Northampton is a town and civil parish in Northamptonshire, England. It is the county town of Northamptonshire and the administrative centre of the unitary authority of West Northamptonshire. The town is situated on the River Nene, 60 miles north-west of London and 50 miles south-east of Birmingham. Northampton is one of the largest towns in England; the population of its urban area was recorded as 245,899 in the 2021 census.