# Renfrewshire Rural South and Howwood South west Renfrewshire. 4,077 people (mid-2024 estimate) in 93 square kilometres. Renfrewshire Rural South and Howwood had 4,089 usual residents at the census (Scotland's Census 2022). Middle area. Code S02003578. In: [Scotland](https://openindex.co.uk/scotland) › [Renfrewshire](https://openindex.co.uk/renfrewshire) ## Key figures - **Population: 4,089** (2021). Renfrewshire Rural South and Howwood had 4,089 usual residents at the census (Scotland's Census 2022). Joint 1,587th 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/renfrewshire/renfrewshire-rural-south-and-howwood#f-population - **People in radon Affected Area squares: 48%** (2022). About 48% of people in Renfrewshire Rural South and Howwood 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/renfrewshire/renfrewshire-rural-south-and-howwood#f-radon-affected-share - **Gigabit broadband coverage: 89.3%** (January 2026). In Renfrewshire Rural South and Howwood, 89.3% 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/renfrewshire/renfrewshire-rural-south-and-howwood#f-gigabit-coverage - **Claimant rate: 0.8%** (August 2026). In Renfrewshire Rural South and Howwood, 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/renfrewshire/renfrewshire-rural-south-and-howwood#f-claimant-rate ## On the map - [Radon Affected Area by middle area](https://openindex.co.uk/map/radon-affected-areas#place=S02003578) (Worked out by Open Index · 2022): About 48% of people in Renfrewshire Rural South and Howwood 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=S02003578) (UK House Price Index · August 2026): Published for whole councils, so the map colours all of Renfrewshire. The outline is Renfrewshire Rural South and Howwood. - [Crimes by council](https://openindex.co.uk/map/scotland-crime-count#place=S02003578) (Recorded crimes and offences in Scotland · 2025/26): Published for whole councils, so the map colours all of Renfrewshire. The outline is Renfrewshire Rural South and Howwood. - [Population by middle area](https://openindex.co.uk/map/population#place=S02003578) (Census 2021, England and Wales): Renfrewshire Rural South and Howwood had 4,089 usual residents at the census. ## Recorded crime in Renfrewshire Rural South and Howwood Scotland publishes recorded crime by council. It has its own layers. ## How Renfrewshire Rural South and Howwood compares Each middle area against every other middle area the measure covers. | Measure | Renfrewshire Rural South and Howwood | Rank | Compared with | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Population | 4,089 | 18th least populated | 42 middle areas, Renfrewshire · 2021 | | People in radon Affected Area squares | 48% | 12th most people in radon Affected Areas | 42 middle areas, Renfrewshire · 2022 | | Gigabit broadband coverage | 89.3% | 4th lowest | 42 middle areas, Renfrewshire · Jan 2026 | | Claimant rate | 0.8% | joint 3rd lowest | 42 middle areas, Renfrewshire · Aug 2026 | ## What is the population of Renfrewshire Rural South and Howwood? Renfrewshire Rural South and Howwood had 4,089 usual residents at the census. Renfrewshire Rural South and Howwood is the joint 1,587th least populated of 9,448 in the UK. ## Figures for the whole of Renfrewshire These figures are published for the whole of Renfrewshire, not for each middle area, so they describe all of Renfrewshire and not Renfrewshire Rural South and Howwood alone. [See Renfrewshire](https://openindex.co.uk/renfrewshire) - **Average house price: £157,738** (August 2026). Renfrewshire’s average house price was £157,738 in August 2026 (HM Land Registry). Down 5.2% in a year. Source: UK House Price Index, August 2026. Published 21 October 2026. - **Median full-time pay: £39,734** (2025). Full-time workers living in Renfrewshire earned a median of £39,734 in 2025 (ONS earnings survey). Joint 145th highest paid of 348. Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025. Published 23 October 2025. - **House price to pay: 4.0×** (2025). A home in Renfrewshire costs 4.0 times local full-time pay. Joint 8th 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: 189,270** (2025). Renfrewshire’s population was an estimated 189,270 in mid-2025 (ONS population estimates). Up 0.3% in a year. Source: Mid-year population estimates, 2025. Published 1 October 2026. ## Renfrewshire Rural South and Howwood in brief Renfrewshire Rural South and Howwood had 4,089 usual residents at the census. About 48% of people in Renfrewshire Rural South and Howwood live in a 1 km square that the radon atlas marks as a radon Affected Area. In Renfrewshire Rural South and Howwood, 89.3% of homes and businesses could get gigabit-capable broadband in January 2026. In Renfrewshire Rural South and Howwood, 0.8% of residents aged 16 to 64 were claiming out-of-work benefits in August 2026. ## About - Type: Middle area - Code: S02003578 - Ward: [Johnstone North, Kilbarchan, Howwood and Lochwinnoch †](https://openindex.co.uk/renfrewshire/ward/johnstone-north-kilbarchan-howwood-and-lochwinnoch) - Constituency: [Paisley and Renfrewshire South †](https://openindex.co.uk/constituency/paisley-and-renfrewshire-south) - Council: [Renfrewshire](https://openindex.co.uk/renfrewshire) - Nation: [Scotland](https://openindex.co.uk/scotland) - Area: 92.59 km² - People, mid-2024: 4,077* - Neighbourhoods: 5 - Output areas: 29 * 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 [Skelmorlie and Rural](https://openindex.co.uk/north-ayrshire/skelmorlie-and-rural), [Neilston West and Uplawmoor](https://openindex.co.uk/east-renfrewshire/neilston-west-and-uplawmoor), [Beith East and Rural](https://openindex.co.uk/north-ayrshire/beith-east-and-rural), [Renfrewshire Rural North and Langbank](https://openindex.co.uk/renfrewshire/renfrewshire-rural-north-and-langbank), [Braeside, Branchton, Ravenscraig](https://openindex.co.uk/inverclyde/braeside-branchton-ravenscraig), [Johnstone South West](https://openindex.co.uk/renfrewshire/johnstone-south-west) ## Latest updates for Renfrewshire Rural South and Howwood - 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/S02003578 ## How to cite Source: Open Index, openindex.co.uk. Link to this page, https://openindex.co.uk/renfrewshire/renfrewshire-rural-south-and-howwood, or to one figure with its anchor, https://openindex.co.uk/renfrewshire/renfrewshire-rural-south-and-howwood#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/renfrewshire/renfrewshire-rural-south-and-howwood