Middlesbrough Sees 43.1% Of Births To Families With at least One Parent Born Abroad..
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Birth Figures Reveal Changing Face Of Families Across Teesside & County Durham
27th May 2026
A Town on Teesside has recorded the highest local rate of births to families where one or more parents were born abroad, according to newly reported national birth figures.
The figures show that 43.1% of births in Middlesbrough last year were to families where at least one parent was born outside the UK — the highest figure across the Teesside and County Durham area.
The statistics come as national figures show birth rates across England and Wales have fallen to their lowest level in decades, while the proportion of births involving at least one parent born outside the UK has reached a record high.
According to the figures, Middlesbrough was followed locally by Darlington at 25.8%, Stockton-on-Tees at 24.4%, Hartlepool at 16.7%, County Durham at 14.1%, and Redcar and Cleveland at 9.9%.
The local breakdown is:
Area | Births where one or more parents were born abroad |
Middlesbrough | 43.1% |
Darlington | 25.8% |
Stockton-on-Tees | 24.4% |
Hartlepool | 16.7% |
County Durham | 14.1% |
Redcar and Cleveland | 9.9% |
The figures mean Middlesbrough now stands out locally, with more than four in ten births involving at least one parent born outside the UK.
By contrast, Redcar and Cleveland recorded the lowest figure in the area, with just 9.9% of births falling into the same category.
The figures are likely to spark fresh debate about swiftly changing demographics & population trends occuring in the UK as well as the pressures facing public services, including maternity care, schools, housing and local council planning.
For Middlesbrough, the figures show a markedly different picture from the surrounding areas of Teesside & County Durham, with the town recording a significantly higher proportion than Hartlepool, County Durham and Redcar and Cleveland.
The latest statistics also come at a time when falling birth rates are already said to be prompting national concern, with the ONS saying the total fertility rate in England and Wales fell to 1.39 children per woman in 2025, continuing a long-term decline in births.
Nationally, the latest figures show that birth rates across England and Wales have continued to fall, with 585,396 live births recorded in 2025, down from 594,677 in 2024. The estimated total fertility rate also fell to 1.39 children per woman, while the proportion of live births where one or both parents were born outside the UK rose from 39.5% in 2024 to 40.2% in 2025. The figures suggest that while fewer babies are being born overall, a growing share of births are now to families with at least one overseas-born parent, underlining wider changes in the country’s population, family make-up and future demand on public services.
However, Middlesbrough's figures suggest that births to families with at least one overseas-born parent now form a major part of the town’s annual birth registrations, far ahead of that of neighbouring local councils across the region...
