In 2023, the population of Scotland was approximately 5.49 million, compared with 2000 when the population was just over five million. Between 1974 and 2000, the population of Scotland fell by 172,600, before growing at a relatively fast rate after 2000, and surpassing the 1974 population by 2010.

In 2023, there were approximately 631,970 people living in Glasgow, with a further 523,250 people living in the Scottish capital, Edinburgh, the first and second most-populated Scottish council areas respectively. The region of Fife is also heavily populated, with approximately 373,210 people living there. The least populated areas are the islands of Scotland such as Orkney, estimated to have only 22,000 people there.

National and subnational mid-year population estimates for the UK and its constituent countries by administrative area, age and sex (including components of population change, median age and population density).

About this dataset

Context

The dataset tabulates the Scotland population over the last 20 plus years. It lists the population for each year, along with the year on year change in population, as well as the change in percentage terms for each year. The dataset can be utilized to understand the population change of Scotland across the last two decades. For example, using this dataset, we can identify if the population is declining or increasing. If there is a change, when the population peaked, or if it is still growing and has not reached its peak. We can also compare the trend with the overall trend of United States population over the same period of time.

Key observations

In 2023, the population of Scotland was 168, a 0% decrease year-by-year from 2022. Previously, in 2022, Scotland population was 168, a decline of 1.18% compared to a population of 170 in 2021. Over the last 20 plus years, between 2000 and 2023, population of Scotland decreased by 129. In this period, the peak population was 360 in the year 2010. The numbers suggest that the population has already reached its peak and is showing a trend of decline. Source: U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP).

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP).

Data Coverage:

• From 2000 to 2023

Variables / Data Columns

• Year: This column displays the data year (Measured annually and for years 2000 to 2023)
• Population: The population for the specific year for the Scotland is shown in this column.
• Year on Year Change: This column displays the change in Scotland population for each year compared to the previous year.
• Change in Percent: This column displays the year on year change as a percentage. Please note that the sum of all percentages may not equal one due to rounding of values.

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Recommended for further research

This dataset is a part of the main dataset for Scotland Population by Year. You can refer the same here

Scotland’s population was estimated to be 5,466,000 on 30 June 2020 (referred to as mid-2020). The population increased by 2,700 people (0.05%) in the year to mid-2020, the slowest growth since the year to mid-2003. The average growth in the 5 years to mid-2019 was around 23,000 people (0.43%). There were 63,100 deaths and 48,700 births in the year ending mid-2020. There were 14,500 more deaths than births, more deaths than births for the sixth year running and the largest natural decrease on record. There were 2,000 (4%) fewer births than the previous year, a decrease in line with trends seen in previous years. The number of deaths was 6,900 (12%) more than the previous year, which is a larger increase than previous years. Migration was the main driver of population growth, with 16,900 more people moving to Scotland than leaving in the year to mid-2020; +9,000 from the rest of the UK and +7,900 from overseas. This was lower than in recent years. Population change varies across Scotland. Around two thirds of council areas (20 out of 32) experienced population decline, with 12 areas seeing population growth in the last year. Areas facing the greatest population decline were mainly in the west of the country. Most council areas (25 out of 32) saw more people move to the area than leave in the year to mid-2020. Only one council area, Midlothian, had more births than deaths over the same period.

About this dataset

Context

The dataset tabulates the Scotland town population over the last 20 plus years. It lists the population for each year, along with the year on year change in population, as well as the change in percentage terms for each year. The dataset can be utilized to understand the population change of Scotland town across the last two decades. For example, using this dataset, we can identify if the population is declining or increasing. If there is a change, when the population peaked, or if it is still growing and has not reached its peak. We can also compare the trend with the overall trend of United States population over the same period of time.

Key observations

In 2021, the population of Scotland town was 1,568, a 0.06% decrease year-by-year from 2020. Previously, in 2020, Scotland town population was 1,569, a decline of 6.22% compared to a population of 1,673 in 2019. Over the last 20 plus years, between 2000 and 2021, population of Scotland town increased by 13. In this period, the peak population was 1,726 in the year 2010. The numbers suggest that the population has already reached its peak and is showing a trend of decline. Source: U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP).

https://i.neilsberg.com/ch/population-of-scotland-ct-population-by-year-2000-2021.jpeg" alt="Scotland town population by year">

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP).

Data Coverage:

• From 2000 to 2021

Variables / Data Columns

• Year: This column displays the data year (Measured annually and for years 2000 to 2021)
• Population: The population for the specific year for the Scotland town is shown in this column.
• Year on Year Change: This column displays the change in Scotland town population for each year compared to the previous year.
• Change in Percent: This column displays the year on year change as a percentage. Please note that the sum of all percentages may not equal one due to rounding of values.

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Recommended for further research

This dataset is a part of the main dataset for Scotland town Population by Year. You can refer the same here

The ‘Registrar General’s Annual Review of Demographic Trends’ (RGAR) brings together a range of NRS data to provide new insights and highlight key trends. This year’s RGAR highlights the impact of deprivation and COVID-19 on mortality in Scotland. The report shows the death rate from all causes in the most deprived areas of Scotland was 1.9 times the death rate in the least deprived areas. The death rates for drug-related deaths (18.4 times as large), alcohol-specific deaths (4.3 times as large), suicides (3.0 times as large) and COVID-19 (2.4 times as large) were all notably higher in the most deprived areas. People in more deprived areas can also expect far fewer years in good health. There is a 20+ year gap in healthy life expectancy between people in the least and most deprived areas. Data from the first nine months of the pandemic shows how deaths from various causes compare to previous years.

Scotland’s population was estimated to be 5,479,900 at mid-2021 (30 June 2021). The population increased by 13,900 people (0.25%) in the year to mid-2021. The average annual growth in the 5 years before the pandemic was higher than this, at around 23,100 people (0.43%). There have been more deaths than births for the last seven years. In the latest year, deaths outnumbered births by the largest amount on record. Migration was the main driver of population growth over the latest year. More people moved to Scotland than left, as has been the case for the last two decades. The pattern of population change was different to previous years. In the latest year, the population of the largest cities fell, which was a change from growth in previous years. The greatest population growth was in council areas around Edinburgh. In addition, many rural areas which had previously had falling populations saw an increase in population over the latest year.

There were 514 settlements in Scotland in mid-2020. This is 5 fewer than in 2016, due to some settlements merging or falling below the threshold of 500 people. The population living in settlements and localities was 4,974,670. The population living outside settlements was 491,330. 91% of Scotland’s population lived in settlements and localities, which accounted for 2.3% of Scotland’s total land area. The largest settlement in Scotland was Greater Glasgow with a population of 1,028,220. Nearly 1 in 5 people living in Scotland in mid-2020 lived in Greater Glasgow. Almost all of Glasgow City’s and Dundee City’s population lived in a settlement (99.8% in both). In contrast, less than a third of Na h-Eileanan Siar’s population lived in a settlement (29.4%).

As at mid-2020, the average data zone population in Scotland was 784 people. Data zones are a small area geography. They cover the whole of Scotland, and can be used to understand the population of local communities. Find out more about the data zone you live via our interactive visualisation. Every council area across Scotland had pockets of population growth and pockets of depopulation.

The population of the United Kingdom in 2023 was estimated to be approximately 68.3 million in 2023, with almost 9.48 million people living in South East England. London had the next highest population, at over 8.9 million people, followed by the North West England at 7.6 million. With the UK's population generally concentrated in England, most English regions have larger populations than the constituent countries of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, which had populations of 5.5 million, 3.16 million, and 1.92 million respectively. English counties and cities The United Kingdom is a patchwork of various regional units, within England the largest of these are the regions shown here, which show how London, along with the rest of South East England had around 18 million people living there in this year. The next significant regional units in England are the 47 metropolitan and ceremonial counties. After London, the metropolitan counties of the West Midlands, Greater Manchester, and West Yorkshire were the biggest of these counties, due to covering the large urban areas of Birmingham, Manchester, and Leeds respectively. Regional divisions in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland The smaller countries that comprise the United Kingdom each have different local subdivisions. Within Scotland these are called council areas whereas in Wales the main regional units are called unitary authorities. Scotland's largest Council Area by population is that of Glasgow City at over 622,000, while in Wales, it was the Cardiff Unitary Authority at around 372,000. Northern Ireland, on the other hand, has eleven local government districts, the largest of which is Belfast with a population of around 348,000.

This section provides annual mid-year population estimates for Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) 2020 areas in Scotland. The population estimates (2011 Data Zone based) are available for each year from 2011 onwards, broken down by single year of age, sex and SIMD decile. Migration flows for SIMD 2020 areas in Scotland are available broken down by total in, out and net migration and SIMD decile from 2001-02 onwards. Data zones are ranked from 1 (most deprived) to 6,976 (least deprived) according to the SIMD. Each SIMD decile contains 10 per cent of Scotland’s data zones. So, for example, decile one is made up of the 698 most deprived data zones in Scotland according to SIMD 2020. The figures are based on adding up data zone population estimates from the Small Area Population Estimates (SAPE). Levels of deprivation in an area change over time. The most deprived data zones in SIMD 2020 may not have been the most deprived data zones in, for example, 2011. These SIMD population estimates show how the populations in the SIMD 2020 deciles have changed over time. The SIMD presents a picture of multiple deprivation by identifying small area concentrations of multiple deprivation across all of Scotland in a consistent way. The approach used within the SIMD assumes that deprivation is not one dimensional but that there are a number of different aspects that all contribute. More information is available on the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation section of the Scottish Government website. Maximum file size is 3.51 MB

These statistics provide population estimates for the settlements and localities of Scotland as at mid-2020. Settlements and localities are groups of adjacent, high-density postcodes whose combined population rounds to 500 people or more

2020-based interim national population projections with assumptions of possible future international migration that reflect estimates of international migration to year ending June 2022. The potential future population size of the UK, Great Britain, England and Wales, England, Scotland and Wales. These statistics are widely used in planning, for example, fiscal projections, health, education and pensions. Not national statistics.

About this dataset

Context

The dataset tabulates the Scotland population over the last 20 plus years. It lists the population for each year, along with the year on year change in population, as well as the change in percentage terms for each year. The dataset can be utilized to understand the population change of Scotland across the last two decades. For example, using this dataset, we can identify if the population is declining or increasing. If there is a change, when the population peaked, or if it is still growing and has not reached its peak. We can also compare the trend with the overall trend of United States population over the same period of time.

Key observations

In 2022, the population of Scotland was 168, a 1.75% decrease year-by-year from 2021. Previously, in 2021, Scotland population was 171, a decline of 0.58% compared to a population of 172 in 2020. Over the last 20 plus years, between 2000 and 2022, population of Scotland decreased by 129. In this period, the peak population was 360 in the year 2010. The numbers suggest that the population has already reached its peak and is showing a trend of decline. Source: U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP).

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP).

Data Coverage:

• From 2000 to 2022

Variables / Data Columns

• Year: This column displays the data year (Measured annually and for years 2000 to 2022)
• Population: The population for the specific year for the Scotland is shown in this column.
• Year on Year Change: This column displays the change in Scotland population for each year compared to the previous year.
• Change in Percent: This column displays the year on year change as a percentage. Please note that the sum of all percentages may not equal one due to rounding of values.

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Recommended for further research

This dataset is a part of the main dataset for Scotland Population by Year. You can refer the same here

The population of Scotland is projected to continue increasing until around mid-2028, peaking at 5.48 million. It is then projected to fall by 1.8% to 5.39 million by 2045. These projections are lower than the previous (2018-based) projections. The difference is mainly due to lower fertility rates. These are the first projections for a number of years to show Scotland’s population falling in the next decade. The previous projections suggested that the population could stall and then begin to fall after around 25 years. The population of the UK as a whole is projected to grow by 5.8% to mid-2045. These latest projections for Scotland and the UK are both lower than previous projections. Scotland is the only UK country where the population is projected to fall during the next 25 years. If these projections were realised, Scotland’s share of the UK population would fall from 8.1% in mid-2020 to 7.6% by mid-2045. Scotland’s population is projected to age. The number of people aged 65 and over is projected to grow by nearly a third by mid-2045. The number of children is projected to fall by over a fifth. The working age population is projected to remain fairly stable. As now, more people are projected to move to Scotland than leave each year. There are more deaths than births each year, and the gap between births and deaths is projected to widen. Over time, this will outweigh the growth from migration.

In 2020, the population of the United Kingdom was estimated to have grown by approximately 0.4 percent, with the population growing fastest in the South West and East Midlands, which reported growth rates of 0.6 percent in this year. By contrast, growth in Northern Ireland and Scotland was below the UK average, at just 0.1 percent and zero percent, respectively. Four countries of the UK Within the UK, South East England had the highest population of the regions that comprise the United Kingdom, at more than 9.37 million people. In terms of the four countries of the UK, England had by far the highest population at over 57.7 million people, compared with Scotland (5.5 million) Wales (3.13 million) and Northern Ireland (1.9 million people) which have comparatively smaller populations. Largest cities in the UK With 8.9 million people living there, London is one of the most heavily population regions of the UK, and by far the largest city. Other large cities in the UK include West Midlands urban area, centered around the city of Birmingham at 2.95 million people, along with Greater Manchester at 2.91 million, with these two cities generally considered as the main contenders for being the country's second-city.

NRS publishes mid-year population estimates on an annual basis. The most recent data, released in June 2021 are sourced from Table 9, “Land area and population density by administrative area, mid-2020”, on the NRS website Mid-2020 Population Estimates Scotland page. This data set is an extract of that table showing Perth and Kinross Council area only together with extracts of previous years estimates.

This dataset is published as Open Datanational records of scotland - small area population estimates (2017 to 2021). This is the latest release of data based on small areas (datazones). The dataset contains information at the data zone level mid-year population estimates from 2017 onwards for the Stirling Council area. The published datasets for “All Persons”, “Females” and “Males” are sourced from the annually updated Small Areas Population Estimates (SAPE) on the National Records of Scotland (NRS) website.Of the 6,976 data zones in Scotland, each covering a population of between 500 and 1000 residents, there are 121 within the Stirling Council area.For each data zone within the Stirling Council area, this dataset details the total population and distribution by age for the above, and can be viewed by Ward, Intermediate Zone (IZ) and Scottish Parliamentary Constituency (SPC).© Crown Copyright 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024