More than half of young people in England not in employment, education or training live in urban areas, according to research by the Centre for Cities.
The think tank said more than a third of so-called Neets are concentrated in the nine largest cities in England.
Stark differences between areas
The study revealed “stark differences” between areas, with young people in some cities and large towns more than three times as likely to be Neet as those in others.
London has the largest number of Neets, an estimated 117,100, or one in six of all Neets in England, said the report, followed by Birmingham (45,000) and Manchester (37,700).
Highest and lowest shares
Other cities with large numbers of Neets, according to the study, are Blackpool (21% of Neets), Doncaster, Bradford, Middlesbrough and Barnsley (all 17%).
York has the lowest share of Neets at 6%, followed by Nottingham (8%), Bristol, Brighton and Portsmouth (all 9%).
Local solutions needed
Rob Johnson, senior analyst at the Centre for Cities, said: “Getting young people into work or training is a national challenge that will be won or lost in England’s cities.
“In places like Birmingham, the scale of the problem is striking, with 45,000 out of education or training.
“In other places like Blackpool, the actual number is small but the proportion of young people affected is very high.
“This shows there can’t be a single national solution. Stronger local economies are essential.
“Interventions will only get us so far if areas lack jobs or training places.
“Mayors need the powers to tackle the barriers that young people face, whether that’s skills, training, or the ability to actually get to jobs and courses from where they live.”
