Living in Highland
Police Scotland recorded 43 crimes per 1,000 residents in Highland in 2025–26, well below the Scottish average of 57. 19.4% of households rent from the council or a housing association, close to the UK average of 17.5%. About 1.9% of homes are in areas where road or rail noise reaches 65 dB, against 6.9% across Great Britain. 44% of homes are within a five-minute walk of a public park (Great Britain: 56%).
Highland at a glance
| Measure | Highland | Comparison | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social housing (share of households) | 19.4% | UK 17.5% | 90th highest of 374 |
| Recorded crime per 1,000 residents | 43 | Scotland 57 | 22nd highest of 32 in Scotland |
| Homes in areas with 65 dB+ road or rail noise | 1.9% | GB 6.9% | 6th quietest of 363 |
| Homes within 400 m of a public park | 44% | GB 56% | 244th of 363 |
| Homes within 400 m of a play space | 60% | GB 60% | |
| Median broadband speed available | 1,000 Mbit/s | Council median 1,000 Mbit/s |
How much crime is there in Highland?
Police Scotland recorded 10,202 crimes in Highland in 2025–26 — 43 per 1,000 residents, well below the Scottish average of 57 and the 22nd highest of 32 Scottish councils. The largest groups were theft, fraud and other dishonesty (29%), non-sexual violence (27%) and drugs, weapons and other crimes against society (25%).
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 Highland?
Highland ranks 90th of 374 UK local authorities by social-housing share. Of its 111,723 households, 21,675 are social homes (19.4%) — renting from the council or a housing association, according to the 2021–22 Census.
How does Highland compare with the UK average?
At +1.9 percentage points versus the UK average of 17.5%, Highland sits close to the national level.
How noisy is Highland?
In Highland, about 1.9% 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 Highland is the 6th 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 Highland?
44% of homes in Highland are within 400 m — about a five-minute walk — of a public park or garden, and 60% are that close to a children's play space. Across Great Britain the figures are 56% and 60%, which puts Highland 244th 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 Highland
What the map's other datasets say about Highland.
Broadband
Median available download speed is about 1,000 Mbit/s — what can be ordered, not what residents have bought (Ofcom Connected Nations).
Explore Highland 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).