Residents of North Ronaldsay, the northernmost of the Orkney islands, raised a glass last week to mark the birth of Duncan Wilder Thorstein Traill Suarez Ford. He is the first baby born on the island in more than three decades, a moment so rare that the community toasted the news with a dram of whisky. The island, home to only around 60 people, has seen its population age and dwindle, making each new arrival a cause for celebration.
The birth highlights the demographic challenges facing many remote and rural communities across the UK. With few young families and limited services, islands like North Ronaldsay often struggle to retain residents of child-bearing age. While the arrival of Duncan brings a spark of hope, it also underscores how unusual such an event has become in places where the sound of a newborn’s cry has been absent for a generation.
Youthful postcodes: a very different story
| District | Post town | Region | Under 18 |
|---|---|---|---|
| S98 | Sheffield | Yorkshire and The Humber | 32.2% |
| B9 | Birmingham | West Midlands | 30.6% |
| B25 | Birmingham | West Midlands | 29.3% |
| B8 | Birmingham | West Midlands | 29.3% |
| BD3 | Bradford | Yorkshire and The Humber | 29.1% |
| BD5 | Bradford | Yorkshire and The Humber | 28.8% |
| B19 | Birmingham | West Midlands | 28.4% |
| B10 | Birmingham | West Midlands | 28.3% |
| M7 | Salford | North West | 28.3% |
| S4 | Sheffield | Yorkshire and The Humber | 28.0% |
While North Ronaldsay waits decades for a new baby, some postcode districts hum with the energy of youth every day. Postcodes UK has analysed the latest population estimates to reveal which parts of the country have the highest proportion of under-18s. The figures paint a picture of concentrated youthfulness that stands in stark contrast to the ageing islands.
Sheffield’s S98: where nearly one in three is a child
The postcode district with the greatest share of young residents is S98, which covers part of Sheffield. Here, 32.2% of the population is under 18 years old. That means almost a third of the people living in this district are children or teenagers. It is a statistic that would be almost unimaginable on North Ronaldsay, where the median age is far higher and the school roll has long been empty.
This concentration of young people in S98 reflects broader patterns of urban living, where families often cluster near schools, parks and employment hubs. The district’s high proportion of under-18s suggests a community with a steady churn of prams, playground chatter and school runs, a daily rhythm that has been missing from North Ronaldsay for more than thirty years.
The contrast between these two places, one a remote island and the other a busy city postcode, reveals how unevenly the UK’s younger generation is spread. While some areas struggle to hold onto families, others are defined by them.
The data behind this
The story of Duncan’s birth was reported by BBC Scotland. The postcode district analysis comes from Postcodes UK, using the most recent population figures available. The table above shows the top-ranking postcode districts by percentage of residents aged under 18, with S98 leading at 32.2%.
In response to reporting by BBC Scotland. Analysis and figures by Postcodes UK.