Highland

Key figures

7 of 9 measures have a published figure for Highland · no figure for annual rent as a share of pay, band d council tax as a share of pay. Each figure is the publisher’s own, for the period named beside it.

Population change, year by year

The same decomposition for every published year in Highland: births and deaths, net moves within the UK, net international migration, and the ONS’s balancing item.

Years to mid-2024 are the ONS’s rebased back series, made consistent with Census 2021 — its figures deliberately differ from the estimates published at the time. Every cell is a published figure; the total is the sum of net moves, natural change and other, which is our addition. A dash is a year the source does not publish for this area, never a zero.

Rates per 1,000 residents

The same population flows, adjusted for Highland’s size, so they can be compared with any other area’s: each year’s flow divided by the population that mid-year, times 1,000.

A Civometry calculation, not a published figure: ONS publishes these flows and the population, but not the rates. Net rates are signed — below zero means more left than arrived. Rates are crude, not age-standardised, so areas with very different age structures still differ for reasons size cannot remove. Each link shows the full recipe and every year.

Pay against housing costs

How pay in Highland moved over its latest published year, beside how the cost of buying and renting moved over theirs. The three series come from different publishers on different timetables, so each row covers its own year, named in the row.

average house price rose faster than pay over these periods.

Levels are the publishers’ own (ONS ASHE median annual pay for full-time employees living in the area; HM Land Registry UK House Price Index; ONS Price Index of Private Rents). The percentage changes are Civometry arithmetic on the two published values in each row. Pay is a survey of employees and says nothing about a particular household; one year is weather, not climate.

Who runs the council

SNP and Independent coalition (2026) — Other and independent 28, SNP 19, Liberal Democrat 16, Conservative 6, Green 3, Labour 2 of 74 seats.

Since 2016: Other parties or independents (2016); Other parties or independents (largest party, no overall majority) (2017–2024); SNP and Independent coalition (2025–2026)

Not an official statistic. Compiled by Open Council Data UK, an independent project, not by any government department: no official body publishes council political control. Councils are matched to GSS codes by name here; county councils and districts abolished before the current boundaries are not included. This is the one dataset on the site that is not read from an official publication, and every page that shows it says so. Source: Open Council Data UK (CC0).

Between the censuses

How Highland’s religion, ethnic-group and country-of-birth make-up changed between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, category by category. The two censuses compared.

Crime

No recorded-crime data is loaded for this area. Coverage.

Published for this area

• Median annual pay, full-time employees, by area of residence2025 · up 1.9% on a year earlier · ONS, published 23 October 2025£39,740
• People claiming unemployment-related benefitsJuly 2026 · up 6.2% on a year earlier · ONS, published 18 August 20263,170people
• Claimants as a proportion of residents aged 16 to 64July 2026 · up 0.1 points on a year earlier · ONS, published 18 August 20262.2%
• Band D council tax in ScotlandYear ending March 2027 · up 7.0% on a year earlier · Scottish Government, published 31 March 2026£1,634
• House price annual changeJune 2026 · up 2.8 points on a year earlier · HM Land Registry, published 20 August 20264.8%
• Average house priceJune 2026 · up 4.8% on a year earlier · HM Land Registry, published 20 August 2026£221,000
• Population by local authorityMid-2024 · up 0.3% on a year earlier · ONS, published 26 September 2025237,290people
• Crimes recorded by the police in ScotlandYear ending March 2026 · down 0.5% on a year earlier · Scottish Government, published 23 June 202610,202crimes
• Crimes and offences recorded in Scotland per 10,000 peopleYear ending March 2026 · down 0.5% on a year earlier · Scottish Government, published 23 June 2026429.9per 10,000 population
• Median weekly pay, full-time employees, by area of residence2025 · up 5.1% on a year earlier · ONS, published 23 October 2025£775

National figures that apply here

These are not measured for Highland; they are the figure for the nation or the UK, shown because they apply to everyone in it.

• Average Band D council tax (England average)Year ending March 2027 · up 4.9%£2,392
• Unemployment rate (UK)2026 Q2 · up 0.2 points4.9%
• Universal Credit caseload (Great Britain)Year ending March 2025 · up 16.3%5,473,000households
• Persistent absence (England)2024/25 academic year · down 1.8 points18.1%
• Average annual electricity bill (UK)2025 · down 1.3%£1,069

Then and now

The first and last years published for Highland, and the difference between the two. Both figures are published for this area; the difference is those two numbers subtracted, which you can check by hand.

• £21,7102008→£39,7402025

  Median annual pay, full-time employees, by area of residence

  In Highland, median annual pay, full-time employees, by area of residence rose from £21,710 in 2008 to £39,740 in 2025, a change of £18,030 or 83.0%, in cash terms, not adjusted for inflation (ONS).

  How this figure was worked out

  £39,740 in 2025 − £21,710 in 2008 = £18,030, which is 83.0% of the figure for 2008.

  18 published years spanning 17 years, from ONS. Years before the current series come from Median annual pay, full-time employees, by area of residence, 2002 to 2023, held as a separate series so the two are never mixed inside one figure. Cash terms: these are the amounts as published, not adjusted for inflation.

  In Highland, median annual pay, full-time employees, by area of residence rose from £21,710 in 2008 to £39,740 in 2025, a change of £18,030 or 83.0%, in cash terms, not adjusted for inflation (ONS).

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• £4252008→£7752025

  Median weekly pay, full-time employees, by area of residence

  In Highland, median weekly pay, full-time employees, by area of residence rose from £425 in 2008 to £775 in 2025, a change of £350 or 82.2%, in cash terms, not adjusted for inflation (ONS).

  How this figure was worked out

  £775 in 2025 − £425 in 2008 = £350, which is 82.2% of the figure for 2008.

  The two ends are rounded for display. The published figures are 775.10 and 425.30, and 775.10 − 425.30 = 349.80.

  18 published years spanning 17 years, from ONS. Years before the current series come from Median weekly pay, full-time employees, by area of residence, 2002 to 2023, held as a separate series so the two are never mixed inside one figure. Cash terms: these are the amounts as published, not adjusted for inflation.

  In Highland, median weekly pay, full-time employees, by area of residence rose from £425 in 2008 to £775 in 2025, a change of £350 or 82.2%, in cash terms, not adjusted for inflation (ONS).

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• 290Year to mid-2012→1,320Year to mid-2024

  Net internal migration by local authority

  In Highland, net internal migration by local authority rose from 290 in Year to mid-2012 to 1,320 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 1,030 or 355.2% (ONS).

  How this figure was worked out

  1,320 in Year to mid-2024 − 290 in Year to mid-2012 = 1,030, which is 355.2% of the figure for Year to mid-2012.

  13 published years spanning 12 years, from ONS. Years before the current series come from Internal migration net by local authority, 2012 to 2024, held as a separate series so the two are never mixed inside one figure.

  In Highland, net internal migration by local authority rose from 290 in Year to mid-2012 to 1,320 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 1,030 or 355.2% (ONS).

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• 970Year to mid-2012→1,120Year to mid-2024

  International migration into a local authority

  In Highland, international migration into a local authority rose from 970 in Year to mid-2012 to 1,120 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 150 or 15.5% (ONS).

  How this figure was worked out

  1,120 in Year to mid-2024 − 970 in Year to mid-2012 = 150, which is 15.5% of the figure for Year to mid-2012.

  13 published years spanning 12 years, from ONS. Years before the current series come from International migration in by local authority, 2012 to 2024, held as a separate series so the two are never mixed inside one figure.

  In Highland, international migration into a local authority rose from 970 in Year to mid-2012 to 1,120 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 150 or 15.5% (ONS).

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• 880Year to mid-2012→660Year to mid-2024

  International migration out of a local authority

  In Highland, international migration out of a local authority fell from 880 in Year to mid-2012 to 660 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 220 or 25.0% (ONS).

  How this figure was worked out

  660 in Year to mid-2024 − 880 in Year to mid-2012 = −220, which is 25.0% of the figure for Year to mid-2012.

  13 published years spanning 12 years, from ONS. Years before the current series come from International migration out by local authority, 2012 to 2024, held as a separate series so the two are never mixed inside one figure.

  In Highland, international migration out of a local authority fell from 880 in Year to mid-2012 to 660 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 220 or 25.0% (ONS).

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• 80Year to mid-2012→470Year to mid-2024

  Net international migration by local authority

  In Highland, net international migration by local authority rose from 80 in Year to mid-2012 to 470 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 390 or 487.5% (ONS).

  How this figure was worked out

  470 in Year to mid-2024 − 80 in Year to mid-2012 = 390, which is 487.5% of the figure for Year to mid-2012.

  13 published years spanning 12 years, from ONS. Years before the current series come from International migration net by local authority, 2012 to 2024, held as a separate series so the two are never mixed inside one figure.

  In Highland, net international migration by local authority rose from 80 in Year to mid-2012 to 470 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 390 or 487.5% (ONS).

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• 2,406Year to mid-2012→1,814Year to mid-2024

  Births by local authority

  In Highland, births by local authority fell from 2,406 in Year to mid-2012 to 1,814 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 592 or 24.6% (ONS).

  How this figure was worked out

  1,814 in Year to mid-2024 − 2,406 in Year to mid-2012 = −592, which is 24.6% of the figure for Year to mid-2012.

  13 published years spanning 12 years, from ONS. Years before the current series come from Births by local authority, 2012 to 2024, held as a separate series so the two are never mixed inside one figure.

  In Highland, births by local authority fell from 2,406 in Year to mid-2012 to 1,814 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 592 or 24.6% (ONS).

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• 2,358Year to mid-2012→2,815Year to mid-2024

  Deaths by local authority

  In Highland, deaths by local authority rose from 2,358 in Year to mid-2012 to 2,815 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 457 or 19.4% (ONS).

  How this figure was worked out

  2,815 in Year to mid-2024 − 2,358 in Year to mid-2012 = 457, which is 19.4% of the figure for Year to mid-2012.

  13 published years spanning 12 years, from ONS. Years before the current series come from Deaths by local authority, 2012 to 2024, held as a separate series so the two are never mixed inside one figure.

  In Highland, deaths by local authority rose from 2,358 in Year to mid-2012 to 2,815 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 457 or 19.4% (ONS).

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• 48Year to mid-2012→-1,001Year to mid-2024

  Births minus deaths by local authority

  In Highland, births minus deaths by local authority fell from 48 in Year to mid-2012 to -1,001 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 1,049 or 2185.4% (ONS).

  How this figure was worked out

  -1,001 in Year to mid-2024 − 48 in Year to mid-2012 = −1,049, which is 2185.4% of the figure for Year to mid-2012.

  13 published years spanning 12 years, from ONS. Years before the current series come from Natural change by local authority, 2012 to 2024, held as a separate series so the two are never mixed inside one figure.

  In Highland, births minus deaths by local authority fell from 48 in Year to mid-2012 to -1,001 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 1,049 or 2185.4% (ONS).

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• -158Year to mid-2012→-19Year to mid-2024

  Other population change by local authority

  In Highland, other population change by local authority rose from -158 in Year to mid-2012 to -19 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 139 or 88.0% (ONS).

  How this figure was worked out

  -19 in Year to mid-2024 − -158 in Year to mid-2012 = 139, which is 88.0% of the figure for Year to mid-2012.

  13 published years spanning 12 years, from ONS. Years before the current series come from Other population change by local authority, 2012 to 2024, held as a separate series so the two are never mixed inside one figure.

  In Highland, other population change by local authority rose from -158 in Year to mid-2012 to -19 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 139 or 88.0% (ONS).

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Compare Highland with another place

Every figure both areas publish, side by side, from its own publisher with the period named:

• Highland and Birmingham
• Highland and Leeds
• Highland and North Yorkshire
• Highland and Somerset
• Highland and Cornwall
• Highland and Buckinghamshire

Or open any two areas as /compare/places/<area>/<area> — the address carries the whole comparison.

Nearby areas

The closest other local authorities, each with its own report card and a side-by-side comparison:

• Moray · compare
• Perth and Kinross · compare
• Aberdeenshire · compare
• Na h-Eileanan Siar · compare
• Angus · compare
• Stirling · compare

Areas like Highland

The local authorities whose published rents, pay, house prices, council tax and claimant count sit closest to Highland’s, wherever they are in the UK. Computed from the figures, not curated.

• Perth and Kinross · compare
• Chorley · compare
• Staffordshire Moorlands · compare
• Stafford · compare
• West Lothian · compare
• Argyll and Bute · compare

Since you moved here

Pick the year you arrived, and see what every series published for Highland said then and says now, with the periods named. Highland since you moved here, or read the whole run year by year.

Where these figures come from

Every figure above is published by the body named here, for the release named here. Figures marked as a Civometry calculation are arithmetic on those published figures and are not official statistics.

Not yet published here

Income, employment, benefits by area, health, education and religion for Highland are on the way where an open official source exists; where one does not, the data gaps register says why. Local claimant counts are behind a login.