# Black Isle Fortrose and Avoch

East Highland. 4,108 people (mid-2024 estimate) in 42 square kilometres.

Black Isle Fortrose and Avoch had 4,062 usual residents at the census (Scotland's Census 2022).

Middle area. Code S02003321. In: [Scotland](https://openindex.co.uk/scotland) › [Highland](https://openindex.co.uk/highland)

## Key figures

- **Population: 4,062** (2021). Black Isle Fortrose and Avoch had 4,062 usual residents at the census (Scotland's Census 2022). Joint 1,575th least populated of 9,448. Source: Census 2021, England and Wales and Scotland's Census 2022 and Census 2021, Northern Ireland, 2021. Published 21 July 2026. https://openindex.co.uk/highland/black-isle-fortrose-and-avoch#f-population
- **People in radon Affected Area squares: 66%** (2022). About 66% of people in Black Isle Fortrose and Avoch live in a 1 km square that the radon atlas marks as a radon Affected Area. UK 44%. Source: Worked out by Open Index from the UKHSA and BGS radon atlas and census output areas. Published 1 December 2022. https://openindex.co.uk/highland/black-isle-fortrose-and-avoch#f-radon-affected-share
- **Gigabit broadband coverage: 87.2%** (January 2026). In Black Isle Fortrose and Avoch, 87.2% of homes and businesses could get gigabit-capable broadband in January 2026 (Ofcom). UK 87.8%. Source: Connected Nations (Ofcom), January 2026. Published 13 May 2026. https://openindex.co.uk/highland/black-isle-fortrose-and-avoch#f-gigabit-coverage
- **Claimant rate: 1.3%** (August 2026). In Black Isle Fortrose and Avoch, 1.3% of residents aged 16 to 64 were claiming out-of-work benefits in August 2026 (ONS via Nomis). UK 3.9%. Source: Claimant count (Nomis), August 2026. Published 15 September 2026. https://openindex.co.uk/highland/black-isle-fortrose-and-avoch#f-claimant-rate

## On the map

- [Radon Affected Area by middle area](https://openindex.co.uk/map/radon-affected-areas?place=S02003321) (Worked out by Open Index · 2022): About 66% of people in Black Isle Fortrose and Avoch live in a 1 km square that the radon atlas marks as a radon Affected Area.
- [Average house price by council](https://openindex.co.uk/map/house-prices?place=S02003321) (UK House Price Index · August 2026): Published for whole councils, so the map colours all of Highland. The outline is Black Isle Fortrose and Avoch.
- [Crimes by council](https://openindex.co.uk/map/scotland-crime-count?place=S02003321) (Recorded crimes and offences in Scotland · 2025/26): Published for whole councils, so the map colours all of Highland. The outline is Black Isle Fortrose and Avoch.
- [Population by middle area](https://openindex.co.uk/map/population?place=S02003321) (Census 2021, England and Wales): Black Isle Fortrose and Avoch had 4,062 usual residents at the census.

## Recorded crime in Black Isle Fortrose and Avoch


Scotland publishes recorded crime by council. It has its own layers.

## How Black Isle Fortrose and Avoch compares

Each middle area against every other middle area the measure covers.

| Measure | Black Isle Fortrose and Avoch | Rank | Compared with |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Population | 4,062 | 25th most populated | 58 middle areas, Highland · 2021 |
| People in radon Affected Area squares | 66% | 28th most people in radon Affected Areas | 58 middle areas, Highland · 2022 |
| Gigabit broadband coverage | 87.2% | 23rd highest | 58 middle areas, Highland · Jan 2026 |
| Claimant rate | 1.3% | joint 7th lowest | 58 middle areas, Highland · Aug 2026 |

## What is the population of Black Isle Fortrose and Avoch?

Black Isle Fortrose and Avoch had 4,062 usual residents at the census.
Black Isle Fortrose and Avoch is the joint 1,575th least populated of 9,448 in the UK.

## Figures for the whole of Highland

These figures are published for the whole of Highland, not for each middle area, so they describe all of Highland and not Black Isle Fortrose and Avoch alone. [See Highland](https://openindex.co.uk/highland)

- **Average house price: £224,574** (August 2026). Highland’s average house price was £224,574 in August 2026 (HM Land Registry). Up 7.4% in a year. Source: UK House Price Index, August 2026. Published 21 October 2026.
- **Median full-time pay: £39,740** (2025). Full-time workers living in Highland earned a median of £39,740 in 2025 (ONS earnings survey). 144th highest paid of 348. Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025. Published 23 October 2025.
- **House price to pay: 5.7×** (2025). A home in Highland costs 5.7 times local full-time pay. Joint 72nd most affordable of 348. Source: Worked out by Open Index from the UK House Price Index and the ONS earnings survey. Published 21 October 2026.
- **Population estimate: 237,260** (2025). Highland’s population was an estimated 237,260 in mid-2025 (ONS population estimates). Down 0.1% in a year. Source: Mid-year population estimates, 2025. Published 1 October 2026.

## Black Isle Fortrose and Avoch in brief

Black Isle Fortrose and Avoch had 4,062 usual residents at the census.
About 66% of people in Black Isle Fortrose and Avoch live in a 1 km square that the radon atlas marks as a radon Affected Area.
In Black Isle Fortrose and Avoch, 87.2% of homes and businesses could get gigabit-capable broadband in January 2026.
In Black Isle Fortrose and Avoch, 1.3% of residents aged 16 to 64 were claiming out-of-work benefits in August 2026.

## About

- Type: Middle area
- Code: S02003321
- Ward: [Black Isle †](https://openindex.co.uk/highland/ward/black-isle)
- Constituency: [Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross †](https://openindex.co.uk/constituency/caithness-sutherland-and-easter-ross)
- Council: [Highland](https://openindex.co.uk/highland)
- Nation: [Scotland](https://openindex.co.uk/scotland)
- Area: 42.10 km²
- People, mid-2024: 4,108*
- Neighbourhoods: 5
- Output areas: 35

* People: worked out by Open Index by adding up the neighbourhood estimates inside this area.
† Best fit: the ward and constituency this middle area mostly lies in. Its edges do not follow theirs.

## Next door

[Black Isle North](https://openindex.co.uk/highland/black-isle-north), [Black Isle South](https://openindex.co.uk/highland/black-isle-south)

## Latest updates for Black Isle Fortrose and Avoch

- August 2026 house prices published: HM Land Registry and partners · Oct 2026.
- September 2026 rent published: ONS private rents · Oct 2026.
- Schools updated: Ofsted · Oct 2026.
- GP practices updated: NHS England · Oct 2026.

The same figures as JSON: https://openindex.co.uk/v1/places/S02003321

## How to cite

Source: Open Index, openindex.co.uk. Link to this page, https://openindex.co.uk/highland/black-isle-fortrose-and-avoch, or to one figure with its anchor, https://openindex.co.uk/highland/black-isle-fortrose-and-avoch#f-population.

Open Index's own text and the figures it works out are licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Source data keeps its publishers' licences, named with each figure. Give each figure's period and source with it.

Snapshot 2026.10.9. The HTML page: https://openindex.co.uk/highland/black-isle-fortrose-and-avoch