Shetland Islands: population and statistics
Shetland Islands has a population of 22,710 (2025) across 1,468.5 km², or 15.5 people per km². It ranks 358 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is falling: −2.8% between 2015 and 2025.
- 22,710 residents
- 1,468.5 km²
- 16 people/km²
Shetland Islands in numbers
Population of Shetland Islands over time
Shetland Islands had 23,370 residents in 2015 and 22,710 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 22,890 |
| 2021 | 22,960 |
| 2022 | 23,020 |
| 2023 | 22,890 |
| 2024 | 22,800 |
| 2025 | 22,710 |
All indicators for Shetland 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 | Shetland Islands | Scotland | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 23.3% | 21.0% | 20.4% | ranked 105 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 17.1% | 15.8% | 17.4% | ranked 202 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Shetland Islands | Scotland | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average house price (2026) | £179,493 | £200,272 | £272,474 | ranked 319 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | −7.0% | 3.0% | 2.2% | ranked 353 of 360 |
Economy
| Indicator | Shetland Islands | Scotland | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 1,940 sites | 219,565 | 3,232,440 | ranked 355 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 85.4 per 1,000 | 39.6 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 8 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 1,600 businesses | 176,000 | 2,786,975 | ranked 354 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £46,527 | £39,890 | £38,490 | ranked 35 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Shetland Islands | Scotland | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 78.5% | 74.5% | 76.3% | ranked 124 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 1.2% | 3.2% | 3.2% | ranked 360 of 361 |
Key points
Among the 32 local authorities in Scotland, Shetland Islands ranks 31 by population.
Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64: 1.2% in Shetland Islands, compared with an average of 3.2% in Scotland and 3.8% across the UK.
House price change over 12 months: −7.0% in Shetland Islands, compared with an average of 3.0% in Scotland and 1.9% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 36.4% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Scotland for “Business sites per 1,000 residents”.
- Number 1 in Scotland for “Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross)”.
- “Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64”: lower than in 100% of local authorities.
- “House price change over 12 months”: lower than in 98% of local authorities.
- “Business sites (local units)”: lower than in 98% of local authorities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 205,672 football pitches.
- 18.3 times less dense than the UK average.
Business sectors: Shetland 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 fishing36.4% ×8.2
- Construction10.9% ×0.9
- Wholesale and retail trade9.6% ×0.6
- Professional, scientific and technical7.5% ×0.5
- Manufacturing4.9% ×1.2
- Accommodation and food services4.9% ×0.7
- Administrative and support services4.4% ×0.5
- Transport and storage4.2% ×1.0
Where is Shetland Islands?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Shetland Islands?
Shetland Islands has 22,710 residents (2025), ranking 358 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Shetland Islands?
Shetland Islands covers 1,468.5 km², with a density of 16 people per km².
Is the population of Shetland Islands growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Shetland Islands went from 23,370 to 22,710, a change of −2.8%.
Where is Shetland Islands?
Shetland Islands is in Scotland (region). Latitude 60.357, longitude −1.261.
Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64: what is the figure for Shetland Islands?
In Shetland Islands, “Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64” stands at 1.2% (2026), ranking 360 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 3.2%.
House price change over 12 months: what is the figure for Shetland Islands?
In Shetland Islands, “House price change over 12 months” stands at −7.0% (2026), ranking 353 of 360 local authorities; the UK median is 2.2%.
Which local authorities border Shetland Islands?
The nearest to Shetland Islands are Orkney Islands (180 km), Moray (346 km), Aberdeen City (360 km), Aberdeenshire (360 km), Highland (383 km).