Scottish Borders: local statistics
Scottish Borders is a council area in Scotland, home to an estimated 116,800 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 Scottish Borders, from the council up to the G20.
Key figures
What the figures show
Full-time employees living in Scottish Borders earned a median £707.70 a week in April 2025, or £33,600 over a year. That is 8.8% below the figure for Scotland and the 3rd lowest of all 32 council areas in Scotland. Measured by where people work rather than where they live, the median is £683.40, £24.30 lower. In 2015 the residents' median was £503.50, so it has risen 41% before inflation.
Life expectancy at birth in Scottish Borders is 82.7 years for women and 79.0 years for men (2022 to 2024), compared with 81.1 and 77.2 years across Scotland. Since 2012 to 2014 it has changed by +0.2 years for women and -0.3 for men. It is 7th of 32 in Scotland, counting from the highest for women.
An estimated 78.6% of people aged 16 to 64 living in Scottish Borders were in work in April 2025 to March 2026, according to the ONS Annual Population Survey, with a margin of error of 4.7 points either way, against 74.6% across Scotland. Its lowest reading in the series was 72.2% and its highest 78.6%.
Homes in Scottish Borders sold for an average of £193,050 in July 2026, a rise of 4.5% in twelve months. That is mid-table in Scotland, 14th of 32 (average for Scotland: £196,349). This July figure is the highest in the series, 49% up on July 2016. Dividing the average price by the median annual pay of full-time employees living in Scottish Borders (£33,600) gives a ratio of 5.7. That ratio is 7th of 32 in Scotland, counting from the highest ratio.
Scottish Borders had an estimated 116,800 residents in mid-2025, down 0.3% on a year earlier. That is 1,910 more people than in mid-2015, a rise of 1.7% (Scotland: +3.6%), close to the middle of all 32 council areas in Scotland (14th fastest growth). The series peaked at 117,190 in mid-2024.
In March 2026, 5,915 VAT or PAYE-registered businesses were based in Scottish Borders, 2% fewer than in 2016. There are 51 per 1,000 residents, 8th of 32 in Scotland, counting from the highest.
The claimant count for Scottish Borders stood at 1,930 in August 2026, or 2.9% of residents aged 16 to 64 (Scotland: 3.2%). That compares with 2.8% a year before. The five-year high was 4.1% (August 2021); the low was 2.6% (October 2025).
History
Population (mid-year)
| 2015 | 114,890 |
| 2016 | 115,460 |
| 2017 | 115,970 |
| 2018 | 116,190 |
| 2019 | 116,490 |
| 2020 | 116,380 |
| 2021 | 117,080 |
| 2022 | 116,820 |
| 2023 | 117,080 |
| 2024 | 117,190 |
| 2025 | 116,800 |
Average house price (same month each year)
| July 2016 | £129,271 |
| July 2017 | £133,190 |
| July 2018 | £132,866 |
| July 2019 | £129,645 |
| July 2020 | £131,176 |
| July 2021 | £160,684 |
| July 2022 | £171,760 |
| July 2023 | £174,679 |
| July 2024 | £176,889 |
| July 2025 | £184,806 |
| July 2026 | £193,050 |
Median weekly pay, residents
| 2015 | £503.50 a week |
| 2016 | £496.80 a week |
| 2017 | £514.60 a week |
| 2018 | £527.40 a week |
| 2019 | £545.90 a week |
| 2020 | £541.60 a week |
| 2021 | £550.60 a week |
| 2022 | £622.20 a week |
| 2023 | £673.50 a week |
| 2024 | £663.70 a week |
| 2025 | £707.70 a week |
Employment rate
| 2015/16 | 76.8% |
| 2016/17 | 74.0% |
| 2017/18 | 74.0% |
| 2018/19 | 75.7% |
| 2019/20 | 74.8% |
| 2020/21 | 74.1% |
| 2021/22 | 73.2% |
| 2022/23 | 78.0% |
| 2023/24 | 72.2% |
| 2024/25 | 77.5% |
| 2025/26 | 78.6% |
Life expectancy, women
| 2012 to 2014 | 82.5 years |
| 2013 to 2015 | 82.6 years |
| 2014 to 2016 | 82.7 years |
| 2015 to 2017 | 82.5 years |
| 2016 to 2018 | 82.3 years |
| 2017 to 2019 | 82.1 years |
| 2018 to 2020 | 82.3 years |
| 2019 to 2021 | 82.8 years |
| 2020 to 2022 | 82.5 years |
| 2021 to 2023 | 82.6 years |
| 2022 to 2024 | 82.7 years |
Registered businesses
| 2016 | 6,045 |
| 2017 | 6,035 |
| 2018 | 6,040 |
| 2019 | 6,025 |
| 2020 | 5,995 |
| 2021 | 5,980 |
| 2022 | 6,025 |
| 2023 | 5,960 |
| 2024 | 5,935 |
| 2025 | 5,895 |
| 2026 | 5,915 |
Questions about Scottish Borders
What is the average salary in Scottish Borders?
Median pay for full-time employees living in Scottish Borders was £707.70 a week in April 2025 (£33,600 a year), from the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings.
What is life expectancy in Scottish Borders?
82.7 years for women and 79.0 for men (2022 to 2024, ONS).
What is the average house price in Scottish Borders?
HM Land Registry's figure for July 2026 is £193,050.
What is the population of Scottish Borders?
116,800 in mid-2025, the latest ONS mid-year estimate.
How many people claim unemployment-related benefits in Scottish Borders?
The ONS claimant count was 1,930 in August 2026, 2.9% of 16 to 64-year-olds. It counts benefit claims, not unemployment.
Who has power over Scottish Borders
Every body that makes decisions for Scottish Borders, 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
- Scottish Borders council spending, reserves, debt and council tax
- Scottish Borders 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
- Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk: John Lamont (Conservative) MP
- Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale: David Mundell (Conservative) 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 average weekly earnings growth · Life expectancy at birth (UK) · UK employment rate
- Other council areas in Scotland: Angus · East Ayrshire · East Dunbartonshire · East Lothian · Midlothian · South Ayrshire
Related questions
- What is the average salary in my area?
- How healthy is my area?
- What is the average house price in my area?
- What is the population of my area?
- Who are my local councillors?
Figures checked 14 October 2026. Link moved or figure out of date? Tell us.