It is calculated that the population of Gozo from prehistoric to medieval times stood from around 1700 to 2000. During the Temple Period (4100-2500 BC) many of these must have lived on ix-Xaghra plateau.

The population of Gozo began growing steadily in 1127 with the beginning of the Norman rule due to a regular and constant importation of food supplies from nearby Sicily and other countries on the Mediterranean littoral. By 1530, when Malta and Gozo passed under thi Knights, the population of the island had surpassed 5000 A few must have lived in farmsteads on ix-Xaghra plateau This growth suffered a great setback in 1551 when thousands were dragged into slavery and it was not before one hundred and thirty years later that it once again reached the 1530 level. By that time, that is by 1680, the population was scattered throughout the island.

According to a census of 1667, there were 416 persons living in Gozo and Comino. Of these 8.25% living in the village, 289 in 63 households at ix-Xaghra and 55 persons in 11 households in the Marsalforn or il-Qortin area. In later times, people living in the port of Marsalforn were also included with ix-Xaghra. It was the second fastest growing countryside community after ix-Xewkija.

The population of ix-Xaghra continued to climb. According to the Status Animarum, the population returns presented by the parish priest to the bishop, it had grown to 409 by 1695, 652 by 1702, 698 by 1705, 670 by 1716, 770 by 1726,1341 by 1781, 1547 by 1797.

In the first official census of Malta and Gozo taken in 1842, the population of Gozo and Comino had risen to 14,343 and that of ix-Xaghra had grown to 1720 or 11.99% of the Gozitan population. lt continued to grow to 2010 by 1861, and 2288 by 1881.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, in 1901, there were 20,003 persons in Gozo and Comino. Of these, 2562 or 12.80% lived within the limits of Xaghra. The growt continued steadily to 3156 by 1911, to 3262 by 1921, 3522 by 1931, and 4759 by 1948. Between 1931 and 1948, ix-Xaghra was the largest village in Gozo. Due to mass emigration in the following decades, the population ix-Xaghra declined to 4056 by 1957, to 3517 by 1967, and to 3202 by 1985. The last decrease was also due to a falling birth-rate.

The population of ix-Xaghra began rising again in the late 1980’s when the number of returning migrants grew steadily and several foreigners made the village their second home. According to the census taken on 26 November 1995, the population of ix-Xaghra had grown to 3669: 1797 males and 1872 females. Of these 105 were non-Maltese. Divided by age groups there were 871 between zero and fourteen years, 1482 between fifteen and forty- four, 760 between forty-five and sixty-four, and 556 over sixty-five years.

The annual growth rate between 1985 and 1995 was 1.36% , slightly higher than that of Gozo that stood at 1.22%. The population of ix-Xaghra represented 12.64% of the 29026 living in Gozo that day. This means that percentage-wise the situation remained as in 1901. Ix-Xaghra is the second largest village after Nadur.