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Best places to live in Greater Edinburgh

5 municipalities with 1,260,860 residents within about 25 km of Edinburgh, ranked for 29 household profiles. Local data: official statistics on affordability, education and family, health and elderly, jobs and economy, lifestyle and amenities, mobility and connectivity, safety and community and taxes and wealth (local or regional figures, sources on every place page) plus population and geography.

A greater area here means every municipality whose nearest big-city core is Edinburgh, within a radius that grows with the size of the city (20 to 60 km). It is a practical commuting belt, not an official region.

Rank Greater Edinburgh for your household

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For young families

  1. 1Fife
    Clackmannanshire and Fife, 371,410 residents    84
  2. 2East Lothian
    East Lothian and Midlothian, 104,840 residents    77
  3. 3City of Edinburgh
    Edinburgh, City of, 513,210 residents    77
  4. 4Midlothian
    East Lothian and Midlothian, 90,090 residents    74
  5. 5West Lothian
    West Lothian, 181,310 residents    71

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For retired couples

  1. 1East Lothian
    East Lothian and Midlothian, 104,840 residents    65
  2. 2City of Edinburgh
    Edinburgh, City of, 513,210 residents    61
  3. 3Midlothian
    East Lothian and Midlothian, 90,090 residents    59
  4. 4Fife
    Clackmannanshire and Fife, 371,410 residents    54
  5. 5West Lothian
    West Lothian, 181,310 residents    46

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For remote workers

  1. 1Fife
    Clackmannanshire and Fife, 371,410 residents    74
  2. 2City of Edinburgh
    Edinburgh, City of, 513,210 residents    70
  3. 3West Lothian
    West Lothian, 181,310 residents    67
  4. 4East Lothian
    East Lothian and Midlothian, 104,840 residents    67
  5. 5Midlothian
    East Lothian and Midlothian, 90,090 residents    66

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For commuters

  1. 1City of Edinburgh
    Edinburgh, City of, 513,210 residents    87
  2. 2West Lothian
    West Lothian, 181,310 residents    84
  3. 3Fife
    Clackmannanshire and Fife, 371,410 residents    84
  4. 4East Lothian
    East Lothian and Midlothian, 104,840 residents    76
  5. 5Midlothian
    East Lothian and Midlothian, 90,090 residents    70

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For single professionals

  1. 1City of Edinburgh
    Edinburgh, City of, 513,210 residents    79
  2. 2Fife
    Clackmannanshire and Fife, 371,410 residents    66
  3. 3West Lothian
    West Lothian, 181,310 residents    65
  4. 4East Lothian
    East Lothian and Midlothian, 104,840 residents    53
  5. 5Midlothian
    East Lothian and Midlothian, 90,090 residents    45

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For movers on a budget

  1. 1Fife
    Clackmannanshire and Fife, 371,410 residents    77
  2. 2West Lothian
    West Lothian, 181,310 residents    70
  3. 3City of Edinburgh
    Edinburgh, City of, 513,210 residents    59
  4. 4East Lothian
    East Lothian and Midlothian, 104,840 residents    56
  5. 5Midlothian
    East Lothian and Midlothian, 90,090 residents    55

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Towns in Greater Edinburgh