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Moray, in numbers

People and living standards

Moray council area. Every figure carries its own date.

How the population is changing, who lives here and what living standards look like.

Moray council area. These are council-area figures. They are not a separate history for every ward or the city centre.

More people? A different age mix?

The population grew from 83,990 in 1991 to 94,730 in 2025.

A growing number of children, working-age adults or older residents can mean different needs for homes, schools, jobs and care.

Population

1996 to 2025

Moray council area · people

Reviewed figures: 1991 to 2025. The chart opens on the latest 30 years; choose All history for the full reviewed record.

Shown on this chart: 87,430 people in 1996; 94,730 people in 2025. 8.3% higher between these observations.

The line joins consecutive published observations.

Data table and workings

Published annual mid-year population estimates, both sexes. Exact requested ONS area code; source geography vintage retained. Latest revised source series is used throughout; no years are interpolated and no ward values are inferred.

Mid-year estimates, not census counts. Historical revisions and boundaries follow this one published series.

This is the whole stated area, not a ward or necessarily the named city settlement.

The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.

Population — Moray council area: full reviewed history
Periodpeople
199183,990
199285,380
199386,520
199487,850
199587,870
199687,430
199787,160
199886,800
199986,800
200086,720
200187,000
200287,690
200388,830
200489,380
200590,100
200690,780
200791,440
200892,840
200993,160
201093,690
201193,470
201292,720
201393,940
201494,180
201594,800
201695,110
201794,660
201894,090
201994,170
202093,870
202194,270
202294,300
202394,790
202494,890
202594,730
Source →
People aged 0 to 15

People aged 0 to 15

1996 to 2025

Moray council area · people

Reviewed figures: 1991 to 2025. The chart opens on the latest 30 years; choose All history for the full reviewed record.

Shown on this chart: 18,156 people in 1996; 14,986 people in 2025. 17.5% lower between these observations.

The line joins consecutive published observations.

Data table and workings

Published annual mid-year population estimates, both sexes. Exact requested ONS area code; source geography vintage retained. Latest revised source series is used throughout; no years are interpolated and no ward values are inferred.

Mid-year estimates, not census counts. Historical revisions and boundaries follow this one published series.

This is the whole stated area, not a ward or necessarily the named city settlement.

The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.

People aged 0 to 15 — Moray council area: full reviewed history
Periodpeople
199117,661
199217,795
199318,013
199418,302
199518,254
199618,156
199718,071
199817,971
199917,797
200017,636
200117,488
200217,233
200317,289
200417,157
200516,973
200616,776
200716,810
200816,804
200916,926
201016,939
201116,919
201216,556
201316,380
201416,205
201516,048
201615,999
201715,793
201815,630
201915,662
202015,651
202115,580
202215,646
202315,467
202415,286
202514,986
Source →
People aged 16 to 64

People aged 16 to 64

1996 to 2025

Moray council area · people

Reviewed figures: 1991 to 2025. The chart opens on the latest 30 years; choose All history for the full reviewed record.

Shown on this chart: 55,973 people in 1996; 56,941 people in 2025. 1.7% higher between these observations.

The line joins consecutive published observations.

Data table and workings

Published annual mid-year population estimates, both sexes. Exact requested ONS area code; source geography vintage retained. Latest revised source series is used throughout; no years are interpolated and no ward values are inferred.

Mid-year estimates, not census counts. Historical revisions and boundaries follow this one published series.

This is the whole stated area, not a ward or necessarily the named city settlement.

The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.

People aged 16 to 64 — Moray council area: full reviewed history
Periodpeople
199153,549
199254,670
199355,532
199456,477
199556,411
199655,973
199755,643
199855,208
199955,157
200055,064
200155,299
200256,048
200356,915
200457,294
200557,916
200658,614
200758,892
200859,845
200959,642
201059,747
201159,181
201258,241
201359,122
201459,037
201559,457
201659,484
201758,979
201858,265
201958,024
202057,402
202157,402
202257,119
202357,340
202457,189
202556,941
Source →
People aged 65 or over

People aged 65 or over

1996 to 2025

Moray council area · people

Reviewed figures: 1991 to 2025. The chart opens on the latest 30 years; choose All history for the full reviewed record.

Shown on this chart: 13,301 people in 1996; 22,803 people in 2025. 71.4% higher between these observations.

The line joins consecutive published observations.

Data table and workings

Published annual mid-year population estimates, both sexes. Exact requested ONS area code; source geography vintage retained. Latest revised source series is used throughout; no years are interpolated and no ward values are inferred.

Mid-year estimates, not census counts. Historical revisions and boundaries follow this one published series.

This is the whole stated area, not a ward or necessarily the named city settlement.

The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.

People aged 65 or over — Moray council area: full reviewed history
Periodpeople
199112,780
199212,915
199312,975
199413,071
199513,205
199613,301
199713,446
199813,621
199913,846
200014,020
200114,213
200214,409
200314,626
200414,929
200515,211
200615,390
200715,738
200816,191
200916,592
201017,004
201117,370
201217,923
201318,438
201418,938
201519,295
201619,627
201719,888
201820,195
201920,484
202020,817
202121,288
202221,535
202321,983
202422,415
202522,803
Source →

Population growth alone does not show whether services are under pressure. Capacity, location and residents’ needs also matter.

How residents described their ethnic group

These are census snapshots, not annual estimates. Open a year to see both the number of people and their share of the population.

2022 census · 93,236 residents
How this census compares with other years

Scotland’s census was held in 2022. These are native Scottish broad categories, with African separate from Caribbean or Black. The national term minority ethnic also includes some White groups, so it must not be read as non-White. Privacy-adjusted cells can differ from published totals. Categories containing an undefined source dash are unavailable pending a verified aggregate release or symbol definition.

Ethnic group · Moray · 2022
Residents’ census answerPeopleShare
White: Total90,96197.6%
Mixed or multiple ethnic groupNot availableNot available
Asian, Asian Scottish or Asian British: TotalNot availableNot available
African: TotalNot availableNot available
Caribbean or Black: TotalNot availableNot available
Other ethnic groups: TotalNot availableNot available

Census wording and the available categories can change. The tables retain the categories published for each year; they are not automatically like-for-like trends.

Source and method →
2011 census · 93,295 residents
How this census compares with other years

The 2011 UK table retains its own category structure, including a separate Traveller category. It is not automatically comparable with later national census categories or modern district boundaries.

Ethnic group · Moray · 2011
Residents’ census answerPeopleShare
White92,18498.8%
Gypsy / Traveller / Irish Traveller790.1%
Mixed / Multiple ethnic group2320.2%
Asian / Asian British: Indian1010.1%
Asian / Asian British: Pakistani1490.2%
Asian / Asian British: Bangladeshi160%
Asian / Asian British: Chinese1640.2%
Asian / Asian British: Other Asian1690.2%
Black / African / Caribbean / Black British1450.2%
Other Ethnic Group560.1%

Census wording and the available categories can change. The tables retain the categories published for each year; they are not automatically like-for-like trends.

Source and method →

A complete, comparable 30-year ethnicity history is not available for every current area. Missing years have not been estimated.

How comfortable is life here?

Pay, housing costs, health and opportunities tell different parts of the story. An area average can hide large differences between households.

In 2024, average disposable income per person was 11.3% below the UK average.

Money available to spend or save per person

1997 to 2024

Moray council area · Cash prices, before allowing for inflation

Reviewed figures: 1997 to 2024. This reviewed record covers fewer than 30 years, so the chart opens on all of it.

Shown on this chart: £7,884 per person in 1997; £23,035 per person in 2024. 192.2% higher between these observations.

The line joins consecutive published observations.

Data table and workings

Published ONS table values from one 1997–2024 release, matched by exact source geography code. Table3 per-person values are retained, not recalculated from rounded totals. Source country/region references are the official published totals, not averages of selected councils.

Amounts are in cash prices for each year and include inflation. A rise does not by itself show an increase in purchasing power.

This is an average per resident, including children and retired people, not the income of a typical household, wages or wealth.

These are official statistics in development, combining administrative and survey inputs. The Annual Population Survey contributes to some components; it is not the sole source.

The 2024 estimates are provisional. Earlier years have been revised within this single release; no release editions are spliced.

The UK index compares each year with the UK average in that same year. It is not an inflation-adjusted income index.

Geography as published in the ONS 19 August 2026 release; exact source code retained. The workbook does not specify a separate local-boundary effective date.

The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.

Money available to spend or save per person — Moray council area: full reviewed history
Period£ per person, current prices
19977,884
19988,049
19998,262
20008,529
20018,992
20029,311
20039,449
20049,753
200510,025
200610,646
200711,591
200814,632
200914,752
201014,797
201114,085
201214,834
201315,293
201415,862
201516,495
201616,849
201717,128
201818,097
201918,727
202018,495
202118,797
202219,897
202321,390
202423,035
Source →
Has the gap with the UK average changed?

Above zero means income is above the UK average; below zero means it is below. Each year is compared with the UK average for that same year.

Income above or below the UK average

1997 to 2024

Moray council area · %

Reviewed figures: 1997 to 2024. This reviewed record covers fewer than 30 years, so the chart opens on all of it.

Shown on this chart: -25.7% in 1997; -11.3% in 2024. 14.4 percentage points higher.

The line joins consecutive published observations.

Data table and workings

Published ONS table values from one 1997–2024 release, matched by exact source geography code. Table3 per-person values are retained, not recalculated from rounded totals. Source country/region references are the official published totals, not averages of selected councils. Displayed as the published UK=100 value minus 100, giving the percentage above or below the UK average.

Amounts are in cash prices for each year and include inflation. A rise does not by itself show an increase in purchasing power.

This is an average per resident, including children and retired people, not the income of a typical household, wages or wealth.

These are official statistics in development, combining administrative and survey inputs. The Annual Population Survey contributes to some components; it is not the sole source.

The 2024 estimates are provisional. Earlier years have been revised within this single release; no release editions are spliced.

The UK index compares each year with the UK average in that same year. It is not an inflation-adjusted income index.

Geography as published in the ONS 19 August 2026 release; exact source code retained. The workbook does not specify a separate local-boundary effective date.

The table retains the full reviewed history when the chart is shortened. Preset ranges end at this measure’s latest published period. Yearly windows count published annual periods; monthly windows count months. Gaps are never filled with estimates.

Income above or below the UK average — Moray council area: full reviewed history
Period%
1997-25.7
1998-25.7
1999-27
2000-28.3
2001-27.3
2002-26.4
2003-27.5
2004-28.1
2005-28.7
2006-27.3
2007-24.5
2008-7.1
2009-7.9
2010-8.4
2011-13.6
2012-12.2
2013-12.7
2014-12.3
2015-13.3
2016-12.5
2017-13.1
2018-11.3
2019-11.1
2020-11.9
2021-13.9
2022-13.4
2023-12.5
2024-11.3
Source →

Mixed-source official estimates: administrative records and surveys. Income here is the average money per resident available to spend or save after tax and benefits. It is not typical pay or household wealth. Cash figures do not show how much prices changed.

Adults with no qualifications

Not available

20 March 2022 · Moray council area

Show the workings

All usual residents aged 16 and over

UK Facts calculation: output-area counts summed using the official NRS 2022 geography index only when every required cell is numeric. The source dash has no verified definition in the archive or its disclosure notes, so affected sums are withheld; it is not treated as zero. Dash-cell counts are retained in diagnostics. Cells are privacy-adjusted and may not add to independently published totals. Each percentage uses its own table denominator. Scottish degree-or-higher excludes HNC/HND and is kept distinct from the wider Level 4+ measure used elsewhere.

A required output-area cell contains an undefined dash; the affected aggregate is withheld, not treated as zero.

Source →

People reporting bad or very bad health

Not available

20 March 2022 · Moray council area

Show the workings

All usual residents

UK Facts calculation: output-area counts summed using the official NRS 2022 geography index only when every required cell is numeric. The source dash has no verified definition in the archive or its disclosure notes, so affected sums are withheld; it is not treated as zero. Dash-cell counts are retained in diagnostics. Cells are privacy-adjusted and may not add to independently published totals. Each percentage uses its own table denominator.

A required output-area cell contains an undefined dash; the affected aggregate is withheld, not treated as zero.

Source →

Average home price

£204,000

July 2026 · Moray council area

Show the workings

Homes in the local authority area

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.

Source →

Deprivation describes several kinds of disadvantage. It is not a measure of household wealth. A change in an area's ranking does not by itself show whether living conditions improved.

See differences between neighbourhoods →

What could the changes mean locally?

Use the age profile alongside school places and care capacity, and look at housing costs alongside pay. Then check whether local plans respond to the needs shown by the evidence.

Read the local action plan →
Which histories are missing or need care?

Some Scottish ethnicity categories are withheld because their source output areas contain undefined dash markers: Mixed or multiple ethnic group; Asian, Asian Scottish or Asian British: Total; African: Total; Caribbean or Black: Total; Other ethnic groups: Total. The markers have not been interpreted as zero.

A verified 2001 Scottish ethnicity snapshot on this exact area code is not included in this release.

These histories describe the stated whole area. A consistent historical series for its current wards has not been established.

1991 ethnicity has not been reconstructed to this current area. No annual ethnicity values are inferred between census dates.

These local income figures include inflation. No local inflation-adjusted income series has been substituted or inferred from regional prices.

This series describes the stated council or reference area. A comparable 30-year income history for its current wards has not been established.

The reviewed release starts in 1997. Earlier income values have not been invented or joined from another definition.