# West Mainland

East Orkney Islands. 4,204 people (mid-2024 estimate) in 267 square kilometres.

West Mainland had 4,216 usual residents at the census (Scotland's Census 2022).

Middle area. Code S02003535. In: [Scotland](https://openindex.co.uk/scotland) › [Orkney Islands](https://openindex.co.uk/orkney-islands)

## Key figures

- **Population: 4,216** (2021). West Mainland had 4,216 usual residents at the census (Scotland's Census 2022). 1,643rd 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-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/west-mainland#f-radon-affected-share
- **Gigabit broadband coverage: 46.7%** (January 2026). In West Mainland, 46.7% 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-mainland#f-gigabit-coverage
- **Claimant rate: 1.0%** (August 2026). In West Mainland, 1.0% 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-mainland#f-claimant-rate

## On the map

- [Radon Affected Area by middle area](https://openindex.co.uk/map/radon-affected-areas?place=S02003535) (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=S02003535) (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=S02003535) (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 middle area](https://openindex.co.uk/map/population?place=S02003535) (Census 2021, England and Wales): West Mainland had 4,216 usual residents at the census.

## Recorded crime in West Mainland


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

## How West Mainland compares

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

| Measure | West Mainland | Rank | Compared with |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Population | 4,216 | 2nd most 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 | 46.7% | highest | 6 middle areas, Orkney Islands · Jan 2026 |
| Claimant rate | 1.0% | lowest | 6 middle areas, Orkney Islands · Aug 2026 |

## What is the population of West Mainland?

West Mainland had 4,216 usual residents at the census.
West Mainland is the 1,643rd 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 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 4,216 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, 46.7% of homes and businesses could get gigabit-capable broadband in January 2026.
In West Mainland, 1.0% of residents aged 16 to 64 were claiming out-of-work benefits in August 2026.

## About

- Type: Middle area
- Code: S02003535
- Ward: [West Mainland †](https://openindex.co.uk/orkney-islands/ward/west-mainland)
- 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: 267 km²
- People, mid-2024: 4,204*
- 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

[Stromness, Sandwick and Stenness](https://openindex.co.uk/orkney-islands/stromness-sandwick-and-stenness), [East Mainland](https://openindex.co.uk/orkney-islands/east-mainland)

## 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/S02003535

## How to cite

Source: Open Index, openindex.co.uk. Link to this page, https://openindex.co.uk/orkney-islands/west-mainland, or to one figure with its anchor, https://openindex.co.uk/orkney-islands/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, https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23508848. The HTML page: https://openindex.co.uk/orkney-islands/west-mainland