Wakefield is a cathedral city in West Yorkshire, England, situated on the River Calder. It serves as the administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of Wakefield, which is the 27th most populous district in England with a 2024 population of 367,666. The city itself had a population of 109,766 at the 2021 census, representing growth from 99,251 in 2011.
As part of the West Yorkshire Built-up Area and the Yorkshire and the Humber region, Wakefield functions as a significant administrative hub for its wider metropolitan area. Its status as a cathedral city reflects its historical and civic importance within the region.