# Selkirk

Central Scottish Borders. 5,395 people (mid-2024 estimate) in 3.2 square kilometres.

Selkirk had 5,517 usual residents at the census (Scotland's Census 2022).

Middle area. Code S02003650. In: [Scotland](https://openindex.co.uk/scotland) › [Scottish Borders](https://openindex.co.uk/scottish-borders)

## Key figures

- **Population: 5,517** (2021). Selkirk had 5,517 usual residents at the census (Scotland's Census 2022). Joint 2,208th 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/scottish-borders/selkirk#f-population
- **People in radon Affected Area squares: 63%** (2022). About 63% of people in Selkirk 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/scottish-borders/selkirk#f-radon-affected-share
- **Gigabit broadband coverage: 98.0%** (January 2026). In Selkirk, 98.0% 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/scottish-borders/selkirk#f-gigabit-coverage
- **Claimant rate: 4.3%** (August 2026). In Selkirk, 4.3% 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/scottish-borders/selkirk#f-claimant-rate

## On the map

- [Radon Affected Area by middle area](https://openindex.co.uk/map/radon-affected-areas?place=S02003650) (Worked out by Open Index · 2022): About 63% of people in Selkirk 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=S02003650) (UK House Price Index · July 2026): Published for whole councils, so the map colours all of Scottish Borders. The outline is Selkirk.
- [Crimes by council](https://openindex.co.uk/map/scotland-crime-count?place=S02003650) (Recorded crimes and offences in Scotland · 2025/26): Published for whole councils, so the map colours all of Scottish Borders. The outline is Selkirk.
- [Population by middle area](https://openindex.co.uk/map/population?place=S02003650) (Census 2021, England and Wales): Selkirk had 5,517 usual residents at the census.

## Recorded crime in Selkirk


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

## How Selkirk compares

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

| Measure | Selkirk | Rank | Compared with |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Population | 5,517 | 2nd most populated | 32 middle areas, Scottish Borders · 2021 |
| People in radon Affected Area squares | 63% | 12th fewest people in radon Affected Areas | 32 middle areas, Scottish Borders · 2022 |
| Gigabit broadband coverage | 98.0% | highest | 32 middle areas, Scottish Borders · Jan 2026 |
| Claimant rate | 4.3% | 5th highest | 32 middle areas, Scottish Borders · Aug 2026 |

## What is the population of Selkirk?

Selkirk had 5,517 usual residents at the census.
Selkirk is the joint 2,208th least populated of 9,448 in the UK.

## Figures for the whole of Scottish Borders

These figures are published for the whole of Scottish Borders, not for each middle area, so they describe all of Scottish Borders and not Selkirk alone. [See Scottish Borders](https://openindex.co.uk/scottish-borders)

- **Average house price: £193,050** (July 2026). Scottish Borders’ average house price was £193,050 in July 2026 (HM Land Registry). Up 4.5% in a year. Source: UK House Price Index, July 2026. Published 16 September 2026.
- **Median full-time pay: £33,600** (2025). Full-time workers living in Scottish Borders earned a median of £33,600 in 2025 (ONS earnings survey). 27th lowest paid of 348. Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025. Published 23 October 2025.
- **House price to pay: 5.7×** (2025). A home in Scottish Borders costs 5.7 times local full-time pay. Joint 72nd 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: 116,800** (2025). Scottish Borders’ population was an estimated 116,800 in mid-2025 (ONS population estimates). Down 0.3% in a year. Source: Mid-year population estimates, 2025. Published 1 October 2026.

## Selkirk in brief

Selkirk had 5,517 usual residents at the census.
About 63% of people in Selkirk live in a 1 km square that the radon atlas marks as a radon Affected Area.
In Selkirk, 98.0% of homes and businesses could get gigabit-capable broadband in January 2026.
In Selkirk, 4.3% of residents aged 16 to 64 were claiming out-of-work benefits in August 2026.

## About

- Type: Middle area
- Code: S02003650
- Ward: [Selkirkshire †](https://openindex.co.uk/scottish-borders/ward/selkirkshire)
- Constituency: [Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk †](https://openindex.co.uk/constituency/berwickshire-roxburgh-and-selkirk)
- Council: [Scottish Borders](https://openindex.co.uk/scottish-borders)
- Nation: [Scotland](https://openindex.co.uk/scotland)
- Area: 3.22 km²
- People, mid-2024: 5,395*
- Neighbourhoods: 7
- Output areas: 56

* 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

[Ettrick Yarrow and Lilliesleaf Area](https://openindex.co.uk/scottish-borders/ettrick-yarrow-and-lilliesleaf-area)

## Latest updates for Selkirk

- 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/S02003650

## How to cite

Source: Open Index, openindex.co.uk. Link to this page, https://openindex.co.uk/scottish-borders/selkirk, or to one figure with its anchor, https://openindex.co.uk/scottish-borders/selkirk#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, https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23508850. The HTML page: https://openindex.co.uk/scottish-borders/selkirk