| By parish, from the General Registrar’s office | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1931 | 419 | 205M | 214F |
| 1951 | 355 | 173M | 182F |
| 1961 | 353 | 180M | 173F |
| 1971 | 360 | 184M | 176F |
| 1981 | 376 | 177M | 199F |
| 1991 | 365 | 167M | 198F |
| 2001 | 425 | 209M | 216F |
| By parish, from ELDC | By settlement, from ELDC | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 364 | — | ||
| 1997 (est.) | 399 | 218M | 181F | 235 East Saltoun 72 West Saltoun |
| 2001 | NO DATA | NO DATA | ||
Population figures are difficult to compare, as no two sources extract data in the same way.
The population has remained at a fairly constant level. Housing built in the early 1990s in East Saltoun accounted for an increase of around 25, and further increases are likely in 2002.
2000 sees a general mix of people in the parish. Some families have several generations still living in the parish or in the surrounding area, especially those connected with farming; some of the farms are now being run by the younger generations and employing fewer people, only bringing in extra workers at harvest time. Farm cottages therefore are often rented by young couples, for which council houses are no longer available. There are still some residents who have been born and bred in Saltoun but nowadays they are few; some were children of farm workers who moved around the area. Some young people from the parish still hope to continue to live in the area, and many do, but in many cases young people move elsewhere and others move into the parish.
The settlement of East Saltoun houses a good proportion of older people, some having lived there all their lives or moved in on marriage. There may still be some young mothers at home, but most women return to work once the children are at school, and often before that. There are some unemployed, but not significant numbers. Social activities attract a good mix of people, although long established events attract the long-standing villagers. Sunday morning congregations have all ages present, and encouragingly, there are many young families coming into the village willing to get involved, amongst them a good number of men. Distinctions between long-established residents and more recent incomers are there, but not pronounced. On the whole the people mix well, as for instance, in the church. You may hear more English accents and you will always get people who just live in the country but take no part in community life, preferring to travel to Edinburgh or larger towns for leisure activities.
Therehas been very little emigration or immigration. A few families emigrated to Australia. There have been travelling tattie howkers/turnip singlers working in the parish over this period, but they have not remained as residents. Itinerant workers are sometimes employed for the harvest.
A few Polish soldiers stayed on after the war and some Irish people who originally worked on farms. More English people and the occasional non-Europeans now live in the area.