Portsmouth named in top 20 healthiest cities in the UK, according to new study

A new study by The Lagom Clinic has looked at the numbers, examining 50 major cities across the country to see who’s truly leading the way in health and well-being.

To get a clear picture, researchers looked at 14 different metrics grouped into three categories: Healthcare & Environment, Health Outcomes, and Lifestyle & Behaviours. Each city was given a total score, combining these measures to create a league table of the UK’s healthiest spots.

Healthcare & Environment, which made up 30% of the score, included factors like air quality, pollution, GP availability, and pharmacy access. Health Outcomes, weighted at 40%, tracked cancer rates, childhood obesity, diabetes, alcohol-related deaths, smoking prevalence, and hospital admissions linked to liver disease. Finally, Lifestyle & Behaviours (30%) looked at physical activity levels and how easy it is for locals to stay fit, from gyms and sports centres to green spaces.

The study leaned on sources such as IQAir for pollution data, Cancer Research UK for incidence rates, the Office for National Statistics, and even TripAdvisor to help measure accessibility to facilities.

Portsmouth rounds out the top 20 with a score of 47.58, earning praise for its clean air and positive cancer outcomes. The city ranks 2nd in the UK for air quality, while cancer incidence is the lowest in the study at just 1,100 cases, a standout achievement that sets Portsmouth apart from many larger cities. These figures suggest a healthier environment and effective prevention measures, giving residents a strong baseline for wellbeing.

That said, the city faces challenges in other areas. GP access is among the worst in the country, with 2,462 patients per doctor (49th overall), and childhood obesity is high at 26.3%, placing it 45th. Alcohol-related mortality is also above average at 4.48 per 10,000, and fitness facilities are relatively scarce, ranking 42nd. Portsmouth’s seaside setting, however, gives it a natural advantage — with fresh coastal air and an active maritime culture offering residents everyday ways to offset some of the city’s shortcomings in formal health infrastructure.

Meanwhile, Islington takes the top spot as the healthiest city in the UK with a total score of 72.31, leading across physical activity levels (77.8%) as well as access to sports facilities and green space. Oxford follows in 2nd place with 66.80, standing out for strong GP access (1,481 patients per GP, 3rd overall) and low diabetes prevalence (5.6%, 4th). Edinburgh ranks 3rd on 58.85, recording the lowest childhood obesity rate in the study at 17.8% but falling behind on green space (47th). Reading comes in 4th with 58.62, boasting the UK’s lowest liver disease admissions (5.35 per 10,000) alongside strong cancer incidence results (10th). Bristol sits 5th with 56.44, thanks to high physical activity levels (74.4%, 2nd) and relatively low childhood obesity (10th), though it struggles for sports facility availability (45th).

Milton Keynes ranks 6th with 56.25, excelling in environmental factors such as pollution (20.07, 2nd) and smoking prevalence (7.6%, 2nd). Preston takes 7th with 54.99, earning the title of least polluted city in the UK and ranking 2nd for cancer incidence rates. Cardiff sits 8th on 53.72, leading the nation for air quality while maintaining mid-range scores on activity and childhood obesity. Derby follows in 9th with 53.35, notable for excellent GP and pharmacy access (4th and 2nd respectively) despite higher cancer and liver disease admissions. Finally, Manchester rounds out the top 10 on 52.95, offering the best pharmacy access in the country (8.7 per 10,000) but ranking lower for obesity (34th) and alcohol-related mortality (41st).

At the other end of the scale, places like Walsall, Dudley, Wolverhampton, Archway, Blackpool, London, Mansfield, and Wigan lagged behind, all scoring below 36. These results highlight how unevenly health opportunities are spread across the UK, and why some cities are leaps ahead in building healthier communities.

Top 20 list of the healthiest cities in the UK:

Note: With the exception of “Total score,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that city, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for that metric category.