Postcode · Orkney Islands

KW15 1RT area guide

Who lives in KW15 1RT, what homes sell for, and how it compares on crime, schools and transport.

Neighbourhood: West Kirkwall
Council: Orkney Islands
Region: Scotland
Neighbourhood population: 944 (2024)

KW15 1RTOrkney Islands

At a glance

What KW15 1RT is like

KW15 1RT is a postcode in the West Kirkwall area of Orkney Islands. Because census and crime data isn’t published for single postcodes, the figures here cover the surrounding neighbourhood of about 944 people. 77.9% of households own their home, 9% rent privately and 7.1% are in social housing. The largest age group is 55–59, and 55.8% of adults are in work. It ranks among the more affluent parts of Scotland.

Scores

How KW15 1RT compares

Headline figures for KW15 1RT, set against Scotland as a whole.

AffluenceMore

8.0/ 10

Less deprived than most. Scored from 1 (most deprived in Scotland) to 10 (least deprived).

CrimeMore

24per 1,000

Recorded crimes per 1,000 residents in Orkney Islands a year, against 57 across Scotland.

TransportMore

3.0/ 10

Limited: 0 stations within a mile, 35 bus stops within 800m.

SchoolsMore

3 schools within 1 mile. None has a published inspection grade.

What stands out

Worth knowing before you invest

Where KW15 1RT differs most from the national average.

01
Among the more affluent placesPositive
Scores 8.0 out of 10 on the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation 2020, making it less deprived than most of Scotland.
02
An older population
29% of residents are 65 or over, against 20% across Scotland.
03
Few private renters
Only 9% of households rent privately, against 12.9% across Scotland.
04
Mostly owner-occupied
77.9% of households own their home, against 62.4% across Scotland.

Questions

KW15 1RT FAQs

Is KW15 1RT a good place to live?

Deprivation, crime, schools and transport at a glance.

It scores 8.0 out of 10 on the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation 2020, where 10 is the least deprived in Scotland. Transport connectivity scores 3.0 out of 10 (limited).

Is KW15 1RT safe?

How recorded crime here compares with the national average.

Police Scotland publishes crime by council area only. Orkney Islands recorded 24 crimes per 1,000 residents in 2025-26, against 57 across Scotland.

Who lives in KW15 1RT?

Age, home ownership and housing from the census.

The largest age group is 55–59, at 9% of residents. 77.9% of households own their home. The most common property type is detached (56.4%).

Which council covers KW15 1RT?

The local authority for KW15 1RT is Orkney Islands.

KW15 1RT comes under Orkney Islands in Scotland. Council tax, planning applications and bin collections are handled there.

How well connected is KW15 1RT?

Connectivity scores 3.0 out of 10.

There are 35 bus stops within 800m and 0 stations and tram stops within a mile, scoring 3.0 out of 10 (limited). The nearest station is Kirkwall Shapinsay Ferry Terminal, 1 mile away.

Sources: Scotland's Census 2022 (NRS); ONS mid-year population estimates; police recorded crime; the English, Welsh and Scottish indices of deprivation; ONS small area income estimates; ONS private rents; DfE, Welsh and Scottish school registers and Ofsted; DfT NaPTAN; ORR estimates of station usage; HM Land Registry Price Paid Data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right.

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