Imofolio

Scotland · report

People and new homes in Scotland

In 2025 the population grew by 1,774 while 17,794 homes were finished: 0.1 new residents for every new home.

New residents per new home, 2025
0.1
Population change, 2025
+1,774

Population change and homes finished in Scotland

The population's yearly change, net migration plus births minus deaths (ONS), against homes finished (MHCLG and the Welsh, Scottish and Northern Ireland statistics).

Population change

Show the numbers
YearPopulation change
20251,774
202431,337
202364,196
202239,549
20217,708
20201,685
201922,547
20188,268
201718,607
201625,840
201523,311
201419,095
20138,587
201214,593

Homes finished

Show the numbers
YearHomes finished
202517,794
202419,687
202321,178
202223,406
202121,170
202015,830
201922,942
201820,130
201717,410
201616,939
201517,358
201415,622
201315,141
201215,127

Year by year

YearNet migrationBirths minus deathsPopulation changeHomes finished
2012+10,370+4,223+14,59315,127
2013+7,680+907+8,58715,141
2014+15,580+3,515+19,09515,622
2015+25,350−2,039+23,31117,358
2016+26,660−820+25,84016,939
2017+22,420−3,813+18,60717,410
2018+15,930−7,662+8,26820,130
2019+28,120−5,573+22,54722,942
2020+16,130−14,445+1,68515,830
2021+22,240−14,532+7,70821,170
2022+55,130−15,581+39,54923,406
2023+83,340−19,144+64,19621,178
2024+47,010−15,673+31,33719,687
2025+17,930−16,156+1,77417,794

Births, deaths and moves are ONS's mid-year estimates, each year to 30 June, counting moves to and from the rest of the UK and abroad. Homes finished are new homes completed in the calendar year, from each nation's house-building statistics; England's run below its net additions. A home houses a household, not a person: two or three new residents per new home is roughly one home per new household.

Other reports for Scotland

Sale prices have an 80% chance of landing between £203,987 and £228,571 by August 2027.

Expected, August 2027
£216,279
Chance of a rise
97%

At the average sale price, a home costs £198,397. With 10% down and a 30-year mortgage, the payment is £915 a month. The UK sets no cap on the payment; no more than 15% of new mortgages may lend over 4.5 times income.

Payment, two incomes
14%
Payment, one income
28%

Owning the average home costs less each month than renting it. Owning counts interest, running costs and the return the deposit could earn, at the average sale price; rent is the average of all private tenancies. Repaying the loan is saving, so it is left out.

Rent per month
£1,011
Owning per month
£934

20.7% fewer homes were started in the last 12 months than in an average year of the past decade.

Started, 12 months
15,543
Per 1,000 residents
2.8

Figures for United Kingdom: Scotland has no reliable figures of its own.

Buyers living abroad bought 1.8% of the homes sold here in the four quarters to Q1 2025.

Bought by buyers abroad, 12 months
1.8%

Sale prices have fallen by 3% or more 18 times since 1968. The deepest began in May 2008.

Deepest fall
−17.5%
Recovery from the low
53 months

In 2026, 2% of the homes added came from existing buildings rather than new ones.

Homes from existing buildings, 2026
2%