Orkney Islands: population and statistics
Orkney Islands has a population of 21,920 (2025) across 1,015.0 km², or 21.6 people per km². It ranks 359 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +1.9% between 2015 and 2025.
- 21,920 residents
- 1,015.0 km²
- 22 people/km²
Orkney Islands in numbers
Population of Orkney Islands over time
Orkney Islands had 21,520 residents in 2015 and 21,920 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 21,970 |
| 2021 | 22,030 |
| 2022 | 22,030 |
| 2023 | 22,010 |
| 2024 | 22,000 |
| 2025 | 21,920 |
All indicators for Orkney Islands
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 | Orkney Islands | Scotland | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 26.8% | 21.0% | 20.4% | ranked 45 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 15.3% | 15.8% | 17.4% | ranked 307 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Orkney Islands | Scotland | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average house price (2026) | £214,106 | £200,272 | £272,474 | ranked 263 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | −0.3% | 3.0% | 2.2% | ranked 270 of 360 |
Economy
| Indicator | Orkney Islands | Scotland | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 1,780 sites | 219,565 | 3,232,440 | ranked 356 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 81.2 per 1,000 | 39.6 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 10 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 1,475 businesses | 176,000 | 2,786,975 | ranked 356 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £43,430 | £39,890 | £38,490 | ranked 79 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Orkney Islands | Scotland | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 1.6% | 3.2% | 3.2% | ranked 358 of 361 |
Key points
Among the 32 local authorities in Scotland, Orkney Islands ranks 32 by population.
Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64: 1.6% in Orkney Islands, compared with an average of 3.2% in Scotland and 3.8% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 36.3% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- “Business sites (local units)”: lower than in 99% of local authorities.
- “Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64”: lower than in 99% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 142,161 football pitches.
- 13.2 times less dense than the UK average.
- The nearest local authority is Moray, 176.7 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Moray (94,730 residents), 177 km away.
Business sectors: Orkney Islands
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 fishing36.3% ×8.1
- Wholesale and retail trade9.6% ×0.6
- Construction8.8% ×0.7
- Professional, scientific and technical6.2% ×0.4
- Accommodation and food services5.4% ×0.8
- Transport and storage5.1% ×1.2
- Administrative and support services4.5% ×0.6
- Health and social work4.0% ×0.7
Where is Orkney Islands?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Orkney Islands?
Orkney Islands has 21,920 residents (2025), ranking 359 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Orkney Islands?
Orkney Islands covers 1,015.0 km², with a density of 22 people per km².
Is the population of Orkney Islands growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Orkney Islands went from 21,520 to 21,920, a change of +1.9%.
Where is Orkney Islands?
Orkney Islands is in Scotland (region). Latitude 59.000, longitude −3.000.
Business sites (local units): what is the figure for Orkney Islands?
In Orkney Islands, “Business sites (local units)” stands at 1,780 sites (2026), ranking 356 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 6,830 sites.
Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64: what is the figure for Orkney Islands?
In Orkney Islands, “Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64” stands at 1.6% (2026), ranking 358 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 3.2%.
Which local authorities border Orkney Islands?
The nearest to Orkney Islands are Moray (177 km), Shetland Islands (180 km), Highland (204 km), Aberdeenshire (212 km), Aberdeen City (212 km).