Skip to content
InvernessCountsInverness, in numbers.Local help →

Inverness · Scotland

Inverness, in numbers.

The completed castle and park projects are located in Inverness; the Highland council area extends much further.

Highland council area. Every figure carries its own date.

The short version

People living in the area

237,260

Mid-2025 · Highland

Show the workings

Published mid-year estimate for the whole local authority area. This is not automatically the population of the named city settlement.

All usual residents

Source and method →

Average home price

£221,000

July 2026 · Highland

Show the workings

Published UK House Price Index average price, all property types and all buyers, not seasonally adjusted. Entire series comes from the 2026-07 official full-file release, preserving its historical revisions and exact area codes. It is a mix-adjusted average, not the median price paid.

Shown to the nearest £1,000. Published value: £221,136.

Homes in the local authority area

Source and method →

How the area has changed

Highland had 28,610 more residents in 2025 than in 1996 (13.7% more). That is a change in the whole council area, not just the city centre.

Population over time

1996 to 2025

Highland · people

205.1k222.5k239.9k19962025
Data table and workings

All ages, both sexes, usual residents. Source series rebased to the 2021/2022 censuses; latest revisions replace older estimates.

These estimates cover the whole authority, including any surrounding towns and countryside.

Historical boundaries/revisions follow the source series; null years are not zero.

Population over time — Highland
Periodpeople
1996208,650
1997208,560
1998208,850
1999209,200
2000209,130
2001208,920
2002209,760
2003211,640
2004214,560
2005218,060
2006220,780
2007224,000
2008226,970
2009228,750
2010230,730
2011232,730
2012233,000
2013233,080
2014233,180
2015234,060
2016234,570
2017234,800
2018234,530
2019234,510
2020233,910
2021235,850
2022235,710
2023236,830
2024237,570
2025237,260
Source →

Average home price over time

January 2004 to July 2026

Highland · Cash prices, before allowing for inflation

£59.3k£146k£232.7kJanuary 2004July 2026
Data table and workings

Published UK House Price Index average price, all property types and all buyers, not seasonally adjusted. Entire series comes from the 2026-07 official full-file release, preserving its historical revisions and exact area codes. It is a mix-adjusted average, not the median price paid.

Prices are in pounds at the time, not adjusted for inflation.

Whole local authority area; not a typical home listing or the budget needed by a first-time buyer.

Provisional estimates can be revised. Historical boundaries follow the exact published source code; no old-code series has been relabelled.

Average home price over time — Highland
Period£
January 200482,166
February 200476,674
March 200477,627
April 200478,575
May 200484,994
June 200492,661
July 200498,001
August 200499,438
September 200499,571
October 200498,821
November 2004100,776
December 200499,451
January 200599,752
February 200596,759
March 200596,292
April 200599,350
May 2005104,323
June 2005109,787
July 2005111,877
August 2005112,889
September 2005112,140
October 2005113,540
November 2005115,178
December 2005116,447
January 2006115,435
February 2006115,364
March 2006115,910
April 2006119,997
May 2006125,906
June 2006128,819
July 2006129,762
August 2006130,316
September 2006133,807
October 2006132,832
November 2006131,508
December 2006131,641
January 2007133,578
February 2007134,678
March 2007134,252
April 2007135,717
May 2007141,247
June 2007143,187
July 2007144,223
August 2007142,277
September 2007146,655
October 2007148,769
November 2007152,264
December 2007147,437
January 2008146,626
February 2008139,858
March 2008141,827
April 2008139,355
May 2008141,431
June 2008142,214
July 2008142,233
August 2008141,371
September 2008139,602
October 2008140,217
November 2008138,526
December 2008138,306
January 2009133,231
February 2009133,229
March 2009132,080
April 2009136,353
May 2009139,471
June 2009141,239
July 2009145,371
August 2009145,499
September 2009146,609
October 2009145,548
November 2009147,964
December 2009148,756
January 2010146,685
February 2010143,314
March 2010141,328
April 2010142,419
May 2010147,789
June 2010148,372
July 2010151,441
August 2010149,986
September 2010152,261
October 2010151,931
November 2010154,870
December 2010154,763
January 2011149,908
February 2011148,540
March 2011143,846
April 2011149,114
May 2011143,367
June 2011143,852
July 2011141,793
August 2011144,781
September 2011147,168
October 2011144,393
November 2011141,041
December 2011139,619
January 2012139,954
February 2012138,143
March 2012137,765
April 2012137,234
May 2012138,591
June 2012137,777
July 2012136,391
August 2012138,675
September 2012141,933
October 2012142,792
November 2012140,422
December 2012134,909
January 2013136,547
February 2013135,795
March 2013135,739
April 2013135,121
May 2013136,696
June 2013139,361
July 2013139,799
August 2013140,751
September 2013141,768
October 2013141,362
November 2013141,788
December 2013141,917
January 2014143,117
February 2014144,007
March 2014144,948
April 2014145,659
May 2014145,001
June 2014145,370
July 2014146,503
August 2014148,232
September 2014149,358
October 2014149,274
November 2014147,346
December 2014146,781
January 2015147,576
February 2015147,023
March 2015148,823
April 2015148,825
May 2015151,197
June 2015151,214
July 2015152,414
August 2015154,401
September 2015153,684
October 2015151,502
November 2015149,529
December 2015148,151
January 2016149,209
February 2016151,452
March 2016153,976
April 2016153,754
May 2016152,749
June 2016150,904
July 2016151,770
August 2016152,863
September 2016154,411
October 2016154,297
November 2016155,257
December 2016152,547
January 2017154,503
February 2017153,920
March 2017155,215
April 2017152,725
May 2017152,953
June 2017155,588
July 2017157,051
August 2017158,488
September 2017156,068
October 2017157,895
November 2017155,958
December 2017158,611
January 2018157,647
February 2018157,431
March 2018157,855
April 2018158,849
May 2018160,396
June 2018162,504
July 2018160,001
August 2018163,027
September 2018162,520
October 2018166,072
November 2018165,587
December 2018163,827
January 2019163,370
February 2019161,078
March 2019165,515
April 2019167,105
May 2019169,805
June 2019167,647
July 2019167,648
August 2019167,494
September 2019169,300
October 2019168,784
November 2019169,049
December 2019167,333
January 2020168,008
February 2020165,536
March 2020165,201
April 2020168,191
May 2020169,903
June 2020170,583
July 2020168,765
August 2020170,194
September 2020170,163
October 2020170,842
November 2020172,112
December 2020173,880
January 2021173,474
February 2021174,180
March 2021178,976
April 2021180,334
May 2021184,472
June 2021182,646
July 2021183,919
August 2021182,301
September 2021186,868
October 2021189,862
November 2021195,083
December 2021193,406
January 2022197,524
February 2022197,177
March 2022199,925
April 2022199,724
May 2022200,349
June 2022202,956
July 2022203,333
August 2022204,476
September 2022205,297
October 2022205,580
November 2022207,352
December 2022204,712
January 2023204,072
February 2023203,937
March 2023203,870
April 2023205,767
May 2023202,024
June 2023201,679
July 2023199,157
August 2023201,889
September 2023204,427
October 2023206,776
November 2023206,151
December 2023206,748
January 2024206,087
February 2024205,003
March 2024203,280
April 2024202,486
May 2024205,336
June 2024206,733
July 2024207,905
August 2024210,730
September 2024210,728
October 2024213,361
November 2024210,152
December 2024206,720
January 2025206,247
February 2025205,081
March 2025209,658
April 2025209,926
May 2025212,072
June 2025210,945
July 2025208,463
August 2025209,169
September 2025212,410
October 2025216,768
November 2025219,462
December 2025215,238
January 2026215,197
February 2026211,043
March 2026214,426
April 2026215,203
May 2026219,229
June 2026220,082
July 2026221,136
Source →

What could change locally?

strength

Make reopened landmarks and parks useful for local people

The Castle Experience has officially opened, and refurbished Bught Park and Northern Meeting Park have reopened.

These are completed local assets. Their benefit to residents depends on access, programming and maintenance as well as visitor numbers.

What could help →

weakness

Make room for homes people can afford

The average home price is £221,000 (July 2026) in Highland council area. This is about £25,000 higher than the Scotland average for the same month.

Housing costs matter most alongside earnings and the number of affordable homes available. A local average cannot tell us whether a particular household can afford its home.

What could help →

opportunity

Connect local skills to local opportunities

31.2% of people aged 16 or over had a degree or higher (20 March 2022) in Highland council area.

Qualifications show one part of the skills available locally. They do not show whether people have secure jobs or work that uses those skills.

What could help →

The full local action plan →

Plans with a local address

Inverness city centre

Inverness Castle Experience

The former courthouse and prison has become a visitor attraction, with gardens and spaces for local visitors.

Official opening reported · evidence dated 2026-02-09

Responsible body: Highland Council; operated by High Life Highland

Progress, funding and source

The council records the official opening on 9 February 2026. Forecast visitors and economic benefits remain forecasts and are not counted as observed outcomes.

Cost
Not established by the evidence checked.
Funding
Not established by the evidence checked.
Area covered
No official project-to-ward mapping has been verified; no ward allocation is inferred from the city name.

No verified ward footprint is assigned.

Ministers open Inverness Castle Experience after multi-million transformation for the Highlands →

Source checked 2026-10-17. A plan or announcement is not proof of completion.

How to track delivery →

Bught Park and Northern Meeting Park, Inverness

Bught Park and Northern Meeting Park improvements

Refurbished stands, pavilions and better facilities support sport, events and access to green space.

Refurbished parks officially reopened · evidence dated 2025-08-27

Responsible body: Highland Council

Progress, funding and source

The council records both parks reopening. The wider funding programme also includes an energy centre; that separate project is not marked complete on this evidence.

Cost
Not established by the evidence checked.
Funding
Not established by the evidence checked.
Area covered
No official project-to-ward mapping has been verified; no ward allocation is inferred from the city name.

No verified ward footprint is assigned.

Official re-opening of Bught Park and Northern Meeting Park in Inverness →

Source checked 2026-10-17. A plan or announcement is not proof of completion.

How to track delivery →
All local projects and plans →