View source for City of Wakefield

{{Short description|City in West Yorkshire, England}}
{{About|the local government district|the settlement|Wakefield|other cities called Wakefield|Wakefield (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2017}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = City of Wakefield
| type               = [[City status in the United Kingdom|City]] and [[Metropolitan borough]]
<!-- images and maps  -----------> 
| image_skyline                  = {{multiple image
| border = infobox| perrow       = 2| total_width = 240|align=center
| image1 = Sandal Castle Ruins - geograph.org.uk - 5827026.jpg
| image2 = Knottingley Town Hall (geograph 7255416).jpg
| image3 = Castleford Civic Centre (24th April 2021) 014.jpg
| image4 = Old Town Hall, Market Place, Pontefract with Platinum Jubilee decorations (2nd June 2022) 001.jpg
| image5 = Ossett Town Hall square.jpg
| image6 = Old Town Hall, Wakefield.JPG}}
| image_caption = {{ubl|From left to right|Top: [[Sandal Castle]] in [[Sandal, West Yorkshire|Sandal]] and [[Knottingley]] [[Knottingley Town Hall|Town Hall]] |Upper: [[Castleford]] [[Castleford Civic Centre|Civic Centre]] and [[Pontefract]] [[Old Town Hall, Pontefract|Old Town Hall]]|Bottom: [[Ossett]] [[Ossett Town Hall|Town Hall]] and [[Wakefield]] [[Wakefield Old Town Hall|Old Town Hall]]}}
| image_blank_emblem = Coat of arms of Wakefield.svg
| blank_emblem_type  = [[Coat of arms of Wakefield|Coat of arms of Wakefield Metropolitan District Council]]
| blank_emblem_size  = 125px
| image_map          = Wakefield UK locator map.svg
| map_caption        = Wakefield shown within West Yorkshire
| mapsize            = 250px
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Sovereign state]]
| subdivision_name   = United Kingdom
| subdivision_type1  = [[Countries of the United Kingdom|Country]]
| subdivision_name1  = England
| subdivision_type2  = [[Regions of England|Region]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Yorkshire and the Humber]]
| subdivision_type3  = [[Ceremonial county]]
| subdivision_name3  = [[West Yorkshire]]
| seat_type          = Admin.&nbsp;HQ
| seat               = [[Wakefield]]
| government_type    = [[Metropolitan borough]], [[City status in the United Kingdom|City]]
| leader_title       = Governing body
| leader_name        = [[Wakefield Council]]
| leader_title1      = 
| leader_name1       = 
| leader_title2      = [[Local government in England#Councillors and mayors|Leadership]]
| leader_name2       = Leader & Cabinet
| leader_title3      = Executive
| leader_name3       = {{English district control|GSS=E08000036}}
| leader_title4      = [[List of MPs elected in the 2019 United Kingdom general election|MPs]]:
| leader_name4       = [[Yvette Cooper]] (L)<br />[[Andrea Jenkyns]] (C)<br />[[Simon Lightwood]] (L)<br />[[Jon Trickett]] (L)
| established_title  = Founded
| established_date   = 1974
| founder            = 
| area_rank          = [[List of English districts by area|{{English district area rank|GSS=E08000036}}]]
| area_total_km2     = {{formatnum:{{English district area|GSS=E08000036}}|R}}
| latd               = 
| latm               = 
| lats               = 
| latNS              = 
| longd              = 
| longm              = 
| longs              = 
| longEW             = 
| population_as_of   = {{English statistics year}}
| population_total   = {{formatnum:{{English district population|GSS=E08000036}}|R}}
| population_rank    = [[List of English districts by population|Ranked {{English district rank|GSS=E08000036}}]]
| population_density_km2 = auto
| timezone           = [[Greenwich Mean Time]]
| utc_offset         = +0
| timezone_DST       = [[British Summer Time]]
| utc_offset_DST     = +1
| postal_code_type   = Postcode
| postal_code        = <!-- [[XX postcode area|XX]] -->
| area_code          = 
| blank_name         = [[ISO 3166-2:GB|ISO 3166-2]]
| blank_info         = [[ISO 3166-2:GB|GB-WKF]]
| blank1_name        = [[ONS code]]
| blank1_info        = 00DB (ONS)<br />E08000036 (GSS)
| blank2_name        = [[Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics|NUTS]]
| blank2_info        = 3
 <!-- demographics (section 1) -->
| demographics_type1      = Ethnicity <span style="font-weight:normal;">([[2021 United Kingdom census|2021]])</span>
| demographics1_footnotes = <ref name="2021 Nomis">{{NOMIS2021|id=E08000036|title=Wakefield Local Authority|access-date=5 January 2024}}</ref>
| demographics1_title1    = [[Ethnic groups in the United Kingdom|Ethnic groups]]
| demographics1_info1     =
 {{Collapsible list
 | 93% [[White people in the United Kingdom|White]]
 | 3.6% [[British Asians|Asian]]
 | 1.4% [[Mixed (United Kingdom ethnicity category)|Mixed]]
 | 1.3% [[Black British people|Black]]
 | 0.7% [[Ethnic groups in the United Kingdom|other]]
 }}
<!-- demographics (section 2) -->
| demographics_type2      = Religion <span style="font-weight:normal;">(2021)</span>
| demographics2_footnotes = <ref name="2021 Nomis"/>
| demographics2_title1    = [[Religion in England|Religion]]
| demographics2_info1     = 
 {{Collapsible list
 | 49% [[Religion in England#Christianity|Christianity]]
 | 41.3% [[Irreligion in the United Kingdom|no religion]]
 | 3.2% [[Islam in England|Islam]]
 | 5.4% not stated
 | 0.4% [[Religion in England|other]]
 | 0.4% [[Hinduism in England|Hinduism]]
 | 0.2% [[Buddhism in England|Buddhism]]
 | 0.1% [[Sikhism in England|Sikhism]]
 | 0.1% [[History of the Jews in England|Judaism]]
 }} 
| website            = [http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/ wakefield.gov.uk]
| official_name      = Wakefield
}}
'''Wakefield''',<ref>{{Cite web |title=Local Authority Districts, Counties and Unitary Authorities (April 2021) Map in United Kingdom |url=https://geoportal.statistics.gov.uk/documents/ons::local-authority-districts-counties-and-unitary-authorities-april-2021-map-in-united-kingdom--1/explore |access-date=2023-08-01 |website=Office for National Statistics: Open Geography Portal |language=en-us}}</ref> also known as the '''City of Wakefield''', is a [[Local government in England|local government district]] with [[City status in the United Kingdom|city status]] and a [[metropolitan district]] in [[West Yorkshire]], England. [[Wakefield]], the largest settlement, is the [[administrative centre]] of the district. The population of the City of Wakefield at the 2011 Census was 325,837.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=6275292&c=Wakefield&d=13&e=62&g=6374690&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1456832488578&enc=1|title=City of Wakefield population 2011|access-date=1 March 2016|work=Neighbourhood Statistics|publisher=Office for National Statistics|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160315063645/http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=6275292&c=Wakefield&d=13&e=62&g=6374690&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1456832488578&enc=1|archive-date=15 March 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> 

The district includes the ''Five Towns'' of [[Castleford]], [[Featherstone]], [[Knottingley]], [[Normanton, West Yorkshire|Normanton]] and [[Pontefract]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wakefield.gov.uk/about-the-council/about-wakefield/the-wakefield-district?|title=The Wakefield District|publisher=Wakefield Council|access-date=13 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180311034017/https://www.wakefield.gov.uk/about-the-council/about-wakefield/the-wakefield-district|archive-date=11 March 2018}}</ref> Other towns include [[Hemsworth]], [[Horbury]], [[Ossett]], [[South Elmsall]] and [[South Kirkby]] (also forms the civil parish of [[South Kirkby and Moorthorpe]]). The city and district are governed by [[Wakefield Council]] from the [[County Hall, Wakefield|County Hall]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ourwakefield.co.uk/site/wakefield-district|title=Wakefield District|publisher=Wakefield Council|access-date=4 April 2018}}</ref> In 2010, Wakefield was named as the UK's third most musical city by [[PRS for Music]].<ref name="mirror.co.uk">{{cite web|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/news/2010/03/13/bristol-named-britain-s-most-musical-city-115875-22107650|title=Bristol named Britain's most musical city|author=Richard Smith|website=[[Daily Mirror]]|date=13 March 2010|access-date=22 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605083821/http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/news/2010/03/13/bristol-named-britain-s-most-musical-city-115875-22107650/|archive-date=5 June 2011|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Economy==
The economic and physical condition of several of the former mining towns and villages in Wakefield District have started to improve due to the booming economy of [[Leeds]] – and an increase in numbers of commuters to the city from the sub-region – and a recognition of undeveloped assets. For instance [[Castleford]], to the North East of Wakefield is seeing extensive development and investment because of the natural asset of its outlook on to the [[River Aire]], its easy access to the national motorway network and the availability of former mining land for house-building. In Ossett, house prices have risen from an average of £50,000 in 1998 to £130,000 in 2003.

Although unemployment was amongst the highest in the country for most of the 1980s, and 1990s, Wakefield District now has below-average unemployment. The "Wakefield East" ward had 4.7% unemployment in May 2005 (source: [[Office for National Statistics]])—which was more than 1% higher than any other ward.  The eastern half of the district remains considerably less prosperous than the western half, with several deprived wards

The district is mainly made out of old [[coal-mining]] towns, although other industries include [[wool]], [[chemicals]], [[machine tools]], glass and other forms of manufacturing.  [[Horbury]] is something of an anomaly in having had an [[iron works]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Horbury Junction Iron Co |url=http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Horbury_Junction_Iron_Co |publisher=Grace's Guide |access-date=31 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141231113222/http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Horbury_Junction_Iron_Co |archive-date=31 December 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> When [[Margaret Thatcher]] came to power in 1979 there were 21 pits in the district. By the time the [[1984–1985 United Kingdom miners' strike|1984 Strike]] began this had decreased to 15, however it still had more collieries than any other district in the country. At the time of [[privatization]] in November 1994, only two remained: the ''Prince of Wales'' at Pontefract, which closed in 2002, and ''Kellingley'' at Knottingley which closed in 2015 ending the industry that once dominated the district.  Most of the district's pits had been very hardline during the 1984 strike.

==History==
The former Borough of Wakefield was raised to [[City status in the United Kingdom|city status]] by [[letters patent]] in 1888.  It became a [[county borough]] in 1913, taking it out of the jurisdiction of the West Riding County Council. The present boundaries were set in 1974 by the [[Local Government Act 1972]], when the [[County Borough of Wakefield]] merged with the [[West Riding]] [[municipal borough]]s of [[Municipal Borough of Castleford|Castleford]], [[Ossett]] and [[Pontefract]], the [[Urban district (Great Britain and Ireland)|urban district]]s of [[Featherstone]], [[Hemsworth]], [[Horbury]], [[Knottingley]], [[Normanton Urban District|Normanton]] and [[Stanley Urban District, Yorkshire|Stanley]], along with [[Wakefield Rural District]] and parts of [[Hemsworth Rural District]] and [[Osgoldcross Rural District]]. The new [[metropolitan district]]'s city status was reconfirmed by letters patent in 1974. The Council's headquarters is [[County Hall, Wakefield|County Hall]], originally built for the West Riding County Council and acquired by Wakefield in 1989.

==Geography==

===Green belt===
{{Further|South and West Yorkshire Green Belt}}
[[File:Pontefract-park-2 (27598251205).jpg|thumb|Pontefract Park]]
The district is within a [[Green belt (United Kingdom)|green belt]] region that extends into the surrounding counties  that is in place to reduce [[urban sprawl]], prevent the cities and towns in the [[West Yorkshire Urban Area]] conurbation from convergence, protect the identity of outlying communities, encourage [[brownfield]] reuse, and preserve the countryside. It restricts inappropriate development within the designated areas and imposes stricter conditions on permitted building.<ref name="belt1">{{cite web|title=Green belt review | publisher =  Wakefield Council|url=http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/localplansitespecificplans/53-consultation-draft-2010-green-belt-review.pdf|access-date=5 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180322143113/http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/localplansitespecificplans/53-consultation-draft-2010-green-belt-review.pdf|archive-date=22 March 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Green belt surrounds the Wakefield built up area and stretches into the wider borough and outlying towns and villages. [[Walton, Wakefield|Walton]], [[Netherton, Wakefield|Netherton]], [[Featherstone]], [[South Kirkby]], [[South Elmsall]], [[Hemsworth]], [[Castleford]], [[Knottingley]], and [[Pontefract]] are surrounded by it. Smaller villages, hamlets and rural areas such as [[Warmfield cum Heath|Warmfield and Heath]], [[Stanley Ferry]], [[Newmillerdam]], Snydale, [[Wintersett]], and Chapelthorpe are included in the designation.<ref>{{cite web|title=Local Plan - Adopted|url=http://map.wakefield.gov.uk/connect/analyst/mobile/#/main?mapcfg=LDFadopted&zoom=6&x=429300&y=419100|publisher=Wakefield Council|access-date=23 June 2018}}</ref> The green belt was adopted in 1987,<ref name="belt1"/> and in 2017 amounted to some {{convert|23,500|ha|km2+sqmi}}.<ref>{{cite web|title=Green belt statistics - GOV.UK|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/green-belt-statistics|website=www.gov.uk|access-date=5 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180703133634/https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/green-belt-statistics|archive-date=3 July 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Governance==
{{Further|Wakefield Council}}

The district is divided into 21 [[Ward (politics)|wards]], each represented on [[Wakefield Metropolitan District Council]] by three councillors. Councillors are elected on a [[Plurality voting system|first past the post]] basis, usually for a four-year period which is staggered so that only one councillor per ward is up for election at any one time. Exceptions include by-elections and ward boundary changes.

==Sports==
The city district is home to three professional [[rugby league]] clubs, the [[Wakefield Trinity]], [[Castleford Tigers]] who both play in the [[Super League]] and [[Featherstone Rovers]] who play in the [[Kingstone Press Championship]]. All three have had periods of success. The city also has several amateur [[rugby league]] clubs including [[Featherstone Lions]] and [[Normanton Knights]]. Current England rugby league internationals from the area include; [[Tom Briscoe]], [[Rob Burrow]], [[Zak Hardaker]], and [[Brett Ferres]]. The district is also home to two clubs in the [[Northern Premier League]]: [[Ossett United]] and [[Pontefract Collieries]].

The district has a strong heritage of cricket with former Yorkshire and England captain [[Geoffrey Boycott]] born in [[Fitzwilliam, West Yorkshire|Fitzwilliam]] and former Yorkshire and England cricketer [[Tim Bresnan]] from [[Pontefract]].

[[Pontefract Racecourse]] in [[Pontefract]], is the longest continuous horse racing circuit in Europe at {{convert|2|mi|125|yd|m furlong}}.<ref>{{cite web|title=Course Details&nbsp;– Pontefract Racecourse|url=http://www.pontefract-races.co.uk/course-details/|access-date=4 July 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080821184541/http://www.pontefract-races.co.uk/course-details/|archive-date=21 August 2008}}</ref>

==Culture==
[[File:The ruins of Sandal Castle1.JPG|thumb|The ruins of Sandal Castle]]
The ruins of [[Sandal Castle]] and its visitor centre are open to the public, overlooking the [[Pugneys Country Park]].<ref>{{citation |title=Sandal Castle |url=http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/CultureAndLeisure/Castlesandmuseums/Castles/Sandal/default.htm5 |publisher=Wakefield Council |access-date=17 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130626195432/http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/CultureAndLeisure/Castlesandmuseums/Castles/Sandal/default.htm5 |archive-date=26 June 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> The [[National Coal Mining Museum for England]] (an Anchor Point of ERIH, The [[European Route of Industrial Heritage]]), the [[Yorkshire Sculpture Park]] and [[Nostell Priory]]<ref name="nostellpriory">{{citation |title=Nostell Priory |url=http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-nostellpriory |publisher=[[National Trust]] |access-date=18 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091109202654/http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-nostellpriory |archive-date=9 November 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref> are within the Wakefield metropolitan area, as is [[Walton Hall, West Yorkshire|Walton Hall]], a Georgian mansion set in what was the world's first nature reserve, created by the explorer [[Charles Waterton]]; the house is now a proposed UNESCO World Heritage Site. [[Sir David Attenborough]] has stated{{when|date=November 2022}} that "Walton Hall is an extremely important site in the history of nature conservation worldwide. It is, arguably, the first tract of land anywhere in modern times to be protected, guarded and maintained as a nature reserve."{{citation needed|date=November 2022}}

Two children's [[nursery rhymes]] with Wakefield connections are "[[Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush]]" which may have been sung by women inmates at Wakefield [[prison]].<ref>{{citation |title=Wakefield Prison |url=http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/CultureAndLeisure/HistoricWakefield/Buildings/WakefieldPrison/default.htm |publisher=wakefield.gov.uk |access-date=18 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100129050218/http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/CultureAndLeisure/HistoricWakefield/Buildings/WakefieldPrison/default.htm |archive-date=29 January 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref> and  "[[The Grand Old Duke of York]]" which may allude to the Battle of Wakefield in 1460, referring to [[Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York|Richard Plantagenet]], the 3rd Duke of York.<ref>{{citation |title=1066–1600 |url=http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/CultureAndLeisure/HistoricWakefield/History/1066-1600.htm |publisher=wakefield.gov.uk |access-date=17 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100204072731/http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/CultureAndLeisure/HistoricWakefield/History/1066-1600.htm |archive-date=4 February 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref> The lyrics of the popular hymn "Onward Christian Soldiers" were written at St Peter's Church in nearby Horbury.<ref>[[Onward, Christian Soldiers]]</ref>

== Demography ==

=== Ethnicity ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! rowspan="2" |Ethnic Group
! colspan="2" |1981 estimations<ref name=":03">{{Cite book |url=http://archive.org/details/ethnicityin1991c0000unse |title=Ethnicity in the 1991 census: Vol 3 - Social geography and ethnicity in Britain, geographical spread, spatial concentration and internal migration |date=1996 |publisher=London : HMSO |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-0-11-691655-6}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |1991 census<ref name=":04">{{Cite book |url=http://archive.org/details/ethnicityin1991c0000unse |title=Ethnicity in the 1991 census: Vol 3 - Social geography and ethnicity in Britain, geographical spread, spatial concentration and internal migration |date=1996 |publisher=London : HMSO |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-0-11-691655-6}}</ref><ref name=":412">Data is taken from United Kingdom [http://casweb.ukdataservice.ac.uk/index.htm Casweb Data services] of the United Kingdom [http://casweb.ukdataservice.ac.uk/step1.cfm 1991 Census on Ethnic Data for England, Scotland and Wales] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220405213012/http://casweb.ukdataservice.ac.uk/step1.cfm|date=5 April 2022}} (Table 6)</ref>
! colspan="2" |2001 census<ref>{{cite web |title=Office of National Statistics; 2001 Census Key Statistics |url=https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20160105160709/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/census-2001-key-statistics/local-authorities-in-england-and-wales/local-authorities-ks06--ethnic-group.xls |access-date=2021-09-07 |website=webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2011 census<ref name=":36">{{Cite web |title=2011 Census: Ethnic Group, local authorities in England and Wales |url=https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20160105160709/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/key-statistics-for-local-authorities-in-england-and-wales/rft-table-ks201ew.xls |access-date=2021-12-15 |website=webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2021 census<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ethnic group - Office for National Statistics |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS021/editions/2021/versions/1/filter-outputs/d2f0a39a-75b6-4995-b4bd-a5b68ff79027#get-data |access-date=2022-11-29 |website=www.ons.gov.uk}}</ref>
|-
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
![[White people in the United Kingdom|White]]: Total
!315,314
!98.9%
!311,518
!98.5%
!308,050
!97.8%
!310,957
!95.4%
!328,742
!93%
|-
|White: [[White British|British]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|304,734
| align="right" |96.7%
|302,331
|
| align="right" |311,634
|88.2%
|-
|White: [[White Irish|Irish]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|1,262
| align="right" |0.4%
|908
|
| align="right" |963
|
|-
|White: [[White Gypsy or Irish Traveller|Gypsy or Irish Traveller]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|302
|
| align="right" |280
|
|-
|White: Roma
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
| align="right" |228
|
|-
|White: [[Other White|Other]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|2,054
| align="right" |0.7%
|7,416
|
| align="right" |15,637
|
|-
![[British Asian|Asian or Asian British]]: Total
!2,631
!
!3,679
!
!4,924
!
!8,498
!
!12,633
!
|-
|Asian or Asian British: [[British Indians|Indian]]
|634
|
|819
|
|980
|
|1,540
|
| align="right" |2,291
|
|-
|Asian or Asian British: [[British Pakistanis|Pakistani]]
|1,588
|
|2,252
|
|3,174
|
|4,896
|
| align="right" |7,107
|
|-
|Asian or Asian British: [[British Bangladeshis|Bangladeshi]]
|14
|
|13
|
|21
|
|32
|
| align="right" |74
|
|-
|Asian or Asian British: [[British Chinese|Chinese]]
|297
|
|402
|
|493
|
|853
|
| align="right" |1,113
|
|-
|Asian or Asian British: Other Asian
|98
|
|193
|
|256
|
|1,177
|
| align="right" |2,048
|
|-
![[Black British people|Black or Black British]]: Total
!407
!
!513
!
!437
!
!2,512
!
!4,516
!
|-
|Black or Black British: [[British African-Caribbean people|Caribbean]]
|150
|
|180
|
|191
|
|326
|
| align="right" |361
|
|-
|Black or Black British: [[Black British people|African]]
|100
|
|134
|
|207
|
|1,955
|
| align="right" |3,589
|
|-
|Black or Black British: [[Classification of ethnicity in the United Kingdom|Other Black]]
|157
|
|199
|
|39
|
|231
|
| align="right" |566
|
|-
![[Mixed (United Kingdom ethnicity category)|Mixed]]: Total
!–
!–
!–
!–
!1,447
!
!2,928
!
!4,938
!
|-
|Mixed: White and Black Caribbean
|–
|–
|–
|–
|509
|
|1,087
|
| align="right" |1,338
|
|-
|Mixed: White and Black African
|–
|–
|–
|–
|144
|
|368
|
| align="right" |859
|
|-
|Mixed: White and Asian
|–
|–
|–
|–
|503
|
|894
|
| align="right" |1,708
|
|-
|Mixed: Other Mixed
|–
|–
|–
|–
|291
|
|579
|
| align="right" |1,033
|
|-
!Other: Total
!376
!
!491
!
!314
!
!942
!
!2,541
!
|-
|Other: Arab
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|382
|
| align="right" |559
|
|-
|Other: Any other ethnic group
|376
|
|491
|
|314
|
|560
|
| align="right" |1,982
|
|-
!Ethnic minority
!3,413
!
!4,682
!
!7,122
!
!14,880
!
!24,628
!
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
!Total
!318,727
!100%
!316,200
!100%
!315,172
!100%
!325,837
!100%
!353,370
!100%
|}

==Media==
===Television===
The area is served by [[BBC Yorkshire]] and [[ITV Yorkshire]] received from the [[Emley Moor transmitting station|Emley Moor]] TV transmitter.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Emley_Moor|title=Emley Moor (Kirklees, England) Full Freeview transmitter|date=1 May 2004|website=UK Free TV|accessdate=1 July 2024}}</ref>
===Radio===
The radio stations that broadcast to the area are: <ref>{{cite web |url=https://bestradios.co.uk/yorkshire-radio-stations/ |title=Yorkshire Radio Stations|access-date=1 July 2024}}</ref>

[[BBC Local Radio]]
*[[BBC Radio Leeds]]
[[Independent Local Radio]]
*[[Heart Yorkshire]]
*[[Capital Yorkshire]]
*[[Hits Radio West Yorkshire]]
*[[Greatest Hits Radio West Yorkshire]]
[[Community Radio]]
*[[Rhubarb Radio (Wakefield)|Rhubarb Radio]]
*5 Towns FM<ref>{{cite web|url=https://internetradiouk.com/5-towns-fm/|title=5 Towns FM Radio Online|website=Internetradiouk.com|accessdate=1 July 2024}}</ref>

===Newspapers===
The area is served by the local newspaper, ''[[Wakefield Express]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britishpapers.co.uk/england-yorks/wakefield-express/|title=Wakefield Express|date=17 July 2013|website=British Papers|accessdate=1 July 2024}}</ref>

==Social housing==
A decision was made, in 2004, to transfer the district's extensive [[Council house|council housing]] to Wakefield and District Housing (WDH), an 'independent' housing association, who would be more efficient with repairs and maintaining decent accommodation; as council housing represented almost 30% of the district, this was the second-largest stock transfer in British history.  WDH are investing over £700&nbsp;million to regenerate the District and working with partners, such as WMDC, are investing in new housing within the District. As of April 2025, WDH rebranded to [[Vico Homes]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=West Yorkshire landlord rebrands and launches plan for 1,500 homes |url=https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-landlord-rebrands-and-launches-plan-for-1500-homes-90938 |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=Inside Housing |language=En}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of people from Wakefield]]
*[[The Ridings Centre]]
*[[Wakefield Trinity L.F.C.]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{West Yorkshire}}
{{Yorkshire and the Humber}}
{{UK cities}}
{{Metropolitan districts of England}}
{{Wakefield, West Yorkshire}}
{{coord|53.683|-1.499|display=title|region:GB_scale:100000}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wakefield, City Of}}
[[Category:City of Wakefield| ]]
[[Category:Cities in Yorkshire and the Humber]]
[[Category:Leeds City Region]]
[[Category:Local government districts in West Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Metropolitan boroughs]]