View the full rankings and download the report here.
Key Cities members account for the majority of the UK’s ten fastest-growing cities for online presence, as a wave of governance reform and the rise of AI reshape how people discover places, according to new analysis from consultancy ING.
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.
More than half of this year’s ten fastest‑rising cities are part of Key Cities – a cross-party network that advocates for the collective voice of 22 small to mid-sized cities across the UK – highlighting how quickly such cities are gaining momentum compared to core cities. These include: Sunderland, Exeter, Hull, Colchester, Lancaster, and Southampton.
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)
Cllr John Merry, Chair of Key Cities network, said:
“As Key Cities aim to harness the collective power of our members to influence national conversations that affect our communities, the growing online presence is a sign that our cities and towns are heard and recognised more than ever.
This allows our members to better compete for investment, talent and opportunity, while reinforcing the critical role that smaller and mid-sized urban areas play in driving inclusive growth across the UK.”
Core cities such as London, Manchester and Liverpool continue to dominate the top of the ranking. London has consistently maintained its crown as the UK’s most talked‑about city, while Manchester reclaimed its second place spot, overtaking Liverpool’s continuous streak for the first time since the annual ranking began.
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.
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.
This year’s fastest‑rising cities reflect a major shift in how people discover information online, with AI‑powered search tools increasingly prioritising authoritative, high‑trust media sources. The report shows that eight out of ten fastest‑rising cities improved their share of coverage from top‑tier media outlets. As generative AI tools increasingly prioritise these sources, cities that feature within them are more likely to benefit from sustained visibility.
Culture continues to play a crucial role in raising city visibility. Across all UK cities, culture accounted for more than half of all conversations about cities. 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. Smaller and mid sized cities are gaining momentum faster than core cities, not by producing more content, but by articulating change in ways that are clear, credible and easy to understand.
At a time when people are navigating an overwhelming volume of information, visibility increasingly depends on trusted narratives that stand up to scrutiny. As audiences turn to AI powered tools to search, compare and summarise places, authoritative media coverage is playing a critical role in shaping how cities are perceived.
Cities that align their stories with policy priorities, cultural investment and long term regeneration, and that communicate these consistently through high trust sources, are more likely to turn attention into lasting profile.
Cities in the UK have a real opportunity to position themselves confidently alongside international peers, not just within a domestic context. Those that adopt such mindset are more likely to strengthen their position in an increasingly competitive visibility landscape.”
Download the report with full ranking here.
