# North, West and Central Sutherland North Highland. About 5,888 people (mid-2024 estimate) in 4,817 square kilometres. North, West and Central Sutherland had 5,876 usual residents at the census (Scotland's Census 2022). Ward. Code S13002990. In: [Scotland](https://openindex.co.uk/scotland) › [Highland](https://openindex.co.uk/highland) ## Key figures - **Population: 5,876** (2021). North, West and Central Sutherland had 5,876 usual residents at the census (Scotland's Census 2022). 3,479th least populated of 8,397. 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/ward/north-west-and-central-sutherland#f-population - **People in radon Affected Area squares: 39%** (2022). About 39% of people in North, West and Central Sutherland 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/ward/north-west-and-central-sutherland#f-radon-affected-share - **Gigabit broadband coverage: 32.3%** (January 2026). In North, West and Central Sutherland, 32.3% 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/ward/north-west-and-central-sutherland#f-gigabit-coverage - **Claimant rate: 1.9%** (August 2026). In North, West and Central Sutherland, 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/ward/north-west-and-central-sutherland#f-claimant-rate ## On the map - [Radon Affected Area by ward](https://openindex.co.uk/map/radon-affected-areas#place=S13002990) (Worked out by Open Index · 2022): About 39% of people in North, West and Central Sutherland 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=S13002990) (UK House Price Index · August 2026): Published for whole councils, so the map colours all of Highland. The outline is North, West and Central Sutherland. - [Crimes by council](https://openindex.co.uk/map/scotland-crime-count#place=S13002990) (Recorded crimes and offences in Scotland · 2025/26): Published for whole councils, so the map colours all of Highland. The outline is North, West and Central Sutherland. - [Population by ward](https://openindex.co.uk/map/population#place=S13002990) (Census 2021, England and Wales): North, West and Central Sutherland had 5,876 usual residents at the census. ## How North, West and Central Sutherland compares Each ward against every other ward the measure covers. | Measure | North, West and Central Sutherland | Rank | Compared with | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Population | 5,876 | least populated | 21 wards, Highland · 2021 | | People in radon Affected Area squares | 39% | joint 7th fewest people in radon Affected Areas | 21 wards, Highland · 2022 | | Gigabit broadband coverage | 32.3% | 6th lowest | 21 wards, Highland · Jan 2026 | | Claimant rate | 1.9% | joint 6th lowest | 21 wards, Highland · Aug 2026 | ## What is the population of North, West and Central Sutherland? North, West and Central Sutherland had 5,876 usual residents at the census. North, West and Central Sutherland is the 3,479th least populated of 8,397 in the UK. ## Figures for the whole of Highland These figures are published for the whole of Highland, not for each ward, so they describe all of Highland and not North, West and Central Sutherland 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. ## North, West and Central Sutherland in brief North, West and Central Sutherland had 5,876 usual residents at the census. About 39% of people in North, West and Central Sutherland live in a 1 km square that the radon atlas marks as a radon Affected Area. In North, West and Central Sutherland, 32.3% of homes and businesses could get gigabit-capable broadband in January 2026. In North, West and Central Sutherland, 1.9% of residents aged 16 to 64 were claiming out-of-work benefits in August 2026. ## About - Type: Ward - Code: S13002990 - 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: 4,817 km² - People, mid-2024: 5,888* - Neighbourhoods: 8 - Output areas: 53 * People: worked out by Open Index from neighbourhood estimates, shared out by where people lived at the census (by area in Northern Ireland). This area's edges do not follow neighbourhood edges, so the figure is close but not exact. † Best fit: the constituency this ward mostly lies in. Its edges do not follow it. ## Next door [East Sutherland and Edderton](https://openindex.co.uk/highland/ward/east-sutherland-and-edderton), [Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh](https://openindex.co.uk/highland/ward/wester-ross-strathpeffer-and-lochalsh), [Cromarty Firth](https://openindex.co.uk/highland/ward/cromarty-firth), [Thurso and Northwest Caithness](https://openindex.co.uk/highland/ward/thurso-and-northwest-caithness), [Wick and East Caithness](https://openindex.co.uk/highland/ward/wick-and-east-caithness) ## Latest updates for North, West and Central Sutherland - 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/S13002990 ## How to cite Source: Open Index, openindex.co.uk. Link to this page, https://openindex.co.uk/highland/ward/north-west-and-central-sutherland, or to one figure with its anchor, https://openindex.co.uk/highland/ward/north-west-and-central-sutherland#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 2026.10.11. The HTML page: https://openindex.co.uk/highland/ward/north-west-and-central-sutherland