Living in Aberdeenshire
Police Scotland recorded 29 crimes per 1,000 residents in Aberdeenshire in 2025–26, well below the Scottish average of 57. 15.4% of households rent from the council or a housing association, below the UK average of 17.5%. About 2.5% of homes are in areas where road or rail noise reaches 65 dB, against 6.9% across Great Britain. 41% of homes are within a five-minute walk of a public park (Great Britain: 56%).
Aberdeenshire at a glance
| Measure | Aberdeenshire | Comparison | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social housing (share of households) | 15.4% | UK 17.5% | 160th highest of 374 |
| Recorded crime per 1,000 residents | 29 | Scotland 57 | 27th highest of 32 in Scotland |
| Homes in areas with 65 dB+ road or rail noise | 2.5% | GB 6.9% | 23rd quietest of 363 |
| Homes within 400 m of a public park | 41% | GB 56% | 262nd of 363 |
| Homes within 400 m of a play space | 67% | GB 60% | |
| Median broadband speed available | 1,000 Mbit/s | Council median 1,000 Mbit/s |
How much crime is there in Aberdeenshire?
Police Scotland recorded 7,787 crimes in Aberdeenshire in 2025–26 — 29 per 1,000 residents, well below the Scottish average of 57 and the 27th highest of 32 Scottish councils. The largest groups were non-sexual violence (29%), theft, fraud and other dishonesty (27%) and drugs, weapons and other crimes against society (23%).
Scotland is not on data.police.uk, so these figures come from the Scottish Government's recorded crime statistics. Scotland counts and groups crimes differently, so they are compared only with other Scottish councils.
How much social housing is there in Aberdeenshire?
Aberdeenshire ranks 160th of 374 UK local authorities by social-housing share. Of its 115,625 households, 17,860 are social homes (15.4%) — renting from the council or a housing association, according to the 2021–22 Census.
How does Aberdeenshire compare with the UK average?
At -2.1 percentage points versus the UK average of 17.5%, Aberdeenshire sits below the national level.
How noisy is Aberdeenshire?
In Aberdeenshire, about 2.5% of homes are in areas where modelled road or rail noise reaches 65 dB Lden or more — the level Defra and the WHO treat as high. The Great Britain average is 6.9%, and Aberdeenshire is the 23rd quietest of 363 councils mapped.
Estimated from the official strategic noise maps: the share of each census area at 65 dB or more, weighted by its households. See noisy roads and railways on the map →
How close are parks in Aberdeenshire?
41% of homes in Aberdeenshire are within 400 m — about a five-minute walk — of a public park or garden, and 67% are that close to a children's play space. Across Great Britain the figures are 56% and 60%, which puts Aberdeenshire 262nd of 363 councils for access to a park.
Straight-line distance from the centre of each census area to the edge of the nearest site in OS Open Greenspace, weighted by households. See parks and play spaces on the map →
Schools, prices and more in Aberdeenshire
What the map's other datasets say about Aberdeenshire.
Broadband
Median available download speed is about 1,000 Mbit/s — what can be ordered, not what residents have bought (Ofcom Connected Nations).
Explore Aberdeenshire on the map
Areas with a similar share of social housing
Sources: 2021–22 Census (social housing); Scottish Government recorded crime, 2025–26 (crime); strategic noise maps, Round 4 (noise); OS Open Greenspace (parks) · Page updated 27 September 2026 · Download the data (CSV, all 374 councils).