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Shetland West

Ward

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

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Radon Affected Area by ward

Worked out by Open Index · 2022

Under 1%90% or more

About 24% of people in Shetland West live in a 1 km square that the radon atlas marks as a radon Affected Area.

Population
1,731
Joint 125th least populated of 8,397
ONS Census 2021 · 2021
People in radon Affected Area squares
24%
UK 44%
Worked out by Open Index
Gigabit broadband coverage
13.4%
UK 87.8%
Ofcom · Jan 2026
Claimant rate
1.4%
UK 3.9%
ONS via Nomis · Aug 2026

How Shetland West compares

Each dot is a ward. The black line marks the middle one.

Shetland WestMiddle
Population7 wards, Shetland Islands · 2021
Population: every ward in Shetland Islands7 areas from 1,731 to 4,405. The middle area is 3,329. Shetland West is 1,731.
1,731least populated
People in radon Affected Area squares7 wards, Shetland Islands · 2022
People in radon Affected Area squares: every ward in Shetland Islands7 areas from 0.0% to 90.0%. The middle area is 38.0%. Shetland West is 24.0%.
24%3rd fewest people in radon Affected Areas
Gigabit broadband coverage7 wards, Shetland Islands · Jan 2026
Gigabit broadband coverage: every ward in Shetland Islands7 areas from 1.9% to 67.2%. The middle area is 16.9%. Shetland West is 13.4%.
13.4%3rd lowest
Claimant rate7 wards, Shetland Islands · Aug 2026
Claimant rate: every ward in Shetland Islands7 areas from 0.6% to 2.9%. The middle area is 1.4%. Shetland West is 1.4%.
1.4%joint 3rd highest

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

Average house price
£180,869
Down 11.2% in a year
HM Land Registry · Aug 2026
Median full-time pay
£46,527
35th highest paid of 348
ONS earnings survey · 2025
House price to pay
3.9×
Joint 6th most affordable of 348
Worked out by Open Index
Population estimate
22,710
Down 0.4% in a year
ONS population estimates · 2025
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.