Orkney Islands: local statistics
Orkney Islands is a council area in Scotland, home to an estimated 21,920 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 Orkney Islands, from the council up to the G20.
Key figures
What the figures show
1.6% of Orkney Islands residents aged 16 to 64 (210 people) were on the claimant count in August 2026, compared with 3.2% in Scotland. The rate was the same a year earlier. Over the last five years it peaked at 2.0% in August 2021 and was lowest at 1.4% in September 2022.
An estimated 91.4% of people aged 16 to 64 living in Orkney Islands were in work in April 2025 to March 2026, according to the ONS Annual Population Survey; the figure for Scotland was 74.6%. Its lowest reading in the series was 62.6% and its highest 91.4%.
The ONS counted 1,780 VAT or PAYE-registered businesses in Orkney Islands in March 2026, 4% more than in 2016. There are 81 per 1,000 residents, the 2nd highest in Scotland.
Life expectancy at birth in Orkney Islands is 82.8 years for women and 79.3 years for men (2022 to 2024) (Scotland: 81.1 and 77.2). For women that is 0.1 years less than in 2012 to 2014; for men, 0.7 more. It is the 5th highest for women of all 32 council areas in Scotland.
The average house price in Orkney Islands was £214,106 in July 2026, down 0.3% on a year before. Among council areas that puts it the 10th highest of all 32 council areas in Scotland (average for Scotland: £196,349). The July peak was £214,823 in 2025, and prices are 75% above July 2016. Dividing the average price by the median annual pay of full-time employees living in Orkney Islands (£43,430) gives a ratio of 4.9. That ratio is 13th of 32 in Scotland, counting from the highest ratio.
Full-time employees living in Orkney Islands earned a median £786.00 a week in April 2025 (£43,430 a year). That is 1.3% above the figure for Scotland and the 11th highest of all 32 council areas in Scotland. Jobs based in Orkney Islands paid almost the same: a median £783.60 a week. In 2015 the residents' median was £518.30, so it has risen 52% before inflation.
Orkney Islands had an estimated 21,920 residents in mid-2025, down 0.4% on mid-2024. Over ten years, since mid-2015, it has grown by 1.9% (Scotland: +3.6%), 13th of 32 in Scotland, counting from the fastest growth. The series peaked at 22,030 in mid-2021.
History
Population (mid-year)
| 2015 | 21,520 |
| 2016 | 21,640 |
| 2017 | 21,730 |
| 2018 | 21,830 |
| 2019 | 21,870 |
| 2020 | 21,970 |
| 2021 | 22,030 |
| 2022 | 22,030 |
| 2023 | 22,010 |
| 2024 | 22,000 |
| 2025 | 21,920 |
Average house price (same month each year)
| July 2016 | £122,170 |
| July 2017 | £129,485 |
| July 2018 | £145,074 |
| July 2019 | £147,499 |
| July 2020 | £131,145 |
| July 2021 | £171,578 |
| July 2022 | £210,909 |
| July 2023 | £193,410 |
| July 2024 | £204,555 |
| July 2025 | £214,823 |
| July 2026 | £214,106 |
Median weekly pay, residents
| 2015 | £518.30 a week |
| 2016 | £557.00 a week |
| 2017 | £520.60 a week |
| 2018 | £636.80 a week |
| 2019 | £598.10 a week |
| 2020 | £579.50 a week |
| 2021 | £563.00 a week |
| 2022 | £662.30 a week |
| 2023 | £767.50 a week |
| 2024 | £775.50 a week |
| 2025 | £786.00 a week |
Employment rate
| 2015/16 | 85.5% |
| 2016/17 | 87.0% |
| 2017/18 | 90.3% |
| 2018/19 | 88.7% |
| 2019/20 | 86.8% |
| 2020/21 | 84.0% |
| 2021/22 | 71.2% |
| 2022/23 | 87.7% |
| 2023/24 | 85.8% |
| 2024/25 | 62.6% |
| 2025/26 | 91.4% |
Life expectancy, women
| 2012 to 2014 | 82.9 years |
| 2013 to 2015 | 82.8 years |
| 2014 to 2016 | 82.7 years |
| 2015 to 2017 | 81.7 years |
| 2016 to 2018 | 82.0 years |
| 2017 to 2019 | 82.2 years |
| 2018 to 2020 | 83.5 years |
| 2019 to 2021 | 83.9 years |
| 2020 to 2022 | 83.2 years |
| 2021 to 2023 | 82.7 years |
| 2022 to 2024 | 82.8 years |
Registered businesses
| 2016 | 1,710 |
| 2017 | 1,705 |
| 2018 | 1,760 |
| 2019 | 1,775 |
| 2020 | 1,740 |
| 2021 | 1,740 |
| 2022 | 1,780 |
| 2023 | 1,770 |
| 2024 | 1,770 |
| 2025 | 1,785 |
| 2026 | 1,780 |
Questions about Orkney Islands
How many people claim unemployment-related benefits in Orkney Islands?
210 in August 2026 (1.6% of residents aged 16 to 64), on the ONS claimant count, which is not the unemployment rate.
What is life expectancy in Orkney Islands?
82.8 years for women and 79.3 for men (2022 to 2024, ONS).
What is the average house price in Orkney Islands?
£214,106 in July 2026, on HM Land Registry's UK House Price Index (-0.3% on a year).
What is the average salary in Orkney Islands?
£786.00 a week before tax, the median for full-time employees who live there (April 2025, ONS).
What is the population of Orkney Islands?
The ONS estimates 21,920 people lived in Orkney Islands in mid-2025.
Who has power over Orkney Islands
Every body that makes decisions for Orkney Islands, 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
- Orkney Islands council spending, reserves, debt and council tax
- Orkney Islands 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
- Orkney and Shetland: Mr Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat) 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 unemployment rate · UK employment rate · Life expectancy at birth (UK)
- Other council areas in Scotland: Argyll and Bute · Clackmannanshire · Inverclyde · Na h-Eileanan Siar · Shetland Islands · West Dunbartonshire
Related questions
- What is the unemployment rate in my area?
- How healthy is my area?
- What is the average house price in my area?
- What is the average salary in my area?
- Which council am I in?
Figures checked 14 October 2026. Link moved or figure out of date? Tell us.