# West Mainland East Orkney Islands. About 4,298 people (mid-2024 estimate) in 306 square kilometres. West Mainland had 4,323 usual residents at the census (Scotland's Census 2022). Ward. Code S13002735. In: [Scotland](https://openindex.co.uk/scotland) › [Orkney Islands](https://openindex.co.uk/orkney-islands) ## Key figures - **Population: 4,323** (2021). West Mainland had 4,323 usual residents at the census (Scotland's Census 2022). Joint 2,173rd 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/orkney-islands/ward/west-mainland#f-population - **People in radon Affected Area squares: 100%** (2022). About 100% of people in West Mainland 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/orkney-islands/ward/west-mainland#f-radon-affected-share - **Gigabit broadband coverage: 46.9%** (January 2026). In West Mainland, 46.9% 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/orkney-islands/ward/west-mainland#f-gigabit-coverage - **Claimant rate: 0.8%** (August 2026). In West Mainland, 0.8% 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/orkney-islands/ward/west-mainland#f-claimant-rate ## On the map - [Radon Affected Area by ward](https://openindex.co.uk/map/radon-affected-areas?place=S13002735) (Worked out by Open Index · 2022): About 100% of people in West Mainland 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=S13002735) (UK House Price Index · August 2026): Published for whole councils, so the map colours all of Orkney Islands. The outline is West Mainland. - [Crimes by council](https://openindex.co.uk/map/scotland-crime-count?place=S13002735) (Recorded crimes and offences in Scotland · 2025/26): Published for whole councils, so the map colours all of Orkney Islands. The outline is West Mainland. - [Population by ward](https://openindex.co.uk/map/population?place=S13002735) (Census 2021, England and Wales): West Mainland had 4,323 usual residents at the census. ## How West Mainland compares Each ward against every other ward the measure covers. | Measure | West Mainland | Rank | Compared with | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Population | 4,323 | 3rd most populated | 6 wards, Orkney Islands · 2021 | | People in radon Affected Area squares | 100% | joint most people in radon Affected Areas | 6 wards, Orkney Islands · 2022 | | Gigabit broadband coverage | 46.9% | 2nd highest | 6 wards, Orkney Islands · Jan 2026 | | Claimant rate | 0.8% | joint lowest | 6 wards, Orkney Islands · Aug 2026 | ## What is the population of West Mainland? West Mainland had 4,323 usual residents at the census. West Mainland is the joint 2,173rd least populated of 8,397 in the UK. ## Figures for the whole of Orkney Islands These figures are published for the whole of Orkney Islands, not for each ward, so they describe all of Orkney Islands and not West Mainland alone. [See Orkney Islands](https://openindex.co.uk/orkney-islands) - **Average house price: £216,479** (August 2026). Orkney Islands’ average house price was £216,479 in August 2026 (HM Land Registry). Down 1.2% in a year. Source: UK House Price Index, August 2026. Published 21 October 2026. - **Median full-time pay: £43,430** (2025). Full-time workers living in Orkney Islands earned a median of £43,430 in 2025 (ONS earnings survey). 79th highest paid of 348. Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025. Published 23 October 2025. - **House price to pay: 5.0×** (2025). A home in Orkney Islands costs 5.0 times local full-time pay. Joint 43rd 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: 21,920** (2025). Orkney Islands’ population was an estimated 21,920 in mid-2025 (ONS population estimates). Down 0.4% in a year. Source: Mid-year population estimates, 2025. Published 1 October 2026. ## West Mainland in brief West Mainland had 4,323 usual residents at the census. About 100% of people in West Mainland live in a 1 km square that the radon atlas marks as a radon Affected Area. In West Mainland, 46.9% of homes and businesses could get gigabit-capable broadband in January 2026. In West Mainland, 0.8% of residents aged 16 to 64 were claiming out-of-work benefits in August 2026. ## About - Type: Ward - Code: S13002735 - Constituency: [Orkney and Shetland †](https://openindex.co.uk/constituency/orkney-and-shetland) - Council: [Orkney Islands](https://openindex.co.uk/orkney-islands) - Nation: [Scotland](https://openindex.co.uk/scotland) - Area: 306 km² - People, mid-2024: 4,298* - Neighbourhoods: 5 - Output areas: 37 * 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 [Kirkwall West and Orphir](https://openindex.co.uk/orkney-islands/ward/kirkwall-west-and-orphir), [Stromness and South Isles](https://openindex.co.uk/orkney-islands/ward/stromness-and-south-isles), [North Isles](https://openindex.co.uk/orkney-islands/ward/north-isles) ## Latest updates for West Mainland - 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/S13002735 ## How to cite Source: Open Index, openindex.co.uk. Link to this page, https://openindex.co.uk/orkney-islands/ward/west-mainland, or to one figure with its anchor, https://openindex.co.uk/orkney-islands/ward/west-mainland#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/orkney-islands/ward/west-mainland