Orkney Islands council area. Every figure carries its own date.
How the population is changing, who lives here and what living standards look like.
Orkney Islands council area. These are council-area figures. They are not a separate history for every ward or the city centre.
More people? A different age mix?
The population grew from 19,520 in 1991 to 21,920 in 2025.
A growing number of children, working-age adults or older residents can mean different needs for homes, schools, jobs and care.
Population
1996 to 2025
Orkney Islands council area · people
Reviewed figures: 1991 to 2025. The chart opens on the latest 30 years; choose All history for the full reviewed record.
Shown on this chart: 19,730 people in 1996; 21,920 people in 2025. 11.1% higher between these observations.
18.9k20.6k22.3k
19962025
The line joins consecutive published observations.
Hover or tap the chart for a value. Use the date slider with touch or arrow keys. Escape closes the chart label.
Data table and workings
Published annual mid-year population estimates, both sexes. Exact requested ONS area code; source geography vintage retained. Latest revised source series is used throughout; no years are interpolated and no ward values are inferred.
Mid-year estimates, not census counts. Historical revisions and boundaries follow this one published series.
This is the whole stated area, not a ward or necessarily the named city settlement.
The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.
Population — Orkney Islands council area: full reviewed history
Reviewed figures: 1991 to 2025. The chart opens on the latest 30 years; choose All history for the full reviewed record.
Shown on this chart: 4,174 people in 1996; 3,346 people in 2025. 19.8% lower between these observations.
3.2k3.7k4.2k
19962025
The line joins consecutive published observations.
Hover or tap the chart for a value. Use the date slider with touch or arrow keys. Escape closes the chart label.
Data table and workings
Published annual mid-year population estimates, both sexes. Exact requested ONS area code; source geography vintage retained. Latest revised source series is used throughout; no years are interpolated and no ward values are inferred.
Mid-year estimates, not census counts. Historical revisions and boundaries follow this one published series.
This is the whole stated area, not a ward or necessarily the named city settlement.
The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.
People aged 0 to 15 — Orkney Islands council area: full reviewed history
Reviewed figures: 1991 to 2025. The chart opens on the latest 30 years; choose All history for the full reviewed record.
Shown on this chart: 12,391 people in 1996; 12,697 people in 2025. 2.5% higher between these observations.
12k12.8k13.7k
19962025
The line joins consecutive published observations.
Hover or tap the chart for a value. Use the date slider with touch or arrow keys. Escape closes the chart label.
Data table and workings
Published annual mid-year population estimates, both sexes. Exact requested ONS area code; source geography vintage retained. Latest revised source series is used throughout; no years are interpolated and no ward values are inferred.
Mid-year estimates, not census counts. Historical revisions and boundaries follow this one published series.
This is the whole stated area, not a ward or necessarily the named city settlement.
The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.
People aged 16 to 64 — Orkney Islands council area: full reviewed history
Reviewed figures: 1991 to 2025. The chart opens on the latest 30 years; choose All history for the full reviewed record.
Shown on this chart: 3,165 people in 1996; 5,877 people in 2025. 85.7% higher between these observations.
2.8k4.5k6.1k
19962025
The line joins consecutive published observations.
Hover or tap the chart for a value. Use the date slider with touch or arrow keys. Escape closes the chart label.
Data table and workings
Published annual mid-year population estimates, both sexes. Exact requested ONS area code; source geography vintage retained. Latest revised source series is used throughout; no years are interpolated and no ward values are inferred.
Mid-year estimates, not census counts. Historical revisions and boundaries follow this one published series.
This is the whole stated area, not a ward or necessarily the named city settlement.
The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.
People aged 65 or over — Orkney Islands council area: full reviewed history
Population growth alone does not show whether services are under pressure. Capacity, location and residents’ needs also matter.
How residents described their ethnic group
These are census snapshots, not annual estimates. Open a year to see both the number of people and their share of the population.
2022 census · 21,977 residentsHow this census compares with other years
Scotland’s census was held in 2022. These are native Scottish broad categories, with African separate from Caribbean or Black. The national term minority ethnic also includes some White groups, so it must not be read as non-White. Privacy-adjusted cells can differ from published totals. Categories containing an undefined source dash are unavailable pending a verified aggregate release or symbol definition.
Ethnic group · Orkney Islands · 2022
Residents’ census answer
People
Share
White: Total
21,616
98.4%
Mixed or multiple ethnic group
Not available
Not available
Asian, Asian Scottish or Asian British: Total
Not available
Not available
African: Total
Not available
Not available
Caribbean or Black: Total
Not available
Not available
Other ethnic groups: Total
Not available
Not available
Census wording and the available categories can change. The tables retain the categories published for each year; they are not automatically like-for-like trends.
Source and method →2011 census · 21,349 residentsHow this census compares with other years
The 2011 UK table retains its own category structure, including a separate Traveller category. It is not automatically comparable with later national census categories or modern district boundaries.
Ethnic group · Orkney Islands · 2011
Residents’ census answer
People
Share
White
21,190
99.3%
Gypsy / Traveller / Irish Traveller
3
0%
Mixed / Multiple ethnic group
39
0.2%
Asian / Asian British: Indian
18
0.1%
Asian / Asian British: Pakistani
15
0.1%
Asian / Asian British: Bangladeshi
7
0%
Asian / Asian British: Chinese
18
0.1%
Asian / Asian British: Other Asian
31
0.1%
Black / African / Caribbean / Black British
17
0.1%
Other Ethnic Group
11
0.1%
Census wording and the available categories can change. The tables retain the categories published for each year; they are not automatically like-for-like trends.
A complete, comparable 30-year ethnicity history is not available for every current area. Missing years have not been estimated.
How comfortable is life here?
Pay, housing costs, health and opportunities tell different parts of the story. An area average can hide large differences between households.
In 2024, average disposable income per person was 2.8% below the UK average.
Money available to spend or save per person
1997 to 2024
Orkney Islands council area · Cash prices, before allowing for inflation
Reviewed figures: 1997 to 2024. This reviewed record covers fewer than 30 years, so the chart opens on all of it.
Shown on this chart: £6,790 per person in 1997; £25,234 per person in 2024. 271.6% higher between these observations.
£4.6k£15.6k£26.7k
19972024
The line joins consecutive published observations.
Hover or tap the chart for a value. Use the date slider with touch or arrow keys. Escape closes the chart label.
Data table and workings
Published ONS table values from one 1997–2024 release, matched by exact source geography code. Table3 per-person values are retained, not recalculated from rounded totals. Source country/region references are the official published totals, not averages of selected councils.
Amounts are in cash prices for each year and include inflation. A rise does not by itself show an increase in purchasing power.
This is an average per resident, including children and retired people, not the income of a typical household, wages or wealth.
These are official statistics in development, combining administrative and survey inputs. The Annual Population Survey contributes to some components; it is not the sole source.
The 2024 estimates are provisional. Earlier years have been revised within this single release; no release editions are spliced.
The UK index compares each year with the UK average in that same year. It is not an inflation-adjusted income index.
Geography as published in the ONS 19 August 2026 release; exact source code retained. The workbook does not specify a separate local-boundary effective date.
The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.
Money available to spend or save per person — Orkney Islands council area: full reviewed history
Above zero means income is above the UK average; below zero means it is below. Each year is compared with the UK average for that same year.
Income above or below the UK average
1997 to 2024
Orkney Islands council area · %
Reviewed figures: 1997 to 2024. This reviewed record covers fewer than 30 years, so the chart opens on all of it.
Shown on this chart: -36% in 1997; -2.8% in 2024. 33.2 percentage points higher.
-40.5%-18%4.5%
19972024
The line joins consecutive published observations.
Hover or tap the chart for a value. Use the date slider with touch or arrow keys. Escape closes the chart label.
Data table and workings
Published ONS table values from one 1997–2024 release, matched by exact source geography code. Table3 per-person values are retained, not recalculated from rounded totals. Source country/region references are the official published totals, not averages of selected councils. Displayed as the published UK=100 value minus 100, giving the percentage above or below the UK average.
Amounts are in cash prices for each year and include inflation. A rise does not by itself show an increase in purchasing power.
This is an average per resident, including children and retired people, not the income of a typical household, wages or wealth.
These are official statistics in development, combining administrative and survey inputs. The Annual Population Survey contributes to some components; it is not the sole source.
The 2024 estimates are provisional. Earlier years have been revised within this single release; no release editions are spliced.
The UK index compares each year with the UK average in that same year. It is not an inflation-adjusted income index.
Geography as published in the ONS 19 August 2026 release; exact source code retained. The workbook does not specify a separate local-boundary effective date.
The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.
Income above or below the UK average — Orkney Islands council area: full reviewed history
Mixed-source official estimates: administrative records and surveys. Income here is the average money per resident available to spend or save after tax and benefits. It is not typical pay or household wealth. Cash figures do not show how much prices changed.
Adults with no qualifications
17.6%
20 March 2022 · Orkney Islands council area
Show the workings
All usual residents aged 16 and over
UK Facts calculation: output-area counts summed using the official NRS 2022 geography index only when every required cell is numeric. The source dash has no verified definition in the archive or its disclosure notes, so affected sums are withheld; it is not treated as zero. Dash-cell counts are retained in diagnostics. Cells are privacy-adjusted and may not add to independently published totals. Each percentage uses its own table denominator. Scottish degree-or-higher excludes HNC/HND and is kept distinct from the wider Level 4+ measure used elsewhere.
UK Facts calculation: output-area counts summed using the official NRS 2022 geography index only when every required cell is numeric. The source dash has no verified definition in the archive or its disclosure notes, so affected sums are withheld; it is not treated as zero. Dash-cell counts are retained in diagnostics. Cells are privacy-adjusted and may not add to independently published totals. Each percentage uses its own table denominator.
A required output-area cell contains an undefined dash; the affected aggregate is withheld, not treated as zero.
Published UK House Price Index average price, all property types and all buyers, not seasonally adjusted. Entire series comes from the 2026-07 official full-file release, preserving its historical revisions and exact area codes. It is a mix-adjusted average, not the median price paid.
Deprivation describes several kinds of disadvantage. It is not a measure of household wealth. A change in an area's ranking does not by itself show whether living conditions improved.
Use the age profile alongside school places and care capacity, and look at housing costs alongside pay. Then check whether local plans respond to the needs shown by the evidence.
Some Scottish ethnicity categories are withheld because their source output areas contain undefined dash markers: Mixed or multiple ethnic group; Asian, Asian Scottish or Asian British: Total; African: Total; Caribbean or Black: Total; Other ethnic groups: Total. The markers have not been interpreted as zero.
A verified 2001 Scottish ethnicity snapshot on this exact area code is not included in this release.
These histories describe the stated whole area. A consistent historical series for its current wards has not been established.
1991 ethnicity has not been reconstructed to this current area. No annual ethnicity values are inferred between census dates.
These local income figures include inflation. No local inflation-adjusted income series has been substituted or inferred from regional prices.
This series describes the stated council or reference area. A comparable 30-year income history for its current wards has not been established.
The reviewed release starts in 1997. Earlier income values have not been invented or joined from another definition.
