Living and growing well

132,000 citizens of York are aged 18 to 64, that is 66% of everyone living in York. The Health and Wellbeing Strategy intends that York’s adults have equal access to things which produce health.

At first glance, York is already a healthy place, and we certainly can celebrate many things about our heritage, voluntary sector, and economy but we still have health needs and some stark inequalities. Overall, the Office of National Statistics (ONS) Health Index puts York in the middle of the pack, with a combined health ranking of 105 compared to the England average of 100. (At the top Harrogate scores 125, and at the bottom Blackpool scored 77).

For more information, graphics and charts from the ONS on the health of York.

Vale of York: It is easier to collect some health data for the ‘Vale of York’ area. This is an area that includes all of the City of York, but also some other areas. This is because of how GP practices are organised within the NHS. If we have used Vale of York (VoY) area data, we will show this with ‘(VoY)’ at the end of the section.

A

Alcohol

Drinking too much alcohol over a long period of time increases the chances of a person getting conditions like cancers and heart disease. In 2021 and 2022, there were 1,923 admissions to hospital in York for alcohol-related cardiovascular disease. Taking into account the size and age of the York population, this is more than would be expected for the England average (York Rate 947/100,000. England Rate 837/100,000). The York rates of admission for alcohol-related cardiovascular disease are particularly high for men.

The admissions for alcohol related liver disease in York are also higher than the England average. In 2023 and 2024 there were 410 admissions to hospital for alcohol related liver disease. (York Rate: 217/100,000. England Rate 163/100,000.) York's admissions for alcohol related liver disease are particularly high for men.

In York, alcohol-related hospital admission rates remain higher than the national average. The rate of alcohol-related unintentional injury admissions in York was 69 per 100,000 population, while for England it was 61 per 100,000 population.

Access to a GP

The Exploring Access to GP Services in York – Interim Report (September 2024) by Healthwatch York presents findings from 1,349 residents on their experiences of local GP services. The average rating was 5.5 out of 10, with significant variation across practices. While many respondents praised caring staff, effective triage, prioritisation of children, and good vaccination services, widespread concerns were raised about long waiting times, difficulty accessing face-to-face appointments, challenges with online booking systems, and problems getting through on the phone.

Communication and administrative issues were common, including delays in test results, prescription problems, and poor coordination between services. Respondents also highlighted difficulties with continuity of care, mental health support, and equitable access for older people, disabled residents, and those who are digitally excluded.

C

Cancer

Cancer diagnosis

In 2022/23, there were 2,329 new cancer diagnoses recorded in the Vale of York sub-ICB area, which includes the City of York. Early cancer diagnosis often means better survival rates. In 2022, 514 (57%) of those diagnosed with cancer were at the stage 1 or 2 which is the similar to England average.

Cancer screening

Breast Screening: 75% of women aged 53 to 70 are up-to-date with their breast screening in 2022 and 2023. This is better than the England average of 67%. (VoY)

Cervical Screening (universal): 70% of women aged 25 to 49 years were up-to-date with their cervical screening in 2022 and 2023. This is better than the England average of 67%. (VoY)

Cervical Screening (targeted): Women who have had a cervical screening test positive for the HP virus are invited for continued cervical screening into after the age of 50. 77% of this group of women were up-to-date with their cervical screening in 2022 and 2023. This is better than the England average of 75%. (VoY)

Bowel Screening: 78% of people aged 60 to 74 years were up-to-date with their bowel screening in 2022 and 2023. This is better than the England average of 72%. (VoY)

D

Dental

Dental information is measured differently to other health data because of the way dentistry is commissioned by NHS England, and because many people see private dentists.

Across the Integrated Care Board (ICB) (an area which covers York, North Yorkshire, East Riding, Hull, North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire) 40% of all adults had seen an NHS dentist in the last two years. Others will have seen a non-NHS dentist, so this doesn’t give the full picture.

In 2022 York Healthwatch published a report which explores gaps in provision for NHS dentists in York. One of the findings was that 62% of people in York had seen their dentist in the last two years. The sample used for this study is small and may not be a true picture of York as a whole.

Diabetes

It is thought that 9% of adults in the UK have diabetes. Some of these people will have a diagnosis, and some will not. If someone does not know they have diabetes, they can not access the treatments to control their blood sugar levels, this increases the risk of secondary harms, for example nerve damage and sight loss.

In the Vale of York, 6.4% of people have a diabetes diagnosis, but the estimated true prevalence is 7.4%. Therefore, it is thought that nearly 4,000 people across the Vale of York that have diabetes but do not know this.

E

Employment

York has a higher employment rate  (81%) compared to the Great Britain average (79%). Data from October 2024 to September 2025 shows of all working age adults in York, 119,000 (81%) of people are either employed or self-employed. Of all economically active people, 60,000 are male and 58,900 are female. 66% work full time (more than 30 hours), and 34% work part time. 26,100 (18.9%) of the York population is economically inactive from which 4,400 (16.9%) wants a job.

Education

By law, everyone under 16 should be in full time education. In York, 39% of the population aged over 16 years have Level 4 qualifications or above, followed by Level 3 (22%) and Level 2 (11%) qualifications. 22,953 (13%) of people aged 16 or above have no formal qualifications, which is better than the England average (18%).

H

High blood pressure

In total 14.5% of all people registered with a GP in Vale of York have a diagnosed high blood pressure. This is slightly below the England average of 15.2%. In the Vale of York is estimated that 8.7% of adults have high blood pressure, but do not have this diagnosed. This can mean they are not getting the correct treatment, support and advice to treat, manage and reduce the risk of their condition.

Housing

According to 2021 Census, of all households in York, 66% own their own home (either with or without a mortgage), 14% live in socially rented homes, and 20% live in privately rented homes or rent free.

According to the Housing Affordability Summary 2026, between November 2015 and November 2025, the average house price in York increased by 39.1%, rising from £217,761 to £302,931. This makes York the 14th highest in the region. In 2024 and 2025, the average monthly private rent for a two-bedroom property in York rose by 2.8% from the previous year to £1,006, the highest in the region.

Health checks

NHS health checks are intended to support the prevention and early identification of chronic health conditions by looking at things like weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol. After the age of 40, adults should be invited for this preventative health appointment once every five years, therefore, 20% of the group should be invited each year. In York, 3.7% of people were had a health check in 2024/2025, this is significantly less than the England average invite rate which is 9%. The approach in York is to offer targeted Health Checks to specific population groups, such as those living in areas of deprivation, those with a mental health condition, those with a neurodiversity diagnosis.

I

Income

The average (median) weekly pay for all employee jobs (full-time and part-time) in York as of April 2025 is £613, which is lower than the average median of all local authorities (£629).

5.8% of children are living  in low-income families and there are 12.3% of households in fuel poverty.

L

Languages

There are 83,500 households in York. 94% of households speak English as their main language. 3% of households have at least one person who speaks English as their main language, and 3% of households have no one who speaks English as their main language.

Learning disability

Within York, 1,500 people are registered as having a learning disability on their GP practice notes. This is 0.4% of all people. We know that some people with a learning disability do not have this information on their GP practice notes. This means that they're missing out on things like a learning disability health check. National estimates suggest that 2% of people in the UK have a disability.

M

Mental health

In 2024 and 2025, 25,600 of patients aged 18 and over in York were recorded with depression in GP practices, representing 13.2% of the registered population. This is slightly less than the England average (14.3%).

In 2022 and 2023, 6% of the population in York reported low levels of happiness, while 26% reported high anxiety scores, marginally better than the England average.

2,243 people of all ages in York were recorded with a serious mental health condition in GP practices during 2024 and 2025. This represents 1.0% of the registered population and it is similar to the England average. ‘Severe mental illness’ covers conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and other psychoses.

O

Obesity

Overweight and obesity increases the chances that a person will become ill with things like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. On average, people with overweight and obesity die at a younger age and live more years in poor health. 60% of adults in York are overweight or obese (data from 2022). 19% of women are obese at their first midwifery appointment for a pregnancy, this increases the chances of gestational diabetes and a child who is overweight.

P

Physical activity

In total, 78.6% of York adults are physically active, which is better than the England average. This means adults who are doing at least two and half hours of activity a week. However, only 51.3% of children and young people (aged 5-16) were physically active.

S

Smoking

The national Annual Population Survey asks people about their smoking status and is considered the best source of this information. In York, 9% of adults smoke, this is less than the England average of 13%. For York adults who are employed in ‘routine and manual’ jobs, the rate of smoking is higher (15%) but lower than the England average for this group (23%).

Women are asked if they smoke when they first see a midwife for a pregnancy. In York 11% of women said they smoked in early pregnancy. The England average is 13%.

Of all adults who smoke in the Vale of York, 94% had been offered support to stop smoking at least once in the last two years. This may have been by text or in an appointment. The England average for this is 92%.