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Non-metropolitan district · England

Cambridge

Cambridge’s trading history predates its university, with a bridge over the river, a medieval castle and routes to the sea.

Quick facts

Type of place
Non-metropolitan district
Nation
England
Official identifier
gss:E07000008

Overview

Cambridge is a non-metropolitan district within Cambridgeshire. Long before scholars arrived in 1209, the town traded along river routes through Ely and King’s Lynn. The official figures on this page describe the district. Historical accounts of the town do not define the boundaries of today’s built-up area.

Cambridge is a non-metropolitan district in England.

Population and demographics

Land area
40.7 km²

Figures for . ONS EW MYE25 workbook geography: Notes April 2024; landing edition 2023 boundaries.

Office for National Statistics · ons-mid-2025 · MYE5!D165 (binary spreadsheet decimal rounded to 6 dp). Released 29 July 2026.

Open Government Licence v3.0 · Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0

Population
149,872 people

Figures for . ONS EW MYE25 workbook geography: Notes April 2024; landing edition 2023 boundaries.

Office for National Statistics · ons-mid-2025 · MYE2 - Persons!D165. Released 29 July 2026.

Open Government Licence v3.0 · Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0

Population density: 3,682.8 people per km²

Calculated from the population and land area for 30 June 2025, using figures from the same release and covering the same boundaries.

River trade before the university

A bridge over the Cam or Granta existed by at least 875. By the Domesday survey of 1086, there was a castle north of the bridge and a settlement to its south. River connections through Ely and King’s Lynn helped traders reach the sea. These accounts place the town’s trading life before the university’s foundation. The arrival of scholars from Oxford in 1209 added a new strand to Cambridge’s history.

Colleges and university buildings

The University of Cambridge dates its establishment to 1209. Peterhouse followed in 1284 as the first Cambridge college, and the foundation stone for King’s College Chapel was laid in 1446. The university’s buildings, museums and collections form part of the city’s historic character. Their dates describe the history of the institution rather than the age or boundary of the modern district.

Related places

Sources

  1. History — University of Cambridge. The University of Cambridge dates its establishment to 1209. (Opening history; timeline entries for 1209, 1284 and 1446). Accessed 2026-09-28.
  2. Early records — University of Cambridge. Cambridge was an established trading town before its university. (Opening paragraphs; arrival of scholars in 1209). Accessed 2026-09-28.

  3. ONS local authority districts December 2025

    Office for National Statistics · lad-december-2025 · Open Government Licence v3.0 · Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0 Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2025.