# Leaderdale and Melrose North Scottish Borders. About 11,267 people (mid-2024 estimate) in 359 square kilometres. Leaderdale and Melrose had 11,254 usual residents at the census (Scotland's Census 2022). Ward. Code S13002765. In: [Scotland](https://openindex.co.uk/scotland) › [Scottish Borders](https://openindex.co.uk/scottish-borders) ## Key figures - **Population: 11,254** (2021). Leaderdale and Melrose had 11,254 usual residents at the census (Scotland's Census 2022). 1,883rd most populated of 8,397. 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/ward/leaderdale-and-melrose#f-population - **People in radon Affected Area squares: 66%** (2022). About 66% of people in Leaderdale and Melrose 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/ward/leaderdale-and-melrose#f-radon-affected-share - **Gigabit broadband coverage: 51.9%** (January 2026). In Leaderdale and Melrose, 51.9% 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/ward/leaderdale-and-melrose#f-gigabit-coverage - **Claimant rate: 1.7%** (August 2026). In Leaderdale and Melrose, 1.7% 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/ward/leaderdale-and-melrose#f-claimant-rate ## On the map - [Radon Affected Area by ward](https://openindex.co.uk/map/radon-affected-areas?place=S13002765) (Worked out by Open Index · 2022): About 66% of people in Leaderdale and Melrose 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=S13002765) (UK House Price Index · August 2026): Published for whole councils, so the map colours all of Scottish Borders. The outline is Leaderdale and Melrose. - [Crimes by council](https://openindex.co.uk/map/scotland-crime-count?place=S13002765) (Recorded crimes and offences in Scotland · 2025/26): Published for whole councils, so the map colours all of Scottish Borders. The outline is Leaderdale and Melrose. - [Population by ward](https://openindex.co.uk/map/population?place=S13002765) (Census 2021, England and Wales): Leaderdale and Melrose had 11,254 usual residents at the census. ## How Leaderdale and Melrose compares Each ward against every other ward the measure covers. | Measure | Leaderdale and Melrose | Rank | Compared with | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Population | 11,254 | 2nd most populated | 11 wards, Scottish Borders · 2021 | | People in radon Affected Area squares | 66% | 4th fewest people in radon Affected Areas | 11 wards, Scottish Borders · 2022 | | Gigabit broadband coverage | 51.9% | lowest | 11 wards, Scottish Borders · Jan 2026 | | Claimant rate | 1.7% | lowest | 11 wards, Scottish Borders · Aug 2026 | ## What is the population of Leaderdale and Melrose? Leaderdale and Melrose had 11,254 usual residents at the census. Leaderdale and Melrose is the 1,883rd most populated of 8,397 in the UK. ## Figures for the whole of Scottish Borders These figures are published for the whole of Scottish Borders, not for each ward, so they describe all of Scottish Borders and not Leaderdale and Melrose alone. [See Scottish Borders](https://openindex.co.uk/scottish-borders) - **Average house price: £195,045** (August 2026). Scottish Borders’ average house price was £195,045 in August 2026 (HM Land Registry). Up 3.6% in a year. Source: UK House Price Index, August 2026. Published 21 October 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: 5.8×** (2025). A home in Scottish Borders costs 5.8 times local full-time pay. Joint 78th 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: 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. ## Leaderdale and Melrose in brief Leaderdale and Melrose had 11,254 usual residents at the census. About 66% of people in Leaderdale and Melrose live in a 1 km square that the radon atlas marks as a radon Affected Area. In Leaderdale and Melrose, 51.9% of homes and businesses could get gigabit-capable broadband in January 2026. In Leaderdale and Melrose, 1.7% of residents aged 16 to 64 were claiming out-of-work benefits in August 2026. ## About - Type: Ward - Code: S13002765 - 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: 359 km² - People, mid-2024: 11,267* - Neighbourhoods: 15 - Output areas: 91 * People: worked out by Open Index from neighbourhood estimates, shared out by where people lived at the census (by area in Northern Ireland). This area's edges do not follow neighbourhood edges, so the figure is close but not exact. † Best fit: the constituency this ward mostly lies in. Its edges do not follow it. ## Next door [Mid Berwickshire](https://openindex.co.uk/scottish-borders/ward/mid-berwickshire), [Galashiels and District](https://openindex.co.uk/scottish-borders/ward/galashiels-and-district), [Haddington and Lammermuir](https://openindex.co.uk/east-lothian/ward/haddington-and-lammermuir), [Selkirkshire](https://openindex.co.uk/scottish-borders/ward/selkirkshire), [Jedburgh and District](https://openindex.co.uk/scottish-borders/ward/jedburgh-and-district), [Kelso and District](https://openindex.co.uk/scottish-borders/ward/kelso-and-district) ## Latest updates for Leaderdale and Melrose - 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/S13002765 ## How to cite Source: Open Index, openindex.co.uk. Link to this page, https://openindex.co.uk/scottish-borders/ward/leaderdale-and-melrose, or to one figure with its anchor, https://openindex.co.uk/scottish-borders/ward/leaderdale-and-melrose#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. The HTML page: https://openindex.co.uk/scottish-borders/ward/leaderdale-and-melrose