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Shetland Islands council area. Every figure carries its own date.

Neighbourhood differences

People aged 65 or over

19.3% to 29%

People aged 65 or over ranged from 19.3% in Shetland North to 29% in North Isles — a gap of 9.7 percentage points.

20 March 2022 · 7 of 7 current wards with comparable figures.

Age helps locate demand for accessible homes, transport and support. Being older does not itself mean someone needs care.

See each ward and the workings

These are separate ward percentages, not an average of them. Boundaries: May 2026. Missing or differently defined figures are excluded from this range and stay visible on the ward pages.

People aged 65 or over · 20 March 2022
Ward	Share	Count	Population or households covered
Shetland North	19.3%	641	3,329
Shetland Central	19.9%	838	4,220
Lerwick North and Bressay	20.1%	615	3,058
Shetland South	20.9%	835	3,989
Shetland West	21.5%	372	1,731
Lerwick South	23.5%	940	4,004
North Isles	29%	769	2,654

Source and method →

What could respond to this pattern →

People aged 16+ with no qualifications

11% to 20.9%

People aged 16+ with no qualifications ranged from 11% in Shetland South to 20.9% in North Isles — a gap of 9.9 percentage points.

20 March 2022 · 7 of 7 current wards with comparable figures.

Formal qualifications are only one part of someone's skills. Training decisions also need current vacancies, employment and residents' experience.

See each ward and the workings

These are separate ward percentages, not an average of them. Boundaries: May 2026. Missing or differently defined figures are excluded from this range and stay visible on the ward pages.

People aged 16+ with no qualifications · 20 March 2022
Ward	Share	Count	Population or households covered
Shetland South	11%	355	3,219
Shetland Central	11.8%	396	3,367
Shetland West	12.7%	177	1,395
Shetland North	14.8%	393	2,648
Lerwick South	15.1%	500	3,316
Lerwick North and Bressay	16.4%	436	2,654
North Isles	20.9%	465	2,221

Source and method →

What could respond to this pattern →

People aged 16+ with a degree or higher

26.5% to 34.4%

People aged 16+ with a degree or higher ranged from 26.5% in North Isles to 34.4% in Shetland South — a gap of 7.9 percentage points.

20 March 2022 · 7 of 7 current wards with comparable figures.

Qualifications show local skills, not whether people have secure jobs or use those skills at work. Scotland uses its own qualification categories.

See each ward and the workings

These are separate ward percentages, not an average of them. Boundaries: May 2026. Missing or differently defined figures are excluded from this range and stay visible on the ward pages.

People aged 16+ with a degree or higher · 20 March 2022
Ward	Share	Count	Population or households covered
North Isles	26.5%	588	2,221
Shetland North	26.8%	710	2,648
Lerwick South	27.7%	918	3,316
Lerwick North and Bressay	29%	769	2,654
Shetland Central	31.1%	1,046	3,367
Shetland West	31.2%	435	1,395
Shetland South	34.4%	1,108	3,219

Source and method →

What could respond to this pattern →

7 mapped electoral wards · May 2026. The same wards are available in the named list below. These are council boundaries, not police neighbourhoods.

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These are electoral wards or the explicitly labelled statistical equivalents. They do not necessarily match villages, parishes or police neighbourhoods.

North Isles →2,654 people · census date in profile Shetland North →3,329 people · census date in profile Lerwick North and Bressay →3,058 people · census date in profile Lerwick South →4,004 people · census date in profile Shetland Central →4,220 people · census date in profile Shetland South →3,989 people · census date in profile Shetland West →1,731 people · census date in profile