Scottish Borders

Key figures

7 of 9 measures have a published figure for Scottish Borders · 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 Scottish Borders: 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 Scottish Borders’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 Scottish Borders 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

Conservative and Independent coalition (2026) — Conservative 14, Other and independent 9, SNP 7, Liberal Democrat 3, Green 1 of 34 seats.

Since 2016: Other parties or independents (largest party, no overall majority) (2016); Conservative (largest party, no overall majority) (2017–2024); Conservative 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 Scottish Borders’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 · down 4.3% on a year earlier · ONS, published 23 October 2025£33,600
• People claiming unemployment-related benefitsJuly 2026 · up 0.8% on a year earlier · ONS, published 18 August 20261,910people
• Claimants as a proportion of residents aged 16 to 64July 2026 · unchanged 0.0 points on a year earlier · ONS, published 18 August 20262.8%
• Band D council tax in ScotlandYear ending March 2027 · up 8.5% on a year earlier · Scottish Government, published 31 March 2026£1,619
• House price annual changeJune 2026 · down 1.1 points on a year earlier · HM Land Registry, published 20 August 20264.6%
• Average house priceJune 2026 · up 4.6% on a year earlier · HM Land Registry, published 20 August 2026£191,555
• Population by local authorityMid-2024 · up 0.1% on a year earlier · ONS, published 26 September 2025116,980people
• Crimes recorded by the police in ScotlandYear ending March 2026 · up 4.9% on a year earlier · Scottish Government, published 23 June 20264,779crimes
• Crimes and offences recorded in Scotland per 10,000 peopleYear ending March 2026 · up 4.9% on a year earlier · Scottish Government, published 23 June 2026408.5per 10,000 population
• Median weekly pay, full-time employees, by area of residence2025 · up 6.6% on a year earlier · ONS, published 23 October 2025£708

National figures that apply here

These are not measured for Scottish Borders; 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 Scottish Borders, 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.

• £24,0802008→£33,6002025

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

  In Scottish Borders, median annual pay, full-time employees, by area of residence rose from £24,080 in 2008 to £33,600 in 2025, a change of £9,520 or 39.5%, in cash terms, not adjusted for inflation (ONS).

  How this figure was worked out

  £33,600 in 2025 − £24,080 in 2008 = £9,520, which is 39.5% 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 Scottish Borders, median annual pay, full-time employees, by area of residence rose from £24,080 in 2008 to £33,600 in 2025, a change of £9,520 or 39.5%, in cash terms, not adjusted for inflation (ONS).

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• £4502008→£7082025

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

  In Scottish Borders, median weekly pay, full-time employees, by area of residence rose from £450 in 2008 to £708 in 2025, a change of £258 or 57.3%, in cash terms, not adjusted for inflation (ONS).

  How this figure was worked out

  £708 in 2025 − £450 in 2008 = £258, which is 57.3% of the figure for 2008.

  The two ends are rounded for display. The published figures are 707.70 and 449.90, and 707.70 − 449.90 = 257.80.

  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 Scottish Borders, median weekly pay, full-time employees, by area of residence rose from £450 in 2008 to £708 in 2025, a change of £258 or 57.3%, in cash terms, not adjusted for inflation (ONS).

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• 110Year to mid-2012→490Year to mid-2024

  Net internal migration by local authority

  In Scottish Borders, net internal migration by local authority rose from 110 in Year to mid-2012 to 490 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 380 or 345.5% (ONS).

  How this figure was worked out

  490 in Year to mid-2024 − 110 in Year to mid-2012 = 380, which is 345.5% 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 Scottish Borders, net internal migration by local authority rose from 110 in Year to mid-2012 to 490 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 380 or 345.5% (ONS).

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• 490Year to mid-2012→450Year to mid-2024

  International migration into a local authority

  In Scottish Borders, international migration into a local authority fell from 490 in Year to mid-2012 to 450 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 40 or 8.2% (ONS).

  How this figure was worked out

  450 in Year to mid-2024 − 490 in Year to mid-2012 = −40, which is 8.2% 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 Scottish Borders, international migration into a local authority fell from 490 in Year to mid-2012 to 450 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 40 or 8.2% (ONS).

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• 310Year to mid-2012→240Year to mid-2024

  International migration out of a local authority

  In Scottish Borders, international migration out of a local authority fell from 310 in Year to mid-2012 to 240 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 70 or 22.6% (ONS).

  How this figure was worked out

  240 in Year to mid-2024 − 310 in Year to mid-2012 = −70, which is 22.6% 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 out by local authority, 2012 to 2024, held as a separate series so the two are never mixed inside one figure.

  In Scottish Borders, international migration out of a local authority fell from 310 in Year to mid-2012 to 240 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 70 or 22.6% (ONS).

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• 180Year to mid-2012→210Year to mid-2024

  Net international migration by local authority

  In Scottish Borders, net international migration by local authority rose from 180 in Year to mid-2012 to 210 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 30 or 16.7% (ONS).

  How this figure was worked out

  210 in Year to mid-2024 − 180 in Year to mid-2012 = 30, which is 16.7% 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 Scottish Borders, net international migration by local authority rose from 180 in Year to mid-2012 to 210 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 30 or 16.7% (ONS).

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• 1,107Year to mid-2012→854Year to mid-2024

  Births by local authority

  In Scottish Borders, births by local authority fell from 1,107 in Year to mid-2012 to 854 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 253 or 22.9% (ONS).

  How this figure was worked out

  854 in Year to mid-2024 − 1,107 in Year to mid-2012 = −253, which is 22.9% 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 Scottish Borders, births by local authority fell from 1,107 in Year to mid-2012 to 854 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 253 or 22.9% (ONS).

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• 1,281Year to mid-2012→1,469Year to mid-2024

  Deaths by local authority

  In Scottish Borders, deaths by local authority rose from 1,281 in Year to mid-2012 to 1,469 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 188 or 14.7% (ONS).

  How this figure was worked out

  1,469 in Year to mid-2024 − 1,281 in Year to mid-2012 = 188, which is 14.7% 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 Scottish Borders, deaths by local authority rose from 1,281 in Year to mid-2012 to 1,469 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 188 or 14.7% (ONS).

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• -174Year to mid-2012→-615Year to mid-2024

  Births minus deaths by local authority

  In Scottish Borders, births minus deaths by local authority fell from -174 in Year to mid-2012 to -615 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 441 or 253.4% (ONS).

  How this figure was worked out

  -615 in Year to mid-2024 − -174 in Year to mid-2012 = −441, which is 253.4% 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 Scottish Borders, births minus deaths by local authority fell from -174 in Year to mid-2012 to -615 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 441 or 253.4% (ONS).

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• -56Year to mid-2012→5Year to mid-2024

  Other population change by local authority

  In Scottish Borders, other population change by local authority rose from -56 in Year to mid-2012 to 5 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 61 or 108.9% (ONS).

  How this figure was worked out

  5 in Year to mid-2024 − -56 in Year to mid-2012 = 61, which is 108.9% 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 Scottish Borders, other population change by local authority rose from -56 in Year to mid-2012 to 5 in Year to mid-2024, a change of 61 or 108.9% (ONS).

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Compare Scottish Borders with another place

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

• Scottish Borders and Birmingham
• Scottish Borders and Leeds
• Scottish Borders and North Yorkshire
• Scottish Borders and Somerset
• Scottish Borders and Cornwall
• Scottish Borders 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 Scottish Borders said then and says now, with the periods named. Scottish Borders 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 Scottish Borders 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.