# West Kirkwall East Orkney Islands. 3,779 people (mid-2024 estimate) in 2.6 square kilometres. West Kirkwall had 3,739 usual residents at the census (Scotland's Census 2022). Middle area. Code S02003537. In: [Scotland](https://openindex.co.uk/scotland) › [Orkney Islands](https://openindex.co.uk/orkney-islands) ## Key figures - **Population: 3,739** (2021). West Kirkwall had 3,739 usual residents at the census (Scotland's Census 2022). Joint 1,406th 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/orkney-islands/west-kirkwall#f-population - **People in radon Affected Area squares: 100%** (2022). About 100% of people in West Kirkwall 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/west-kirkwall#f-radon-affected-share - **Gigabit broadband coverage: 5.7%** (January 2026). In West Kirkwall, 5.7% 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/west-kirkwall#f-gigabit-coverage - **Claimant rate: 2.1%** (August 2026). In West Kirkwall, 2.1% 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/west-kirkwall#f-claimant-rate ## On the map - [Radon Affected Area by middle area](https://openindex.co.uk/map/radon-affected-areas?place=S02003537) (Worked out by Open Index · 2022): About 100% of people in West Kirkwall 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=S02003537) (UK House Price Index · July 2026): Published for whole councils, so the map colours all of Orkney Islands. The outline is West Kirkwall. - [Crimes by council](https://openindex.co.uk/map/scotland-crime-count?place=S02003537) (Recorded crimes and offences in Scotland · 2025/26): Published for whole councils, so the map colours all of Orkney Islands. The outline is West Kirkwall. - [Population by middle area](https://openindex.co.uk/map/population?place=S02003537) (Census 2021, England and Wales): West Kirkwall had 3,739 usual residents at the census. ## Recorded crime in West Kirkwall Scotland publishes recorded crime by council. It has its own layers. ## How West Kirkwall compares Each middle area against every other middle area the measure covers. | Measure | West Kirkwall | Rank | Compared with | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Population | 3,739 | 3rd least populated | 6 middle areas, Orkney Islands · 2021 | | People in radon Affected Area squares | 100% | joint most people in radon Affected Areas | 6 middle areas, Orkney Islands · 2022 | | Gigabit broadband coverage | 5.7% | lowest | 6 middle areas, Orkney Islands · Jan 2026 | | Claimant rate | 2.1% | 2nd highest | 6 middle areas, Orkney Islands · Aug 2026 | ## What is the population of West Kirkwall? West Kirkwall had 3,739 usual residents at the census. West Kirkwall is the joint 1,406th least populated of 9,448 in the UK. ## Figures for the whole of Orkney Islands These figures are published for the whole of Orkney Islands, not for each middle area, so they describe all of Orkney Islands and not West Kirkwall alone. [See Orkney Islands](https://openindex.co.uk/orkney-islands) - **Average house price: £214,106** (July 2026). Orkney Islands’ average house price was £214,106 in July 2026 (HM Land Registry). Down 0.3% in a year. Source: UK House Price Index, July 2026. Published 16 September 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: 4.9×** (2025). A home in Orkney Islands costs 4.9 times local full-time pay. Joint 39th 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: 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 Kirkwall in brief West Kirkwall had 3,739 usual residents at the census. About 100% of people in West Kirkwall live in a 1 km square that the radon atlas marks as a radon Affected Area. In West Kirkwall, 5.7% of homes and businesses could get gigabit-capable broadband in January 2026. In West Kirkwall, 2.1% of residents aged 16 to 64 were claiming out-of-work benefits in August 2026. ## About - Type: Middle area - Code: S02003537 - Ward: [Kirkwall West and Orphir †](https://openindex.co.uk/orkney-islands/ward/kirkwall-west-and-orphir) - 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: 2.59 km² - People, mid-2024: 3,779* - Neighbourhoods: 6 - Output areas: 36 * 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 [East Mainland](https://openindex.co.uk/orkney-islands/east-mainland), [East Kirkwall](https://openindex.co.uk/orkney-islands/east-kirkwall) ## Latest updates for West Kirkwall - 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/S02003537 ## How to cite Source: Open Index, openindex.co.uk. Link to this page, https://openindex.co.uk/orkney-islands/west-kirkwall, or to one figure with its anchor, https://openindex.co.uk/orkney-islands/west-kirkwall#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. The HTML page: https://openindex.co.uk/orkney-islands/west-kirkwall