West Northamptonshire
West Northamptonshire is a unitary local government area in the ceremonial county of Northamptonshire, England. It includes the town of Northampton, plus Daventry, Brackley and Towcester, and many villages. The area is largely rural with lakes and woodlands, but it also has towns and good transport links.
The area was created on 1 April 2021 by merging the districts of Daventry, Northampton and South Northamptonshire. The new West Northamptonshire Council runs both county and district services, so there is no separate county council. It remains part of the ceremonial county of Northamptonshire for official purposes and is made up of 166 civil parishes.
Geography and places: The district covers about 530 square miles. Major routes include the West Coast Main Line railway and the M1 and M40 motorways. It contains Bannaventa, a Roman town, and Althorp House, a Grade I listed stately home.
Population and people: Around 440,000 people live there (as of 2024). The area has a mix of White, Asian, Black and other communities. Roughly half the people identify as Christian, with about 38% having no religion.
Economy and government: The 2021 GDP was around £14 billion, with average earnings about £34,000 per person. The area elects four Members of Parliament.
Local government: The area has 166 civil parishes. Time zone is GMT (BST in summer). Postcode area NN.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 12:19 (CET).