Hamlets (London), Manchester, Newham (London), Blackburn with Darwen, Luton, Redbridge, Slough and Leicester, with Bradford, Walsall and Oldham also notable for high UK-born Muslim shares; Tower Hamlets stands out for the highest local proportion (~40%) according to one list [1] [2]. These conclusions rest on differing metrics and reporting aims across 2025 sources; users seeking a definitive ranking should specify whether they want absolute counts, percentage share, or UK-born share for precise comparison [1] [3].