East Lothian: local statistics
East Lothian is a council area in Scotland, home to an estimated 116,460 people (mid-2025). This page brings together 8 official figures for the area, each with its period, publisher and the address it was read from. See also who has power over East Lothian, from the council up to the G20.
Key figures
What the figures show
East Lothian had an estimated 116,460 residents in mid-2025, a change of +1.1% in a year. Over ten years, since mid-2015, it has grown by 11.9%, against +3.6% for Scotland as a whole, the 2nd fastest growth in Scotland. The mid-2025 estimate is the highest in the series.
A typical home in East Lothian cost £282,500 in July 2026, on the UK House Price Index, down 1.0% on July 2025. Among council areas that puts it the 4th highest of the 32 council areas in Scotland; the average for Scotland was £196,349. Since July 2016 prices have risen 46%; the July high in the series was £285,393 in 2025. Dividing the average price by the median annual pay of full-time employees living in East Lothian (£38,714) gives a ratio of 7.3. That ratio is the highest ratio of the 32 council areas in Scotland.
A girl born in East Lothian in 2022 to 2024 could expect to live 82.6 years and a boy 78.7 years, on the ONS's period measure, compared with 81.1 and 77.2 years across Scotland. For women that is 0.5 years more than in 2012 to 2014; for men, 0.2 more. It is the 8th highest for women of 32 in Scotland.
The median full-time employee living in East Lothian was paid £737.20 a week before tax in April 2025, or £38,714 over a year. That is 5.0% below the figure for Scotland and the 24th highest of 32 in Scotland. Jobs based in East Lothian paid a median £691.80 a week, £45.40 less than the figure for people who live there. In 2015 the residents' median was £557.20, so it has risen 32% before inflation.
An estimated 78.6% of people aged 16 to 64 living in East Lothian were in work in April 2025 to March 2026, according to the ONS Annual Population Survey (give or take 5.8 points); the figure for Scotland was 74.6%. Over the 11 years shown it ranged from 74.2% to 84.4%.
2.5% of East Lothian residents aged 16 to 64 (1,755 people) were on the claimant count in August 2026 (Scotland: 3.2%). That compares with 2.1% a year before. Over the last five years it peaked at 3.8% in August 2021 and was lowest at 2.1% in December 2025.
In March 2026, 3,880 VAT or PAYE-registered businesses were based in East Lothian, 8% more than in 2016. That is 33 for every 1,000 residents, the 20th highest of 32 in Scotland.
History
Population (mid-year)
| 2015 | 104,110 |
| 2016 | 105,170 |
| 2017 | 106,080 |
| 2018 | 107,070 |
| 2019 | 108,510 |
| 2020 | 109,510 |
| 2021 | 111,340 |
| 2022 | 112,460 |
| 2023 | 113,860 |
| 2024 | 115,180 |
| 2025 | 116,460 |
Average house price (same month each year)
| July 2016 | £194,100 |
| July 2017 | £200,214 |
| July 2018 | £215,730 |
| July 2019 | £224,757 |
| July 2020 | £229,214 |
| July 2021 | £256,540 |
| July 2022 | £271,476 |
| July 2023 | £279,462 |
| July 2024 | £271,111 |
| July 2025 | £285,393 |
| July 2026 | £282,500 |
Median weekly pay, residents
| 2015 | £557.20 a week |
| 2016 | £565.40 a week |
| 2017 | £595.80 a week |
| 2018 | £596.30 a week |
| 2019 | £664.30 a week |
| 2020 | £596.50 a week |
| 2021 | £594.00 a week |
| 2022 | £652.60 a week |
| 2023 | £668.80 a week |
| 2024 | £737.70 a week |
| 2025 | £737.20 a week |
Employment rate
| 2015/16 | 74.2% |
| 2016/17 | 74.9% |
| 2017/18 | 78.6% |
| 2018/19 | 78.4% |
| 2019/20 | 80.1% |
| 2020/21 | 75.3% |
| 2021/22 | 79.4% |
| 2022/23 | 76.1% |
| 2023/24 | 76.4% |
| 2024/25 | 84.4% |
| 2025/26 | 78.6% |
Life expectancy, women
| 2012 to 2014 | 82.1 years |
| 2013 to 2015 | 82.5 years |
| 2014 to 2016 | 82.7 years |
| 2015 to 2017 | 82.5 years |
| 2016 to 2018 | 82.4 years |
| 2017 to 2019 | 82.8 years |
| 2018 to 2020 | 82.9 years |
| 2019 to 2021 | 82.8 years |
| 2020 to 2022 | 82.2 years |
| 2021 to 2023 | 82.0 years |
| 2022 to 2024 | 82.6 years |
Registered businesses
| 2016 | 3,595 |
| 2017 | 3,670 |
| 2018 | 3,740 |
| 2019 | 3,800 |
| 2020 | 3,795 |
| 2021 | 3,745 |
| 2022 | 3,735 |
| 2023 | 3,705 |
| 2024 | 3,760 |
| 2025 | 3,790 |
| 2026 | 3,880 |
Questions about East Lothian
What is the population of East Lothian?
116,460 in mid-2025, the latest ONS mid-year estimate.
What is the average house price in East Lothian?
£282,500 in July 2026, on HM Land Registry's UK House Price Index (-1.0% on a year).
What is life expectancy in East Lothian?
82.6 years for women and 78.7 for men (2022 to 2024, ONS).
What is the average salary in East Lothian?
Median pay for full-time employees living in East Lothian was £737.20 a week in April 2025 (£38,714 a year), from the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings.
How many people claim unemployment-related benefits in East Lothian?
1,755 in August 2026 (2.5% of residents aged 16 to 64), on the ONS claimant count, which is not the unemployment rate.
Who has power over East Lothian
Every body that makes decisions for East Lothian, from the street up to the G20. Each one links to its page on the official record. How the ten levels work.
Level 1: Neighbourhood and community power
Residents' and tenants' groups, neighbourhood forums and local policing panels.
Level 2: Parish, town and community councils
Community councils, where the area has them, sit below the council.
Level 3: Local councils
- East Lothian council spending, reserves, debt and council tax
- East Lothian in official figures this page
Level 5: Devolved and state governments
- Scottish Parliament and Scottish Government makes law for Scotland on devolved subjects
Level 6: National government
- Edinburgh East and Musselburgh: Chris Murray (Labour) MP
- Lothian East: Mr Douglas Alexander (Labour (Co-op)) MP
- All 650 MPs votes, interests and costs
- UK government and Parliament official figures and sources
Level 7: Regional blocs and supranational bodies
- Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights (CoE / ECtHR) The UK Government says the United Kingdom was one of the Council of Europe's founding members.
Level 8: The UN and global treaty bodies
- United Nations (General Assembly and Security Council) The UN lists the United Kingdom as a member admitted on 24 October 1945.
- United Nations Security Council (UNSC) The UK is one of the five permanent members of the Security Council and holds the veto, according to the UN.
- NATO NATO lists the United Kingdom among its 12 founding members, which signed the North Atlantic Treaty in Washington, D.C.
- World Health Organization (WHO) WHO's list of member states includes the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
- World Trade Organization (WTO) The WTO says the United Kingdom has been a WTO member since 1 January 1995 and a member of GATT since 1 January 1948.
- Commonwealth of Nations The UK is one of the 56 members, one of three European members with Cyprus and Malta, and the Commonwealth Secretariat is headquartered at Marlborough House in London.
Level 9: The IMF, World Bank and global finance
- International Monetary Fund (IMF) The UK has been a member since 27 December 1945 and has a quota of SDR 20,155.1 million (IMF country page for the United Kingdom).
- World Bank Group (WBG) The UK holds 3.75% of voting power in the IBRD (data as of 30 June 2026) and 6.92% in IDA (as of 30 June 2026), according to the World Bank's voting tables.
Level 10: G7, G20, Davos and global forums
Sources
Each value above links to the official file or query it was read from, on 14 October 2026. What each figure measures.
- Average house price: Scottish figures come from Registers of Scotland.
More on this area and these figures
- Council money: spending, reserves and debt
- Figures for Scotland
- UK figures: UK population · UK average house price · Life expectancy at birth (UK)
- Other council areas in Scotland: Angus · East Ayrshire · East Dunbartonshire · Midlothian · Scottish Borders · South Ayrshire
Related questions
- What is the population of my area?
- What is the average house price in my area?
- How healthy is my area?
- What is the average salary in my area?
- Who are my local councillors?
Figures checked 14 October 2026. Link moved or figure out of date? Tell us.