# Ayr

Town in South Ayrshire, Scotland.

Ayr is a town in South Ayrshire, Scotland. About 44,068 people.

Town. Code S45000053. In: [Towns](https://openindex.co.uk/places/towns) › [South Ayrshire](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire)

Ayr is an ONS built-up area: the land built up as one town, whatever council it is in. Figures for Ayr add up the census output areas (or, for claimants, the neighbourhoods) that sit mostly inside it, so they are close to, but not exactly, the town’s own.

## Key figures

- **Population: 43,661** (2021). Ayr had 43,661 usual residents at the census (Scotland's Census 2022). 257th most populated of 1,209. 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/town/ayr#f-population
- **People in radon Affected Area squares: 5%** (2022). About 5% of people in Ayr 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/town/ayr#f-radon-affected-share
- **Gigabit broadband coverage: 86.9%** (January 2026). In Ayr, 86.9% 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/town/ayr#f-gigabit-coverage
- **Claimant rate: 4.0%** (August 2026). In Ayr, 4.0% 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/town/ayr#f-claimant-rate

## On the map

- [Radon Affected Area by town](https://openindex.co.uk/map/radon-affected-areas?place=S45000053) (Worked out by Open Index · 2022): About 5% of people in Ayr 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=S45000053) (UK House Price Index · July 2026): Published for whole councils, so the map colours all of South Ayrshire, where most of this town lies. The outline is Ayr.
- [Crimes by council](https://openindex.co.uk/map/scotland-crime-count?place=S45000053) (Recorded crimes and offences in Scotland · 2025/26): Published for whole councils, so the map colours all of South Ayrshire, where most of this town lies. The outline is Ayr.
- [Population by town](https://openindex.co.uk/map/population?place=S45000053) (Census 2021, England and Wales): Ayr had 43,661 usual residents at the census.

## How Ayr compares

Each town against every other town the measure covers.

| Measure | Ayr | Rank | Compared with |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Population | 43,661 | 16th most populated | 117 towns, Scotland · 2021 |
| People in radon Affected Area squares | 5% | 58th most people in radon Affected Areas | 117 towns, Scotland · 2022 |
| Gigabit broadband coverage | 86.9% | 24th lowest | 117 towns, Scotland · Jan 2026 |
| Claimant rate | 4.0% | 23rd highest | 117 towns, Scotland · Aug 2026 |

## What is the population of Ayr?

Ayr had 43,661 usual residents at the census.
Ayr is the 257th most populated of 1,209 in the UK.

## Neighbourhoods in Ayr

| Area | People (census) | Recorded crime per 1,000 | Deprivation decile | Gigabit broadband |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Alloway - 01](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019788) | 460 | – | – | 100.0% |
| [Alloway - 02](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019789) | 840 | – | – | 97.0% |
| [Alloway - 03](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019790) | 926 | – | – | 100.0% |
| [Alloway - 04](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019791) | 626 | – | – | 88.5% |
| [Alloway - 05](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019792) | 791 | – | – | 99.0% |
| [Alloway - 06](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019793) | 1,117 | – | – | 98.4% |
| [Alloway - 07](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019794) | 733 | – | – | 98.3% |
| [Ayr North Harbour, Wallacetown and Newton South - 01](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019821) | 479 | – | – | 88.1% |
| [Ayr North Harbour, Wallacetown and Newton South - 02](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019822) | 721 | – | – | 95.4% |
| [Ayr North Harbour, Wallacetown and Newton South - 03](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019823) | 1,008 | – | – | 41.5% |
| [Ayr North Harbour, Wallacetown and Newton South - 04](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019824) | 1,074 | – | – | 63.8% |
| [Ayr North Harbour, Wallacetown and Newton South - 05](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019825) | 913 | – | – | 36.5% |
| [Ayr South Harbour and Town Centre - 01](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019813) | 689 | – | – | 89.8% |
| [Ayr South Harbour and Town Centre - 02](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019814) | 439 | – | – | 80.9% |
| [Ayr South Harbour and Town Centre - 03](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019815) | 1,086 | – | – | 63.9% |
| [Ayr South Harbour and Town Centre - 05](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019817) | 1,024 | – | – | 50.5% |
| [Ayr South Harbour and Town Centre - 06](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019818) | 700 | – | – | 89.4% |
| [Ayr South Harbour and Town Centre - 07](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019819) | 897 | – | – | 80.7% |
| [Ayr South Harbour and Town Centre - 08](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019820) | 552 | – | – | 66.0% |
| [Belmont - 01](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019800) | 644 | – | – | 100.0% |
| [Belmont - 02](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019801) | 723 | – | – | 99.0% |
| [Belmont - 03](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019802) | 536 | – | – | 90.5% |
| [Belmont - 04](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019803) | 846 | – | – | 93.1% |
| [Belmont - 05](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019804) | 958 | – | – | 99.8% |
| [Castlehill and Kincaidston - 01](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019795) | 703 | – | – | 100.0% |
| [Castlehill and Kincaidston - 02](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019796) | 538 | – | – | 100.0% |
| [Castlehill and Kincaidston - 03](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019797) | 569 | – | – | 80.4% |
| [Castlehill and Kincaidston - 04](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019798) | 561 | – | – | 84.7% |
| [Castlehill and Kincaidston - 05](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019799) | 684 | – | – | 96.0% |
| [Craigie - 01](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019826) | 736 | – | – | 96.9% |
| [Craigie - 02](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019827) | 601 | – | – | 100.0% |
| [Craigie - 03](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019828) | 1,059 | – | – | 91.1% |
| [Dalmilling - 01](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019829) | 926 | – | – | 93.9% |
| [Dalmilling - 02](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019830) | 461 | – | – | 99.6% |
| [Dalmilling - 03](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019831) | 864 | – | – | 99.2% |
| [Dalmilling - 04](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019832) | 707 | – | – | 97.5% |
| [Doonfoot and Seafield - 01](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019782) | 593 | – | – | 97.5% |
| [Doonfoot and Seafield - 03](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019784) | 1,153 | – | – | 98.1% |
| [Doonfoot and Seafield - 04](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019785) | 615 | – | – | 99.7% |
| [Doonfoot and Seafield - 05](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019786) | 741 | – | – | 99.4% |
| [Doonfoot and Seafield - 06](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019787) | 798 | – | – | 87.8% |
| [Heathfield - 05](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019848) | 945 | – | – | 72.7% |
| [Holmston and Forehill - 01](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019805) | 513 | – | – | 100.0% |
| [Holmston and Forehill - 02](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019806) | 511 | – | – | 92.3% |
| [Holmston and Forehill - 03](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019807) | 874 | – | – | 93.9% |
| [Holmston and Forehill - 04](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019808) | 606 | – | – | 76.7% |
| [Holmston and Forehill - 05](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019809) | 964 | – | – | 99.8% |
| [Holmston and Forehill - 06](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019810) | 623 | – | – | 100.0% |
| [Holmston and Forehill - 07](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019811) | 943 | – | – | 100.0% |
| [Holmston and Forehill - 08](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019812) | 637 | – | – | 98.5% |
| [Lochside, Braehead and Whitletts - 01](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019833) | 567 | – | – | 100.0% |
| [Lochside, Braehead and Whitletts - 02](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019834) | 689 | – | – | 99.7% |
| [Lochside, Braehead and Whitletts - 03](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019835) | 652 | – | – | 91.3% |
| [Lochside, Braehead and Whitletts - 04](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019836) | 536 | – | – | 96.2% |
| [Lochside, Braehead and Whitletts - 05](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019837) | 705 | – | – | 100.0% |
| [Lochside, Braehead and Whitletts - 06](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019838) | 973 | – | – | 93.5% |
| [Newton North - 01](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019839) | 821 | – | – | 99.6% |
| [Newton North - 02](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019840) | 825 | – | – | 99.8% |
| [Newton North - 03](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019841) | 522 | – | – | 97.8% |
| [Newton North - 04](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019842) | 967 | – | – | 100.0% |
| [Newton North - 05](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/neighbourhood/s01019843) | 663 | – | – | 99.3% |

## Your MP

- [Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock](https://openindex.co.uk/constituency/ayr-carrick-and-cumnock): Elaine Stewart (Labour), MP since July 2024.

As of 18 October 2026. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0. Source: UK Parliament, Members API.

## Council

[South Ayrshire](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire)

## Postcode districts covering Ayr

[KA6](https://openindex.co.uk/postcode/ka6), [KA7](https://openindex.co.uk/postcode/ka7), [KA8](https://openindex.co.uk/postcode/ka8)

## Middle areas in Ayr

[Alloway](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/alloway), [Ayr North Harbour, Wallacetown and Newton South](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/ayr-north-harbour-wallacetown-and-newton-south), [Ayr South Harbour and Town Centre](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/ayr-south-harbour-and-town-centre), [Belmont](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/belmont), [Castlehill and Kincaidston](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/castlehill-and-kincaidston), [Craigie](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/craigie), [Dalmilling](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/dalmilling), [Doonfoot and Seafield](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/doonfoot-and-seafield), [Holmston and Forehill](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/holmston-and-forehill), [Lochside, Braehead and Whitletts](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/lochside-braehead-and-whitletts), [Newton North](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire/newton-north)

## Towns near Ayr

[Prestwick](https://openindex.co.uk/town/prestwick), [Troon](https://openindex.co.uk/town/troon), [Kilmarnock](https://openindex.co.uk/town/kilmarnock), [Irvine](https://openindex.co.uk/town/irvine), [Stevenston](https://openindex.co.uk/town/stevenston), [Cumnock](https://openindex.co.uk/town/cumnock)

## Ayr in brief

Ayr is a town in South Ayrshire, Scotland.
About 44,068 people lived in Ayr in mid-2024 (worked out by Open Index from NRS small-area estimates).
Ayr had 43,661 usual residents at the census.
About 5% of people in Ayr live in a 1 km square that the radon atlas marks as a radon Affected Area.
In Ayr, 86.9% of homes and businesses could get gigabit-capable broadband in January 2026.
In Ayr, 4.0% of residents aged 16 to 64 were claiming out-of-work benefits in August 2026.

## About

- Type: Town
- Code: S45000053
- Constituency: [Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock †](https://openindex.co.uk/constituency/ayr-carrick-and-cumnock)
- Council: [South Ayrshire †](https://openindex.co.uk/south-ayrshire)
- Nation: [Scotland](https://openindex.co.uk/scotland)
- Area: 16.89 km²
- People, mid-2024: 44,068*
- Neighbourhoods: 61
- Output areas: 394

* 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 and council this town mostly lies in. Its edges do not follow theirs.

## Next door

[Prestwick](https://openindex.co.uk/town/prestwick), [Troon](https://openindex.co.uk/town/troon), [Kilmarnock](https://openindex.co.uk/town/kilmarnock), [Irvine](https://openindex.co.uk/town/irvine), [Stevenston](https://openindex.co.uk/town/stevenston), [Cumnock](https://openindex.co.uk/town/cumnock)

## Latest updates for Ayr

- 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/S45000053

## How to cite

Source: Open Index, openindex.co.uk. Link to this page, https://openindex.co.uk/town/ayr, or to one figure with its anchor, https://openindex.co.uk/town/ayr#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/town/ayr