West Lothian

Key figures

7 of 9 measures have a published figure for West Lothian · 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 West Lothian: 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 West Lothian’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 West Lothian 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.

Pay rose faster than the housing cost shown 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

Labour minority administration (2026) — SNP 15, Labour 11, Conservative 4, Liberal Democrat 1, Reform UK 1, Other and independent 1 of 33 seats.

Since 2016: Labour (largest party, no overall majority) (2016); SNP (largest party, no overall majority) (2017–2024); Labour minority administration (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 West Lothian’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 4.9% on a year earlier · ONS, published 23 October 2025£40,134
• People claiming unemployment-related benefitsJuly 2026 · up 6.3% on a year earlier · ONS, published 18 August 20263,145people
• Claimants as a proportion of residents aged 16 to 64July 2026 · up 0.2 points on a year earlier · ONS, published 18 August 20262.7%
• Band D council tax in ScotlandYear ending March 2027 · up 7.4% on a year earlier · Scottish Government, published 31 March 2026£1,628
• House price annual changeJune 2026 · down 0.1 points on a year earlier · HM Land Registry, published 20 August 20263.8%
• Average house priceJune 2026 · up 3.8% on a year earlier · HM Land Registry, published 20 August 2026£228,496
• Population by local authorityMid-2024 · up 1.2% on a year earlier · ONS, published 26 September 2025186,440people
• Crimes recorded by the police in ScotlandYear ending March 2026 · up 2.7% on a year earlier · Scottish Government, published 23 June 202610,305crimes
• Crimes and offences recorded in Scotland per 10,000 peopleYear ending March 2026 · up 2.7% on a year earlier · Scottish Government, published 23 June 2026552.7per 10,000 population
• Median weekly pay, full-time employees, by area of residence2025 · up 6.4% on a year earlier · ONS, published 23 October 2025£769

National figures that apply here

These are not measured for West Lothian; 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 West Lothian, 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.

• £20,8502008→£40,1342025

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

  In West Lothian, median annual pay, full-time employees, by area of residence rose from £20,850 in 2008 to £40,134 in 2025, a change of £19,284 or 92.5%, in cash terms, not adjusted for inflation (ONS).

  How this figure was worked out

  £40,134 in 2025 − £20,850 in 2008 = £19,284, which is 92.5% 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 West Lothian, median annual pay, full-time employees, by area of residence rose from £20,850 in 2008 to £40,134 in 2025, a change of £19,284 or 92.5%, in cash terms, not adjusted for inflation (ONS).

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• £4212008→£7692025

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

  In West Lothian, median weekly pay, full-time employees, by area of residence rose from £421 in 2008 to £769 in 2025, a change of £348 or 82.5%, in cash terms, not adjusted for inflation (ONS).

  How this figure was worked out

  £769 in 2025 − £421 in 2008 = £348, which is 82.5% of the figure for 2008.

  The two ends are rounded for display. The published figures are 768.90 and 421.40, and 768.90 − 421.40 = 347.50.

  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 West Lothian, median weekly pay, full-time employees, by area of residence rose from £421 in 2008 to £769 in 2025, a change of £348 or 82.5%, in cash terms, not adjusted for inflation (ONS).

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• -190Year to mid-2012→1,420Year to mid-2024

  Net internal migration by local authority

  In West Lothian, net internal migration by local authority rose from -190 in Year to mid-2012 to 1,420 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 1,610 or 847.4% (ONS).

  How this figure was worked out

  1,420 in Year to mid-2024 − -190 in Year to mid-2012 = 1,610, which is 847.4% 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 West Lothian, net internal migration by local authority rose from -190 in Year to mid-2012 to 1,420 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 1,610 or 847.4% (ONS).

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• 730Year to mid-2012→1,220Year to mid-2024

  International migration into a local authority

  In West Lothian, international migration into a local authority rose from 730 in Year to mid-2012 to 1,220 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 490 or 67.1% (ONS).

  How this figure was worked out

  1,220 in Year to mid-2024 − 730 in Year to mid-2012 = 490, which is 67.1% 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 West Lothian, international migration into a local authority rose from 730 in Year to mid-2012 to 1,220 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 490 or 67.1% (ONS).

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• 820Year to mid-2012→450Year to mid-2024

  International migration out of a local authority

  In West Lothian, international migration out of a local authority fell from 820 in Year to mid-2012 to 450 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 370 or 45.1% (ONS).

  How this figure was worked out

  450 in Year to mid-2024 − 820 in Year to mid-2012 = −370, which is 45.1% 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 West Lothian, international migration out of a local authority fell from 820 in Year to mid-2012 to 450 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 370 or 45.1% (ONS).

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• -90Year to mid-2012→770Year to mid-2024

  Net international migration by local authority

  In West Lothian, net international migration by local authority rose from -90 in Year to mid-2012 to 770 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 860 or 955.6% (ONS).

  How this figure was worked out

  770 in Year to mid-2024 − -90 in Year to mid-2012 = 860, which is 955.6% 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 West Lothian, net international migration by local authority rose from -90 in Year to mid-2012 to 770 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 860 or 955.6% (ONS).

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• 2,061Year to mid-2012→1,749Year to mid-2024

  Births by local authority

  In West Lothian, births by local authority fell from 2,061 in Year to mid-2012 to 1,749 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 312 or 15.1% (ONS).

  How this figure was worked out

  1,749 in Year to mid-2024 − 2,061 in Year to mid-2012 = −312, which is 15.1% 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 West Lothian, births by local authority fell from 2,061 in Year to mid-2012 to 1,749 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 312 or 15.1% (ONS).

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• 1,456Year to mid-2012→1,814Year to mid-2024

  Deaths by local authority

  In West Lothian, deaths by local authority rose from 1,456 in Year to mid-2012 to 1,814 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 358 or 24.6% (ONS).

  How this figure was worked out

  1,814 in Year to mid-2024 − 1,456 in Year to mid-2012 = 358, 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 Deaths by local authority, 2012 to 2024, held as a separate series so the two are never mixed inside one figure.

  In West Lothian, deaths by local authority rose from 1,456 in Year to mid-2012 to 1,814 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 358 or 24.6% (ONS).

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• 605Year to mid-2012→-65Year to mid-2024

  Births minus deaths by local authority

  In West Lothian, births minus deaths by local authority fell from 605 in Year to mid-2012 to -65 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 670 or 110.7% (ONS).

  How this figure was worked out

  -65 in Year to mid-2024 − 605 in Year to mid-2012 = −670, which is 110.7% 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 West Lothian, births minus deaths by local authority fell from 605 in Year to mid-2012 to -65 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 670 or 110.7% (ONS).

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• -145Year to mid-2012→45Year to mid-2024

  Other population change by local authority

  In West Lothian, other population change by local authority rose from -145 in Year to mid-2012 to 45 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 190 or 131.0% (ONS).

  How this figure was worked out

  45 in Year to mid-2024 − -145 in Year to mid-2012 = 190, which is 131.0% 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 West Lothian, other population change by local authority rose from -145 in Year to mid-2012 to 45 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 190 or 131.0% (ONS).

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Compare West Lothian with another place

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

• West Lothian and Birmingham
• West Lothian and Leeds
• West Lothian and North Yorkshire
• West Lothian and Somerset
• West Lothian and Cornwall
• West Lothian and Buckinghamshire

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

Since you moved here

Pick the year you arrived, and see what every series published for West Lothian said then and says now, with the periods named. West Lothian 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 West Lothian 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.