Kirkcaldy - Demography

Demography

According to the Census in 2001, the census locality of Kirkcaldy has a total resident population of 46,912. It hosts 21,365 households. 14.8% were married couples living together, 16.4%were one-person households, 18.8% were co-habiting couples and 7.9% were lone parents. A 2010 assessment estimated that the town had a population of 49,560. The median age of males and females living in Kirkcaldy was 37 and 41 years respectively, compared to 37 and 39 years for the whole of Scotland. The age group from 30 to 44 forms the largest portion of the population (22%).

The place of birth of the town's residents was 96.52% United Kingdom (including 87.15% from Scotland), 0.28% Republic of Ireland, 1.18% from other European Union countries, and 1.86% from elsewhere in the world. The economic activity of residents aged 16–74 was 40.13% in full-time employment, 12.17% in part-time employment, 4.79% self-employed, 5.68% unemployed, 2.57% students with jobs, 3.06% students without jobs, 15.70% retired, 5.51% looking after home or family, 6.68% permanently sick or disabled, and 3.71% economically inactive for other reasons. Compared with the average demography of Scotland, Kirkcaldy has low proportions of immigrants, and has higher proportions for people over 75 years old.

In 2010 more than 7,000 people claimed benefits in the Kirkcaldy area; around 90 fewer than in 2009 but 500 more than the pre-recession average for 2008. A study undertaken by Heriot-Watt University in 2004 estimated that the average gross weekly household income in Kirkcaldy in 2004 was £421, which was 7.5% lower than the £455 Fife average. The below average income in the area may reflect more workless households, and relatively fewer households holding down well-paid jobs.