Aberdeenshire: population and statistics
Aberdeenshire has a population of 264,640 (2025) across 6,318.0 km², or 41.9 people per km². It ranks 80 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +0.5% between 2015 and 2025.
- 264,640 residents
- 6,318.0 km²
- 42 people/km²
Aberdeenshire in numbers
Population of Aberdeenshire over time
Aberdeenshire had 263,250 residents in 2015 and 264,640 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 261,510 |
| 2021 | 263,140 |
| 2022 | 263,750 |
| 2023 | 264,850 |
| 2024 | 265,110 |
| 2025 | 264,640 |
All indicators for Aberdeenshire
Value for the area, then the regional average and the UK median (for counts: regional and UK totals). The gauge places the area between the lowest and highest value in the UK.
Population
| Indicator | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 22.7% | 21.0% | 20.4% | ranked 118 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 17.6% | 15.8% | 17.4% | ranked 167 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average house price (2026) | £204,894 | £200,272 | £272,474 | ranked 282 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 0.7% | 3.0% | 2.2% | ranked 238 of 360 |
Economy
| Indicator | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 14,335 sites | 219,565 | 3,232,440 | ranked 51 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 54.2 per 1,000 | 39.6 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 72 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 12,475 businesses | 176,000 | 2,786,975 | ranked 51 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £43,656 | £39,890 | £38,490 | ranked 72 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 76.4% | 74.5% | 76.3% | ranked 172 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 2.1% | 3.2% | 3.2% | ranked 316 of 361 |
Key points
Among the 32 local authorities in Scotland, Aberdeenshire ranks 6 by population.
Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64: 2.1% in Aberdeenshire, compared with an average of 3.2% in Scotland and 3.8% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 19.9% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64”: lower than in 91% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 884,875 football pitches.
- 6.8 times less dense than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is Aberdeen City, 1.4 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is City of Edinburgh (531,370 residents), 149 km away.
Business sectors: Aberdeenshire
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than across the UK.
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing19.9% ×4.5
- Professional, scientific and technical17.0% ×1.2
- Construction11.6% ×0.9
- Wholesale and retail trade11.2% ×0.7
- Administrative and support services7.4% ×0.9
- Manufacturing5.7% ×1.3
- Accommodation and food services5.0% ×0.7
- Health and social work3.9% ×0.7
Where is Aberdeenshire?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Aberdeenshire?
Aberdeenshire has 264,640 residents (2025), ranking 80 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Aberdeenshire?
Aberdeenshire covers 6,318.0 km², with a density of 42 people per km².
Is the population of Aberdeenshire growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Aberdeenshire went from 263,250 to 264,640, a change of +0.5%.
Where is Aberdeenshire?
Aberdeenshire is in Scotland (region). Latitude 57.151, longitude −2.123.
Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64: what is the figure for Aberdeenshire?
In Aberdeenshire, “Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64” stands at 2.1% (2026), ranking 316 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 3.2%.
Business sites (local units): what is the figure for Aberdeenshire?
In Aberdeenshire, “Business sites (local units)” stands at 14,335 sites (2026), ranking 51 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 6,830 sites.
Which local authorities border Aberdeenshire?
The nearest to Aberdeenshire are Aberdeen City (1.4 km), Angus (72 km), Moray (74 km), Dundee City (90 km), Perth and Kinross (116 km).