Living in Argyll and Bute
Police Scotland recorded 41 crimes per 1,000 residents in Argyll and Bute in 2025–26, well below the Scottish average of 57. 19.1% of households rent from the council or a housing association, close to the UK average of 17.5%. About 2.9% of homes are in areas where road or rail noise reaches 65 dB, against 6.9% across Great Britain. 31% of homes are within a five-minute walk of a public park (Great Britain: 56%).
Argyll and Bute at a glance
| Measure | Argyll and Bute | Comparison | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social housing (share of households) | 19.1% | UK 17.5% | 97th highest of 374 |
| Recorded crime per 1,000 residents | 41 | Scotland 57 | 25th highest of 32 in Scotland |
| Homes in areas with 65 dB+ road or rail noise | 2.9% | GB 6.9% | 37th quietest of 363 |
| Homes within 400 m of a public park | 31% | GB 56% | 328th of 363 |
| Homes within 400 m of a play space | 48% | GB 60% | |
| Median broadband speed available | 30 Mbit/s | Council median 1,000 Mbit/s |
How much crime is there in Argyll and Bute?
Police Scotland recorded 3,606 crimes in Argyll and Bute in 2025–26 — 41 per 1,000 residents, well below the Scottish average of 57 and the 25th highest of 32 Scottish councils. The largest groups were non-sexual violence (29%), drugs, weapons and other crimes against society (28%) and theft, fraud and other dishonesty (24%).
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 Argyll and Bute?
Argyll and Bute ranks 97th of 374 UK local authorities by social-housing share. Of its 41,824 households, 7,991 are social homes (19.1%) — renting from the council or a housing association, according to the 2021–22 Census.
How does Argyll and Bute compare with the UK average?
At +1.6 percentage points versus the UK average of 17.5%, Argyll and Bute sits close to the national level.
How noisy is Argyll and Bute?
In Argyll and Bute, about 2.9% 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 Argyll and Bute is the 37th 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 Argyll and Bute?
31% of homes in Argyll and Bute are within 400 m — about a five-minute walk — of a public park or garden, and 48% are that close to a children's play space. Across Great Britain the figures are 56% and 60%, which puts Argyll and Bute 328th 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 Argyll and Bute
What the map's other datasets say about Argyll and Bute.
Broadband
Median available download speed is about 30 Mbit/s — what can be ordered, not what residents have bought (Ofcom Connected Nations).
Explore Argyll and Bute 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).