# Shetland West

North west Shetland Islands. About 1,730 people (mid-2024 estimate) in 267 square kilometres.

Shetland West had 1,731 usual residents at the census (Scotland's Census 2022).

Ward. Code S13003156. In: [Scotland](https://openindex.co.uk/scotland) › [Shetland Islands](https://openindex.co.uk/shetland-islands)

## Key figures

- **Population: 1,731** (2021). Shetland West had 1,731 usual residents at the census (Scotland's Census 2022). Joint 125th least 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/shetland-islands/ward/shetland-west#f-population
- **People in radon Affected Area squares: 24%** (2022). About 24% of people in Shetland West 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/shetland-islands/ward/shetland-west#f-radon-affected-share
- **Gigabit broadband coverage: 13.4%** (January 2026). In Shetland West, 13.4% 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/shetland-islands/ward/shetland-west#f-gigabit-coverage
- **Claimant rate: 1.4%** (August 2026). In Shetland West, 1.4% 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/shetland-islands/ward/shetland-west#f-claimant-rate

## On the map

- [Radon Affected Area by ward](https://openindex.co.uk/map/radon-affected-areas#place=S13003156) (Worked out by Open Index · 2022): About 24% of people in Shetland West 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=S13003156) (UK House Price Index · August 2026): Published for whole councils, so the map colours all of Shetland Islands. The outline is Shetland West.
- [Crimes by council](https://openindex.co.uk/map/scotland-crime-count#place=S13003156) (Recorded crimes and offences in Scotland · 2025/26): Published for whole councils, so the map colours all of Shetland Islands. The outline is Shetland West.
- [Population by ward](https://openindex.co.uk/map/population#place=S13003156) (Census 2021, England and Wales): Shetland West had 1,731 usual residents at the census.

## How Shetland West compares

Each ward against every other ward the measure covers.

| Measure | Shetland West | Rank | Compared with |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Population | 1,731 | least populated | 7 wards, Shetland Islands · 2021 |
| People in radon Affected Area squares | 24% | 3rd fewest people in radon Affected Areas | 7 wards, Shetland Islands · 2022 |
| Gigabit broadband coverage | 13.4% | 3rd lowest | 7 wards, Shetland Islands · Jan 2026 |
| Claimant rate | 1.4% | joint 3rd highest | 7 wards, Shetland Islands · Aug 2026 |

## What is the population of Shetland West?

Shetland West had 1,731 usual residents at the census.
Shetland West is the joint 125th least populated of 8,397 in the UK.

## Figures for the whole of Shetland Islands

These figures are published for the whole of Shetland Islands, not for each ward, so they describe all of Shetland Islands and not Shetland West alone. [See Shetland Islands](https://openindex.co.uk/shetland-islands)

- **Average house price: £180,869** (August 2026). Shetland Islands’ average house price was £180,869 in August 2026 (HM Land Registry). Down 11.2% in a year. Source: UK House Price Index, August 2026. Published 21 October 2026.
- **Median full-time pay: £46,527** (2025). Full-time workers living in Shetland Islands earned a median of £46,527 in 2025 (ONS earnings survey). 35th highest paid of 348. Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025. Published 23 October 2025.
- **House price to pay: 3.9×** (2025). A home in Shetland Islands costs 3.9 times local full-time pay. Joint 6th 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: 22,710** (2025). Shetland Islands’ population was an estimated 22,710 in mid-2025 (ONS population estimates). Down 0.4% in a year. Source: Mid-year population estimates, 2025. Published 1 October 2026.

## Shetland West in brief

Shetland West had 1,731 usual residents at the census.
About 24% of people in Shetland West live in a 1 km square that the radon atlas marks as a radon Affected Area.
In Shetland West, 13.4% of homes and businesses could get gigabit-capable broadband in January 2026.
In Shetland West, 1.4% of residents aged 16 to 64 were claiming out-of-work benefits in August 2026.

## About

- Type: Ward
- Code: S13003156
- Constituency: [Orkney and Shetland †](https://openindex.co.uk/constituency/orkney-and-shetland)
- Council: [Shetland Islands](https://openindex.co.uk/shetland-islands)
- Nation: [Scotland](https://openindex.co.uk/scotland)
- Area: 267 km²
- People, mid-2024: 1,730*
- Neighbourhoods: 3
- Output areas: 16

* 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

[Shetland Central](https://openindex.co.uk/shetland-islands/ward/shetland-central), [Shetland North](https://openindex.co.uk/shetland-islands/ward/shetland-north)

## Latest updates for Shetland West

- 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/S13003156

## How to cite

Source: Open Index, openindex.co.uk. Link to this page, https://openindex.co.uk/shetland-islands/ward/shetland-west, or to one figure with its anchor, https://openindex.co.uk/shetland-islands/ward/shetland-west#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/shetland-islands/ward/shetland-west