Towns and cities in Highland by population

By James Burfield, SEO consultant, Bath · Page updated 18 September 2026 · ONS mid-year estimates · GeoNames

All 82 populated places in Highland, ranked by current population. The largest is Inverness, with 47,790 people.

Every place in Highland, ranked

Do not add these figures together to get Highland's population. Settlement boundaries overlap, so the rows below sum to more than the area actually holds: 175,321 against an official 237,290. The ONS figure above is the one to quote. Why figures differ.

237,290

population of Highland (ONS, mid-2024)

towns & places

Inverness

largest place

#	Place	Population
1	Inverness	47,790
2	Fort William	15,757
3	Nairn	10,190
4	Thurso	7,390
5	Wick	7,140
6	Alness	5,700
7	Westhill	5,410
8	Dingwall	5,360
9	Culloden	4,240
10	Invergordon	3,930
11	Tain	3,690
12	Caol	3,220
13	Aviemore	3,150
14	Muir of Ord	2,620
15	Grantown on Spey	2,440
16	Portree	2,310
17	Smithton	2,090
18	Milton of Leys	1,740
19	Conon Bridge	1,710
20	Ullapool	1,500
21	Kingussie	1,470
22	Balloch	1,440
23	Dornoch	1,430
24	Golspie	1,410
25	Fortrose	1,400
26	Evanton	1,390
27	Beauly	1,360
28	Brora	1,290
29	Maryburgh	1,180
30	Drumnadrochit	1,130
31	Ardersier	1,110
32	Newtonmore	1,100
33	Balintore	1,090
34	Strathpeffer	1,070
35	Halkirk	1,020
36	North Kessock	1,000
37	Avoch	990
38	Milton	945
39	Kinlochleven	900
40	Lairg	891
41	Castletown	840
42	Mallaig	780
43	Broadford	760
44	Cromarty	740
45	Kirkhill	670
46	Fort Augustus	670
47	Rosemarkie	660
48	Auldearn	660
49	Nethy Bridge	660
50	Kyle of Lochalsh	650
51	Ballachulish	650
52	Croy	641
53	Helmsdale	637
54	Bowertower	633
55	Spean Bridge	570
56	Boat of Garten	517
57	Ardgay	496
58	Invergarry	438
59	Uig	423
60	Edderton	388
61	Foyers	276
62	Dunbeath	276
63	Acharacle	201
64	Elgol	168
65	Nigg	156
66	Kilchoan	150
67	Glenfinnan	120
68	Drumbeg	101
69	Gairlochy	100
70	Spinningdale	81
71	Mellon Charles	80
72	Isle of Eigg	67
73	Isle of Rum	22
74	Faichem	10
75	Bracara	10
76	Munerigie	10
77	Isle of Canna	6
78	Faichemard Farm	4
79	Bracorina	4
80	Stromeferry	1
81	Roybridge	1
82	Corrour	1

Common questions

What is the population of Highland?

237,290, on the ONS mid-2024 estimate for Highland. The individual towns listed on this page sum to more than that, because settlement boundaries overlap; the ONS figure is the one to quote for the area as a whole.

What is the largest town in Highland?

Inverness, with 47,790 residents on current figures. This page ranks all 82 recorded places in Highland by population, each linking to its own page with sources and, where held, a 2005 comparison.