The most healthful and least healthy areas in England and Wales

The healthiest and least healthy areas in England and Wales were revealed by census data.

Office for National Statistics (ONS) general health figuresBased on the 2021 census data, Elmbridge in Surrey is considered the healthiest region, with 88.1% of residents reporting very good or excellent health.

Tower Hamlets in London, and Merthyr Tidfil in Wales are both the most unhealthy areas. 9.5% of residents in each area report being in poor or very poor health.

The interactive map below shows the full breakdown. A list of the 20 most healthful and unhealthiest regions can be found at the bottom.

The data overall suggest that health has improved in both England and Wales over ten years.

After taking into account differences in the age of the population between 2011-2021, data showed that 45.5% reported very good health in the most recent survey.

This is an increase of 45% and 26.4 million respectively in 2011

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England saw a decrease in people reporting good health, which dropped from 34.8% to 34.2% in 2011 to 34.2% to 2020), and in those reporting poor health (4.1%) to 4.1%). Very bad health was 1.4% to 1.2%.

There was an increase in people in Wales reporting good health (from 31.4% to 32.5% in 2011 to 32.5% by 2021), and decreases in those who reported poor health (6% to 5.1%) and very bad (1.9% to 1.6%).

Every ten years, the census is conducted. It provides detailed information on national demographics and helps to collect data about the population.

The top 20 areas in England and Wales that are the most healthy

1. Elmbridge (88% reporting good or very high health)

2. Hart (87.9%).

3. City of London (87.8%).

4. Isles of Scilly (86.7%)

5. Waverley (87.6%)

6. Richmond upon Thames (87.6%).

7. Wokingham (87.5%)

8. Windsor and Maidenhead (87.4%).

9. St Albans (87.2%)

10. Mole Valley (87.1%)

11. Uttlesford (87%)

12. Surrey Heath (87%)

13. South Oxfordshire (86.9%)

14. Guildford (86.8%).

15. Winchester (86.7%)

16. Cotswold (86.6%)

17. Epsom and Ewell (86.5%)

18. Horsham (86.5%)

19. Mid Sussex (86.5%)

20. Ribble Valley (86.4%)

The 20 most unhealthiest parts of England and Wales

1. Tower Hamlets (9.5% report bad or very unhealthy health)

2. Merthyr Tydfil (9.5%)

3. Blaenau Gwent (9.3%)

4. Liverpool (9.2%).

5. Knowsley (9%)

6. Blackpool (8.8%).

7. Manchester (8.8%).

8. Neath Port Talbot (8.5%).

9. Caerphilly (8.4%).

10. Rhondda Cynon Taf (8.3%)

11. Middlesbrough (8%)

12. Nottingham (8%)

13. Stoke-on-Trent (8%)

14. Hartlepool (7.9%)

15. Halton (7.9%).

16. Hackney (7.9%).

17. Islington (7.9%).

18. Blackburn with Darwen (7.8%).

19. Sunderland (7.8%).

20. Sandwell (7.8%).