South Ayrshire: local statistics
South Ayrshire is a council area in Scotland, home to an estimated 112,280 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 South Ayrshire, from the council up to the G20.
Key figures
What the figures show
Median weekly pay for full-time employees who live in South Ayrshire was £870.30 in April 2025 (£43,076 a year). It is the 3rd highest in Scotland, and 12.2% more than across Scotland. Jobs based in South Ayrshire paid a median £821.20 a week, £49.10 less than the figure for people who live there. Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was £558.70: a change of +56% before inflation.
In August 2026, 2,100 people in South Ayrshire were on the claimant count, 3.2% of residents aged 16 to 64 (Scotland: 3.2%). The rate was the same a year earlier. Over the last five years it peaked at 5.6% in August 2021 and was lowest at 3.0% in October 2025.
Homes in South Ayrshire sold for an average of £171,905 in July 2026, up 8.5% on July 2025. That is the 21st highest of 32 in Scotland (average for Scotland: £196,349). Prices are 44% above July 2016 and at their highest July level in the series. Dividing the average price by the median annual pay of full-time employees living in South Ayrshire (£43,076) gives a ratio of 4.0. That ratio is 25th of 32 in Scotland, counting from the highest ratio.
South Ayrshire had an estimated 112,280 residents in mid-2025, a change of +0.0% in a year. That is 20 more people than in mid-2015, a rise of 0.0%, against +3.6% for Scotland as a whole. That is the 22nd fastest growth of the 32 council areas in Scotland. The series peaked at 112,400 in mid-2017.
4,390 businesses were registered for VAT or PAYE in South Ayrshire in March 2026, 3% fewer than in 2016. That is 39 for every 1,000 residents, close to the middle of the 32 council areas in Scotland (15th highest).
In 2022 to 2024, women in South Ayrshire had a life expectancy at birth of 81.3 years; for men it was 76.8 (Scotland: 81.1 and 77.2). For women that is 0.4 years more than in 2012 to 2014; for men, 1.4 less. It is mid-table in Scotland, 16th of 32.
The Annual Population Survey estimates that 74.3% of South Ayrshire residents aged 16 to 64 were in work in April 2025 to March 2026, with a margin of error of 5.1 points either way, against 74.6% across Scotland. Its lowest reading in the series was 62.5% and its highest 75.1%.
History
Population (mid-year)
| 2015 | 112,260 |
| 2016 | 112,200 |
| 2017 | 112,400 |
| 2018 | 111,990 |
| 2019 | 112,010 |
| 2020 | 111,470 |
| 2021 | 111,560 |
| 2022 | 111,560 |
| 2023 | 112,050 |
| 2024 | 112,270 |
| 2025 | 112,280 |
Average house price (same month each year)
| July 2016 | £119,276 |
| July 2017 | £126,008 |
| July 2018 | £133,811 |
| July 2019 | £126,868 |
| July 2020 | £133,462 |
| July 2021 | £146,671 |
| July 2022 | £165,477 |
| July 2023 | £159,126 |
| July 2024 | £165,075 |
| July 2025 | £158,462 |
| July 2026 | £171,905 |
Median weekly pay, residents
| 2015 | £558.70 a week |
| 2016 | £534.70 a week |
| 2017 | £556.00 a week |
| 2018 | £592.30 a week |
| 2019 | £626.10 a week |
| 2020 | £594.60 a week |
| 2021 | £665.90 a week |
| 2022 | £681.00 a week |
| 2023 | £749.10 a week |
| 2024 | £848.90 a week |
| 2025 | £870.30 a week |
Employment rate
| 2015/16 | 72.0% |
| 2016/17 | 72.0% |
| 2017/18 | 72.2% |
| 2018/19 | 70.3% |
| 2019/20 | 75.1% |
| 2020/21 | 69.7% |
| 2021/22 | 69.8% |
| 2022/23 | 65.5% |
| 2023/24 | 62.5% |
| 2024/25 | 72.5% |
| 2025/26 | 74.3% |
Life expectancy, women
| 2012 to 2014 | 80.9 years |
| 2013 to 2015 | 81.0 years |
| 2014 to 2016 | 80.8 years |
| 2015 to 2017 | 81.1 years |
| 2016 to 2018 | 81.2 years |
| 2017 to 2019 | 81.6 years |
| 2018 to 2020 | 81.1 years |
| 2019 to 2021 | 80.8 years |
| 2020 to 2022 | 80.8 years |
| 2021 to 2023 | 81.1 years |
| 2022 to 2024 | 81.3 years |
Registered businesses
| 2016 | 4,515 |
| 2017 | 4,585 |
| 2018 | 4,510 |
| 2019 | 4,540 |
| 2020 | 4,435 |
| 2021 | 4,455 |
| 2022 | 4,395 |
| 2023 | 4,405 |
| 2024 | 4,380 |
| 2025 | 4,405 |
| 2026 | 4,390 |
Questions about South Ayrshire
What is the average salary in South Ayrshire?
£870.30 a week before tax, the median for full-time employees who live there (April 2025, ONS).
How many people claim unemployment-related benefits in South Ayrshire?
The ONS claimant count was 2,100 in August 2026, 3.2% of 16 to 64-year-olds. It counts benefit claims, not unemployment.
What is the average house price in South Ayrshire?
£171,905 in July 2026, on HM Land Registry's UK House Price Index (+8.5% on a year).
What is the population of South Ayrshire?
112,280 in mid-2025, the latest ONS mid-year estimate.
What is life expectancy in South Ayrshire?
81.3 years for women and 76.8 for men (2022 to 2024, ONS).
Who has power over South Ayrshire
Every body that makes decisions for South Ayrshire, 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
- South Ayrshire council spending, reserves, debt and council tax
- South Ayrshire 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
- Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock: Elaine Stewart (Labour) MP
- Central Ayrshire: Alan Gemmell (Labour) 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 · UK unemployment rate · UK average house price
- Other council areas in Scotland: Angus · East Ayrshire · East Dunbartonshire · East Lothian · Midlothian · Scottish Borders
Related questions
- What is the average salary in my area?
- What is the unemployment rate in 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.