Orkney Islands in figures

A profile of Orkney Islands from official statistics: 7 figures in 3 sections, each with its period, its change from a year earlier, its rank among similar places where a ranking exists, and its source.

Figures last updated on 2026-10-12.

People

Population in Orkney Islands was 21,920 in 2025, down 0.4% from 2024.

Population21,9202025Down 0.4% from 2024
Population aged 65 and over26.8%2025Up 0.9 percentage points from 2024
Net domestic migration, July to June202025Compared with 90 in 2024
21.4K21.6K21.8K22K22.2K201120142017202020252011: 21,420 persons2012: 21,500 persons2013: 21,510 persons2014: 21,510 persons2015: 21,520 persons2016: 21,640 persons2017: 21,730 persons2018: 21,830 persons2019: 21,870 persons2020: 21,970 persons2021: 22,030 persons2022: 22,030 persons2023: 22,010 persons2024: 22,000 persons2025: 21,920 persons21.4K21.6K21.8K22K22.2K20112016202120252011: 21,420 persons2012: 21,500 persons2013: 21,510 persons2014: 21,510 persons2015: 21,520 persons2016: 21,640 persons2017: 21,730 persons2018: 21,830 persons2019: 21,870 persons2020: 21,970 persons2021: 22,030 persons2022: 22,030 persons2023: 22,010 persons2024: 22,000 persons2025: 21,920 persons
Population, 2011 to 2025. persons. Source: Office for National Statistics (United Kingdom), Population estimates, local authority based by single year of age: all ages, both sexes, mid-year (ONS, Nomis NM_2002_1).

Sources: Office for National Statistics (United Kingdom), Population estimates, local authority based by single year of age: all ages, both sexes, mid-year (ONS, Nomis NM_2002_1); Office for National Statistics (United Kingdom), Population estimates, local authority based by single year of age: aged 65 and over, both sexes, percent of all ages, mid-year (ONS, Nomis NM_2002_1); Office for National Statistics (United Kingdom), Mid-year population estimates, components of change for UK local authorities: net internal migration, mid-year to mid-year (ONS, MYEB3). Population and demography statistics and rankings

Prices and housing

Average house price in Orkney Islands (pounds sterling) was £214,106 (provisional) in July 2026, down 0.3% from July 2025.

Average house price, pounds sterling£214,106July 2026, provisionalDown 0.3% from July 2025
House price annual change, monthly-0.3%July 2026, provisionalDown 5.3 percentage points from July 2025
160K180K200K220K240K2021-072022-042023-012023-102024-072025-042026-072021-07: 171,578 GBP2021-08: 177,064 GBP2021-09: 176,938 GBP2021-10: 177,956 GBP2021-11: 182,784 GBP2021-12: 183,951 GBP2022-01: 185,719 GBP2022-02: 178,417 GBP2022-03: 187,327 GBP2022-04: 204,342 GBP2022-05: 214,659 GBP2022-06: 216,766 GBP2022-07: 210,909 GBP2022-08: 209,284 GBP2022-09: 209,204 GBP2022-10: 211,629 GBP2022-11: 210,906 GBP2022-12: 207,601 GBP2023-01: 203,526 GBP2023-02: 190,620 GBP2023-03: 200,715 GBP2023-04: 196,197 GBP2023-05: 203,885 GBP2023-06: 194,733 GBP2023-07: 193,410 GBP2023-08: 195,041 GBP2023-09: 191,356 GBP2023-10: 191,238 GBP2023-11: 189,045 GBP2023-12: 187,862 GBP2024-01: 192,991 GBP2024-02: 192,618 GBP2024-03: 192,843 GBP2024-04: 200,354 GBP2024-05: 209,826 GBP2024-06: 211,197 GBP2024-07: 204,555 GBP2024-08: 200,601 GBP2024-09: 209,244 GBP2024-10: 204,679 GBP2024-11: 203,263 GBP2024-12: 202,271 GBP2025-01: 210,639 GBP2025-02: 201,641 GBP2025-03: 206,756 GBP2025-04: 206,216 GBP2025-05: 220,129 GBP2025-06: 226,684 GBP2025-07: 214,823 GBP2025-08: 219,017 GBP2025-09: 209,043 GBP2025-10: 229,996 GBP2025-11: 229,371 GBP2025-12: 234,911 GBP2026-01: 229,836 GBP2026-02: 223,537 GBP2026-03: 221,489 GBP2026-04: 229,357 GBP2026-05: 231,331 GBP2026-06: 233,159 GBP2026-07: 214,106 GBP160K180K200K220K240K2021-072023-042025-012026-072021-07: 171,578 GBP2021-08: 177,064 GBP2021-09: 176,938 GBP2021-10: 177,956 GBP2021-11: 182,784 GBP2021-12: 183,951 GBP2022-01: 185,719 GBP2022-02: 178,417 GBP2022-03: 187,327 GBP2022-04: 204,342 GBP2022-05: 214,659 GBP2022-06: 216,766 GBP2022-07: 210,909 GBP2022-08: 209,284 GBP2022-09: 209,204 GBP2022-10: 211,629 GBP2022-11: 210,906 GBP2022-12: 207,601 GBP2023-01: 203,526 GBP2023-02: 190,620 GBP2023-03: 200,715 GBP2023-04: 196,197 GBP2023-05: 203,885 GBP2023-06: 194,733 GBP2023-07: 193,410 GBP2023-08: 195,041 GBP2023-09: 191,356 GBP2023-10: 191,238 GBP2023-11: 189,045 GBP2023-12: 187,862 GBP2024-01: 192,991 GBP2024-02: 192,618 GBP2024-03: 192,843 GBP2024-04: 200,354 GBP2024-05: 209,826 GBP2024-06: 211,197 GBP2024-07: 204,555 GBP2024-08: 200,601 GBP2024-09: 209,244 GBP2024-10: 204,679 GBP2024-11: 203,263 GBP2024-12: 202,271 GBP2025-01: 210,639 GBP2025-02: 201,641 GBP2025-03: 206,756 GBP2025-04: 206,216 GBP2025-05: 220,129 GBP2025-06: 226,684 GBP2025-07: 214,823 GBP2025-08: 219,017 GBP2025-09: 209,043 GBP2025-10: 229,996 GBP2025-11: 229,371 GBP2025-12: 234,911 GBP2026-01: 229,836 GBP2026-02: 223,537 GBP2026-03: 221,489 GBP2026-04: 229,357 GBP2026-05: 231,331 GBP2026-06: 233,159 GBP2026-07: 214,106 GBP
Average house price, pounds sterling, July 2021 to July 2026. GBP. Source: HM Land Registry (United Kingdom), UK House Price Index: average price, all property types, not seasonally adjusted, pounds (HM Land Registry, Average price file).

Sources: HM Land Registry (United Kingdom), UK House Price Index: average price, all property types, not seasonally adjusted, pounds (HM Land Registry, Average price file); HM Land Registry (United Kingdom), UK House Price Index: annual change in the average price, all property types, not seasonally adjusted, percent (HM Land Registry, Average price file). Housing statistics and rankings

Business and tourism

Active enterprises in Orkney Islands were 900 in 2024, up 1.1% from 2023.

Active enterprises9002024Up 1.1% from 2023
Enterprise births552024Down 8.3% from 2023
8608708808909002019202020212022202320242019: 900 count2020: 880 count2021: 865 count2022: 875 count2023: 890 count2024: 900 count8608708808909002019202120242019: 900 count2020: 880 count2021: 865 count2022: 875 count2023: 890 count2024: 900 count
Active enterprises, 2019 to 2024. count. Source: Office for National Statistics (United Kingdom), Business demography, UK, Tables 3.1a to 3.1d: count of active enterprises by district, county and unitary authority within region and country.

Sources: Office for National Statistics (United Kingdom), Business demography, UK, Tables 3.1a to 3.1d: count of active enterprises by district, county and unitary authority within region and country; Office for National Statistics (United Kingdom), Business demography, UK, Tables 1.1a to 1.1d: count of births of new enterprises by district, county and unitary authority within region and country. Companies statistics and rankings

Sources and citations

Each figure comes from the table cited here. Cite the publisher; these citations include any notice the publisher requires.

  1. Office for National Statistics. Population estimates, local authority based by single year of age: all ages, both sexes, mid-year (ONS, Nomis NM_2002_1). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/api/v01/dataset/NM_2002_1.data.json?geography=TYPE480,TYPE424&gender=0&c_age=200&measures=20100&time=2011,latest. Retrieved 2026-10-11.
  2. Office for National Statistics. Population estimates, local authority based by single year of age: aged 65 and over, both sexes, percent of all ages, mid-year (ONS, Nomis NM_2002_1). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/api/v01/dataset/NM_2002_1.data.json?geography=TYPE480,TYPE424&gender=0&c_age=209&measures=20301&time=2011,latest. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  3. Office for National Statistics. Mid-year population estimates, components of change for UK local authorities: net internal migration, mid-year to mid-year (ONS, MYEB3). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/datasets/populationestimatesforukenglandandwalesscotlandandnorthernireland/mid2011tomid2025. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  4. HM Land Registry. UK House Price Index: average price, all property types, not seasonally adjusted, pounds (HM Land Registry, Average price file). Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right. This data is licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. https://publicdata.landregistry.gov.uk/market-trend-data/house-price-index-data/Average-prices-2026-07.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  5. HM Land Registry. UK House Price Index: annual change in the average price, all property types, not seasonally adjusted, percent (HM Land Registry, Average price file). Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right. This data is licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. https://publicdata.landregistry.gov.uk/market-trend-data/house-price-index-data/Average-prices-2026-07.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  6. Office for National Statistics. Business demography, UK, Tables 3.1a to 3.1d: count of active enterprises by district, county and unitary authority within region and country. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/business/activitysizeandlocation/datasets/businessdemographyreferencetable. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  7. Office for National Statistics. Business demography, UK, Tables 1.1a to 1.1d: count of births of new enterprises by district, county and unitary authority within region and country. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/business/activitysizeandlocation/datasets/businessdemographyreferencetable. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

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