Living in City of Edinburgh
Police Scotland recorded 74 crimes per 1,000 residents in City of Edinburgh in 2025–26, well above the Scottish average of 57. 15.7% of households rent from the council or a housing association, close to the UK average of 17.5%. About 8.1% of homes are in areas where road or rail noise reaches 65 dB, against 6.9% across Great Britain. 82% of homes are within a five-minute walk of a public park (Great Britain: 56%).
City of Edinburgh at a glance
| Measure | City of Edinburgh | Comparison | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social housing (share of households) | 15.7% | UK 17.5% | 154th highest of 374 |
| Recorded crime per 1,000 residents | 74 | Scotland 57 | 3rd highest of 32 in Scotland |
| Homes in areas with 65 dB+ road or rail noise | 8.1% | GB 6.9% | 301st quietest of 363 |
| Homes within 400 m of a public park | 82% | GB 56% | 18th of 363 |
| Homes within 400 m of a play space | 74% | GB 60% | |
| Median broadband speed available | 1,000 Mbit/s | Council median 1,000 Mbit/s |
How much crime is there in City of Edinburgh?
Police Scotland recorded 39,483 crimes in City of Edinburgh in 2025–26 — 74 per 1,000 residents, well above the Scottish average of 57 and the 3rd highest of 32 Scottish councils. The largest groups were theft, fraud and other dishonesty (54%), non-sexual violence (19%) and drugs, weapons and other crimes against society (14%).
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 City of Edinburgh?
City of Edinburgh ranks 154th of 374 UK local authorities by social-housing share. Of its 238,899 households, 37,430 are social homes (15.7%) — renting from the council or a housing association, according to the 2021–22 Census.
How does City of Edinburgh compare with the UK average?
At -1.8 percentage points versus the UK average of 17.5%, City of Edinburgh sits close to the national level.
How noisy is City of Edinburgh?
In City of Edinburgh, about 8.1% 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 City of Edinburgh is the 301st 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 City of Edinburgh?
82% of homes in City of Edinburgh are within 400 m — about a five-minute walk — of a public park or garden, and 74% are that close to a children's play space. Across Great Britain the figures are 56% and 60%, which puts City of Edinburgh 18th 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 City of Edinburgh
What the map's other datasets say about City of Edinburgh.
Broadband
Median available download speed is about 1,000 Mbit/s — what can be ordered, not what residents have bought (Ofcom Connected Nations).
Explore City of Edinburgh 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).