# People and census in Scotland One of the four nations of the United Kingdom. 5,545,500 people (mid-2025 estimate) in 78,801 square kilometres. 15 layers about people and census for Scotland, each at the level its publisher released it, with its own date and source. ## What is the population of Scotland? Scotland had 5,439,565 usual residents at the census. Scotland is the 2nd most populated of 4 in the UK. ## Population Scotland: **5,439,565** (2021, nation level). Source: ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021. Published 21 July 2026. Scotland had 5,439,565 usual residents at the census. Scotland is the 2nd most populated of 4 in the UK. [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/population?place=S92000003) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/population) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/population/scotland) · https://openindex.co.uk/scotland/people#l-population ## Population estimate Scotland: **5,545,500** (2025, nation level). Source: ONS population estimates. Published 1 October 2026. Scotland’s population was an estimated 5,545,500 in mid-2025. The population held steady in the year to mid-2025. Scotland is 2nd most populated of 4 for population. [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/population-estimate?place=S92000003) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/population-estimate) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/population-estimate/scotland) · https://openindex.co.uk/scotland/people#l-population-estimate ## Aged 15 to 64 Scotland: **64.6%** (2021, nation level). Source: ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021. Published 21 July 2026. 64.6% of residents in Scotland were aged 15 to 64 at the census. [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/age-15-to-64?place=S92000003) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/age-15-to-64) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/age-15-to-64/scotland) · https://openindex.co.uk/scotland/people#l-age-15-to-64 ## Aged 65 and over Scotland: **20.0%** (2021, nation level). Source: ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021. Published 21 July 2026. 20.0% of residents in Scotland were aged 65 or over at the census. [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/age-65-and-over?place=S92000003) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/age-65-and-over) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/age-65-and-over/scotland) · https://openindex.co.uk/scotland/people#l-age-65-and-over ## Aged under 15 Scotland: **15.3%** (2021, nation level). Source: ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021. Published 21 July 2026. 15.3% of residents in Scotland were aged under 15 at the census. [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/age-under-15?place=S92000003) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/age-under-15) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/age-under-15/scotland) · https://openindex.co.uk/scotland/people#l-age-under-15 ## Born outside the UK Scotland: **10.2%** (2021, nation level). Source: ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021. Published 21 July 2026. 10.2% of residents in Scotland were born outside the UK. [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/born-outside-uk?place=S92000003) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/born-outside-uk) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/born-outside-uk/scotland) · https://openindex.co.uk/scotland/people#l-born-outside-uk ## Disability Scotland: **24.1%** (2021, nation level). Source: ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021. Published 21 July 2026. 24.1% of residents in Scotland had their day-to-day activities limited by a long-term health problem or disability. [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/disability?place=S92000003) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/disability) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/disability/scotland) · https://openindex.co.uk/scotland/people#l-disability ## Good or very good health Scotland: **78.8%** (2021, nation level). Source: ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021. Published 21 July 2026. 78.8% of residents in Scotland said their health was good or very good. [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/good-health?place=S92000003) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/good-health) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/good-health/scotland) · https://openindex.co.uk/scotland/people#l-good-health ## Households Scotland: **2,509,248** (2021, nation level). Source: ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021. Published 21 July 2026. Scotland had 2,509,248 households at the census. Scotland is 2nd highest of 4 for the number of households. [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/households?place=S92000003) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/households) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/households/scotland) · https://openindex.co.uk/scotland/people#l-households ## Households without a car or van Scotland: **26.4%** (2021, nation level). Source: ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021. Published 21 July 2026. 26.4% of households in Scotland had no car or van at the census. [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/no-car-or-van?place=S92000003) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/no-car-or-van) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/no-car-or-van/scotland) · https://openindex.co.uk/scotland/people#l-no-car-or-van ## Owner-occupied homes Scotland: **63.2%** (2021, nation level). Source: ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021. Published 21 July 2026. 63.2% of households in Scotland owned their home at the census. [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/owner-occupied?place=S92000003) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/owner-occupied) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/owner-occupied/scotland) · https://openindex.co.uk/scotland/people#l-owner-occupied ## Population density Scotland: **69 per km²** (2021, nation level). Source: Worked out by Open Index from census population counts and the area of each place. Published 21 July 2026. Scotland had 69 people per square kilometre at the census. [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/population-density?place=S92000003) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/population-density) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/population-density/scotland) · https://openindex.co.uk/scotland/people#l-population-density ## Private rented homes Scotland: **12.9%** (2021, nation level). Source: ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021. Published 21 July 2026. 12.9% of households in Scotland rented privately at the census. [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/private-rented?place=S92000003) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/private-rented) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/private-rented/scotland) · https://openindex.co.uk/scotland/people#l-private-rented ## Social rented homes Scotland: **22.5%** (2021, nation level). Source: ONS Census 2021 and Scotland's Census 2022 and NISRA Census 2021. Published 21 July 2026. 22.5% of households in Scotland rented from a council or housing association at the census. [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/social-rented?place=S92000003) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/social-rented) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/social-rented/scotland) · https://openindex.co.uk/scotland/people#l-social-rented ## Annual population change Scotland: **0.0%** (2025, nation level). Source: Worked out by Open Index from the mid-year population estimates. Published 1 October 2026. Scotland’s estimated population changed by 0.0% in the year to mid-2025. - Against United Kingdom: 100% lower (0.3%) - Against the UK: 100% lower (0.3%) [Map](https://openindex.co.uk/map/population-change?place=S92000003) · [Source and method](https://openindex.co.uk/sources/population-change) · [Ranking](https://openindex.co.uk/rankings/population-change/scotland) · https://openindex.co.uk/scotland/people#l-population-estimate-change-1y ## More on this place - [Overview](https://openindex.co.uk/scotland) - [Housing](https://openindex.co.uk/scotland/housing) (14) - [Crime](https://openindex.co.uk/scotland/crime) (6) - [Deprivation](https://openindex.co.uk/scotland/deprivation) (2) - [Health](https://openindex.co.uk/scotland/health) (4) - [Education](https://openindex.co.uk/scotland/education) (2) - [Environment](https://openindex.co.uk/scotland/environment) (5) - [Transport](https://openindex.co.uk/scotland/transport) (4) - [Connectivity](https://openindex.co.uk/scotland/connectivity) (5) - [Economy](https://openindex.co.uk/scotland/economy) (4) - [Council tax](https://openindex.co.uk/scotland/council-tax) (2) - [Elections](https://openindex.co.uk/scotland/elections) (7) - [Local services](https://openindex.co.uk/scotland/services) (1) - [Sources](https://openindex.co.uk/scotland/sources) (22) The same figures as JSON: https://openindex.co.uk/v1/places/S92000003/data?family=people ## How to cite Source: Open Index, openindex.co.uk. Link to this page, https://openindex.co.uk/scotland/people, or to one figure with its anchor, https://openindex.co.uk/scotland/people#l-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/scotland/people