Chorley and West Lancashire named UK’s third most screen-obsessed area, according to new study

A new study by Ink Digital has analysed figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) to reveal which regions are the most internet-savvy or perhaps just the most screen-obsessed.

Researchers examined online usage across 174 areas of the UK, looking at how many people had accessed the internet over a three-month period. The results paint a fascinating picture of our digital habits and reveal some surprising top performers.

Chorley and West Lancashire have quietly surged ahead in the UK’s digital rankings, taking third place with a striking 97.9% of residents logging on within a three-month window. While the region may not have the headline-grabbing pull of London or Manchester, it’s clearly keeping pace with the country’s most tech-savvy postcodes. Whether it’s working from home, keeping in touch with family, or catching up on the latest drama via streaming platforms, people in Chorley and West Lancashire are more connected than ever – and they’re proving that you don’t need a capital postcode to be plugged into the digital world.

Topping the list is Croydon, where a staggering 99.1% of people went online, followed closely by Camden and the City of London at 98.3%. Brighton and Hove secured fourth place with 97.7%, continuing the trend of coastal and creative hubs embracing digital life. The Kent Thames Gateway and the Scottish Borders each posted a solid 97.6%, showing that even rural and coastal regions are far from left behind. Bexley and Greenwich followed with 97.4%, trailed by the Heart of Essex at 97.3%, Redbridge and Waltham Forest at 97.2%, and finally, both Haringey and Islington as well as Lewisham and Southwark rounding off the top ten with 96.9%.

On the flip side, several areas across the UK are still trailing when it comes to digital engagement. Luton comes in last, with just 77.8% of its population having used the internet during the same period, followed closely by Dumfries & Galloway at 79.1%, and Powys at 79.7%. Mid Ulster (81.9%) and South Ayrshire (82.5%) also feature among the lowest-ranking spots. Even some major urban centres such as Liverpool (84.2%) and Wolverhampton (84.3%) make the bottom ten, joined by Sandwell and Blackburn with Darwen, both at 84.6%, and the Central Valleys at 84.7%. While the majority of residents in these areas are still online, the digital divide is evident – especially when compared to the likes of Camden and Croydon, where near-total connectivity is now the norm.

Top 20 list of the UK areas with the most active internet users: