# Caithness North West North east Highland. 4,851 people (mid-2024 estimate) in 795 square kilometres. Caithness North West had 4,940 usual residents at the census (Scotland's Census 2022). Middle area. Code S02003333. In: [Scotland](https://openindex.co.uk/scotland) › [Highland](https://openindex.co.uk/highland) ## Key figures - **Population: 4,940** (2021). Caithness North West had 4,940 usual residents at the census (Scotland's Census 2022). 1,906th 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/caithness-north-west#f-population - **People in radon Affected Area squares: 96%** (2022). About 96% of people in Caithness North West 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/caithness-north-west#f-radon-affected-share - **Gigabit broadband coverage: 62.8%** (January 2026). In Caithness North West, 62.8% 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/caithness-north-west#f-gigabit-coverage - **Claimant rate: 1.9%** (August 2026). In Caithness North West, 1.9% 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/caithness-north-west#f-claimant-rate ## On the map - [Radon Affected Area by middle area](https://openindex.co.uk/map/radon-affected-areas?place=S02003333) (Worked out by Open Index · 2022): About 96% of people in Caithness North West 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=S02003333) (UK House Price Index · July 2026): Published for whole councils, so the map colours all of Highland. The outline is Caithness North West. - [Crimes by council](https://openindex.co.uk/map/scotland-crime-count?place=S02003333) (Recorded crimes and offences in Scotland · 2025/26): Published for whole councils, so the map colours all of Highland. The outline is Caithness North West. - [Population by middle area](https://openindex.co.uk/map/population?place=S02003333) (Census 2021, England and Wales): Caithness North West had 4,940 usual residents at the census. ## Recorded crime in Caithness North West Scotland publishes recorded crime by council. It has its own layers. ## How Caithness North West compares Each middle area against every other middle area the measure covers. | Measure | Caithness North West | Rank | Compared with | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Population | 4,940 | 11th most populated | 58 middle areas, Highland · 2021 | | People in radon Affected Area squares | 96% | 14th most people in radon Affected Areas | 58 middle areas, Highland · 2022 | | Gigabit broadband coverage | 62.8% | 26th lowest | 58 middle areas, Highland · Jan 2026 | | Claimant rate | 1.9% | joint 24th lowest | 58 middle areas, Highland · Aug 2026 | ## What is the population of Caithness North West? Caithness North West had 4,940 usual residents at the census. Caithness North West is the 1,906th 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 Caithness North West alone. [See Highland](https://openindex.co.uk/highland) - **Average house price: £221,136** (July 2026). Highland’s average house price was £221,136 in July 2026 (HM Land Registry). Up 6.1% in a year. Source: UK House Price Index, July 2026. Published 16 September 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: 5.6×** (2025). A home in Highland costs 5.6 times local full-time pay. Joint 65th most affordable of 348. Source: Worked out by Open Index from the UK House Price Index and the ONS earnings survey. Published 16 September 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. ## Caithness North West in brief Caithness North West had 4,940 usual residents at the census. About 96% of people in Caithness North West live in a 1 km square that the radon atlas marks as a radon Affected Area. In Caithness North West, 62.8% of homes and businesses could get gigabit-capable broadband in January 2026. In Caithness North West, 1.9% of residents aged 16 to 64 were claiming out-of-work benefits in August 2026. ## About - Type: Middle area - Code: S02003333 - Ward: [Thurso and Northwest Caithness †](https://openindex.co.uk/highland/ward/thurso-and-northwest-caithness) - 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: 795 km² - People, mid-2024: 4,851* - Neighbourhoods: 7 - Output areas: 42 * 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 [Caithness North East](https://openindex.co.uk/highland/caithness-north-east), [Caithness South](https://openindex.co.uk/highland/caithness-south), [Sutherland North and West](https://openindex.co.uk/highland/sutherland-north-and-west), [Thurso East](https://openindex.co.uk/highland/thurso-east), [Thurso West](https://openindex.co.uk/highland/thurso-west), [Sutherland East](https://openindex.co.uk/highland/sutherland-east) ## Latest updates for Caithness North West - Schools updated: Ofsted · Oct 2026. - GP practices updated: NHS England · Oct 2026. - Schools updated: Department for Education · Oct 2026. - Schools updated: Department for Education · Oct 2026. The same figures as JSON: https://openindex.co.uk/v1/places/S02003333 ## How to cite Source: Open Index, openindex.co.uk. Link to this page, https://openindex.co.uk/highland/caithness-north-west, or to one figure with its anchor, https://openindex.co.uk/highland/caithness-north-west#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 2026.10.8, https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23508850. The HTML page: https://openindex.co.uk/highland/caithness-north-west