Population statistics

Graph of Aberdeenshire's population from 2001 to 2021.

The most recent figures on population for local authority areas come from the first outputs of the 2022 census which estimated that Aberdeenshire’s population was 263,900. This is an increase of 4.3% since the previous census in 2011. 

This page provides more detailed information on Aberdeenshire’s population from estimates provided annually by National Records of Scotland

You can find out about:

Aberdeenshire total population by year

In 2021 Aberdeenshire’s population was 262,690. This was an increase of 1,910 people (0.7% increase) since 2020 and was due primarily to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic which led to people moving out of cities and into more rural areas as workplaces closed, and home working became common. There was a corresponding decrease of 0.7% in the population of Aberdeen City over the same period. Prior to 2021 the population of Aberdeenshire had fallen for four consecutive years after a long period of rapid growth up until 2014/15.

Year Population
2021 262,690
2020 260,780
2019 261,210
2018 261,470
2017 261,800
2016 262,190
2015 261,960
2014 260,530
2013 257,770
2012 255,560
2011 253,650
2010 251,430
2009 249,020
2008 246,840
2007 244,390
2006 241,180
2005 237,570
2004 234,690
2003 231,250
2002 228,830
2001 226,940

Population of wards and administrative areas 2021

Ward or administrative area  Population
Banff and District 11,198
Fraserburgh and District 15,779
Troup 8,805
Banff and Buchan total 35,782
Central Buchan  14,948
Peterhead North and Rattray  14,194
Peterhead South and Cruden 13,363
Buchan total 42,505
Ellon and District  13,810
Mid Formartine  16,279
Turriff and District  13,154
Formartine total  43,243
East Garioch  13,059
Inverurie and District  16,221
West Garioch  11,234
Westhill and District  16,087
Garioch total  56,601
Mearns  15,146
North Kincardine   16,042
Stonehaven and Lower Deeside 14,436
Kincardine and Mearns total 45,624
Aboyne, Upper Deeside and Donside  10,364
Marr total 38,935
Aberdeenshire Total  262,690

Population of towns and villages 2020

Largest towns Population
Peterhead 19,060
Inverurie 14,660
Fraserburgh 12,570
Westhill 12,110
Stonehaven 11,150
Ellon 10,070

You can also view figures for Aberdeenshire towns and villages with a population greater than 500 people (PDF 118KB).

Population and household estimates and projections

More detail about population and households for Aberdeenshire and Scotland including projected change in the future can be found on the National Records of Scotland (NRS) website.  You can also view: