Shetland Islands: local statistics
Shetland Islands is a council area in Scotland, home to an estimated 22,710 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 Shetland Islands, from the council up to the G20.
Key figures
What the figures show
The claimant count for Shetland Islands stood at 175 in August 2026, or 1.2% of residents aged 16 to 64, compared with 3.2% in Scotland. That compares with 1.1% a year before. Over the last five years it peaked at 2.5% in August 2021 and was lowest at 1.1% in October 2025.
In mid-2025 the population of Shetland Islands was estimated at 22,710, a change of -0.4% in a year. Over ten years, since mid-2015, it has fallen by 2.8% (Scotland: +3.6%), the 2nd slowest growth in Scotland. The mid-2025 estimate is the lowest in the series.
In 2022 to 2024, women in Shetland Islands had a life expectancy at birth of 83.9 years; for men it was 79.5 (Scotland: 81.1 and 77.2). For women that is 1.5 years more than in 2012 to 2014; for men, 1.7 more. It is the 3rd highest for women of all 32 council areas in Scotland.
Median weekly pay for full-time employees who live in Shetland Islands was £863.60 in April 2025 (£46,527 a year). That is 11.3% above the figure for Scotland and the 4th highest of all 32 council areas in Scotland. The workplace figure, £859.10, is within £5 of it. Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was £592.60: a change of +46% before inflation. The ONS advises using the residents' estimate with caution because it comes from a small sample.
In March 2026, 1,940 VAT or PAYE-registered businesses were based in Shetland Islands, 7% more than in 2016. There are 85 per 1,000 residents, the highest of all 32 council areas in Scotland.
The Annual Population Survey estimates that 78.5% of Shetland Islands residents aged 16 to 64 were in work in April 2025 to March 2026 (give or take 17.2 points); the figure for Scotland was 74.6%. Over the 11 years shown it ranged from 69.9% to 89.1%.
Homes in Shetland Islands sold for an average of £179,493 in July 2026, down 7.0% on a year before. That is close to the middle of all 32 council areas in Scotland (17th highest) (average for Scotland: £196,349). The July peak was £194,528 in 2024, and prices are 23% above July 2016. Dividing the average price by the median annual pay of full-time employees living in Shetland Islands (£46,527) gives a ratio of 3.9. That ratio is the 27th highest ratio of 32 in Scotland.
History
Population (mid-year)
| 2015 | 23,370 |
| 2016 | 23,240 |
| 2017 | 23,110 |
| 2018 | 23,000 |
| 2019 | 22,910 |
| 2020 | 22,890 |
| 2021 | 22,960 |
| 2022 | 23,020 |
| 2023 | 22,890 |
| 2024 | 22,800 |
| 2025 | 22,710 |
Average house price (same month each year)
| July 2016 | £146,093 |
| July 2017 | £149,652 |
| July 2018 | £165,338 |
| July 2019 | £163,569 |
| July 2020 | £118,149 |
| July 2021 | £159,863 |
| July 2022 | £186,403 |
| July 2023 | £165,187 |
| July 2024 | £194,528 |
| July 2025 | £193,002 |
| July 2026 | £179,493 |
Median weekly pay, residents
| 2015 | £592.60 a week |
| 2016 | £637.20 a week |
| 2017 | £607.70 a week |
| 2018 | £661.50 a week |
| 2019 | £598.30 a week |
| 2020 | £642.60 a week |
| 2021 | £670.80 a week |
| 2022 | £671.60 a week |
| 2023 | £916.40 a week |
| 2024 | £782.10 a week |
| 2025 | £863.60 a week |
Employment rate
| 2015/16 | 89.1% |
| 2016/17 | 85.7% |
| 2017/18 | 81.7% |
| 2018/19 | 83.9% |
| 2019/20 | 75.6% |
| 2020/21 | 69.9% |
| 2021/22 | 79.2% |
| 2022/23 | 81.9% |
| 2023/24 | 83.5% |
| 2024/25 | 85.5% |
| 2025/26 | 78.5% |
Life expectancy, women
| 2012 to 2014 | 82.4 years |
| 2013 to 2015 | 82.0 years |
| 2014 to 2016 | 82.1 years |
| 2015 to 2017 | 83.2 years |
| 2016 to 2018 | 83.4 years |
| 2017 to 2019 | 83.3 years |
| 2018 to 2020 | 83.3 years |
| 2019 to 2021 | 83.3 years |
| 2020 to 2022 | 83.9 years |
| 2021 to 2023 | 83.9 years |
| 2022 to 2024 | 83.9 years |
Registered businesses
| 2016 | 1,805 |
| 2017 | 1,835 |
| 2018 | 1,860 |
| 2019 | 1,840 |
| 2020 | 1,845 |
| 2021 | 1,890 |
| 2022 | 1,930 |
| 2023 | 1,925 |
| 2024 | 1,920 |
| 2025 | 1,925 |
| 2026 | 1,940 |
Questions about Shetland Islands
How many people claim unemployment-related benefits in Shetland Islands?
The ONS claimant count was 175 in August 2026, 1.2% of 16 to 64-year-olds. It counts benefit claims, not unemployment.
What is the population of Shetland Islands?
22,710 in mid-2025, the latest ONS mid-year estimate.
What is life expectancy in Shetland Islands?
83.9 years for women and 79.5 for men (2022 to 2024, ONS).
What is the average salary in Shetland Islands?
Median pay for full-time employees living in Shetland Islands was £863.60 a week in April 2025 (£46,527 a year), from the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings.
What is the average house price in Shetland Islands?
HM Land Registry's figure for July 2026 is £179,493.
Who has power over Shetland Islands
Every body that makes decisions for Shetland 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
- Shetland Islands council spending, reserves, debt and council tax
- Shetland 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 population · Life expectancy at birth (UK)
- Other council areas in Scotland: Argyll and Bute · Clackmannanshire · Inverclyde · Na h-Eileanan Siar · Orkney Islands · West Dunbartonshire
Related questions
- What is the unemployment rate in my area?
- What is the population of my area?
- How healthy is 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.