This list of towns and cities in Scotland with a population of more than 15,000 is ordered by population, as defined and compiled by the National Records of Scotland organisation. Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland by both area and population, whilst the capital city, Edinburgh, is the second largest by population and area. The city of Stirling has the smallest population amongst Scotland's cities, with an estimate population of just over 37,000 inhabitants. In total, Scotland consists of eight cities, with multiple larger towns, the largest town being Paisley.
Map of Scotland showing some of the major towns and cities
The section "Localities" contains a list of basic populated areas ordered by population. The section "Settlements" is a list of populated urban areas, some of which are composed of more than one locality, and which may span across the boundaries of more than one council area.
All localities are either settlements, themselves, or contained within larger settlements. As of 2020, there are 656 localities in Scotland, and 514 settlements (i.e. 142 of the localities combine as elements of larger settlements).[1]
In Scotland, "locality" refers to a populated area composed of contiguous postcodes with populations of at least 500.[a][2] The 52 localities with a population over 15,000 are listed below.[1]
Glasgow is the most populous locality in Scotland, and also the largest city; Greater Glasgow is the largest settlement.Paisley is the fifth most populous locality in Scotland, and the largest town by population.Stirling has the smallest population of Scotland's cities.Kilmarnock is the 14th most populous locality in Scotland, and the largest in East Ayrshire.Edinburgh, the capital city, is the second largest locality and settlement by population.Aberdeen is both the third largest locality and settlement.Motherwell is the 24th most populous locality, but anchors a defined settlement covering much of North Lanarkshire that is Scotland's 5th largest.
^The definition as per National Records of Scotland does not always correspond to other definitions. For example, the adjoining East Renfrewshire localities of Busby, Clarkston, Netherlee, and Stamperland with a combined population of 21,270 are each counted separately, despite normally being unified as Clarkston. The same occurs in nearby Giffnock and Thornliebank. The total population for this agglomeration across its six NRS localities is 37,690.[1] Conversely, the distinct villages of Easthouses and Newtongrange in Midlothian are not listed at all, presumably included in the figure of adjoining Mayfield; however, the smaller village of Newbattle is listed.[1] Also noteworthy is Viewpark, which appears to include Birkenshaw and Tannochside under a single North Lanarkshire locality in this data.
Settlementsedit
In Scotland, "settlement" refers to a "collection of contiguous high density postcodes bounded by low density postcodes whose population was 500 or more". For example, the area of Ayr includes the adjoining localities of Ayr, Monkton and Prestwick.[a] However, most settlements coincide to a single locality. The 44 settlements with a population over 15,000 are listed below.[1]
^ abcdeData Tables [Mid-2020 Population Estimates for Settlements and Localities in Scotland], National Records of Scotland, 31 March 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2022
^"NRS – Background Information Settlements and Localities" (PDF). National Records of Scotland. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
^ ab"Department of Constitutional Affairs". Retrieved 9 September 2009.
^"Dunfermline is now officially a city". Dunfermline Press. 19 May 2022. Retrieved 20 May 2022. 'Letters Patent' will now be prepared which will confer each of the awards formally and will be presented to winners later in the year.
^"Perth wins Diamond Jubilee contest to be named seventh Scottish city". BBC News. 14 March 2012.
December 10, 2023
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For an overview and list of Scottish cities see Cities of Scotland This list of towns and cities in Scotland with a population of more than 15 000 is ordered by population as defined and compiled by the National Records of Scotland organisation Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland by both area and population whilst the capital city Edinburgh is the second largest by population and area The city of Stirling has the smallest population amongst Scotland s cities with an estimate population of just over 37 000 inhabitants In total Scotland consists of eight cities with multiple larger towns the largest town being Paisley Map of Scotland showing some of the major towns and citiesThe section Localities contains a list of basic populated areas ordered by population The section Settlements is a list of populated urban areas some of which are composed of more than one locality and which may span across the boundaries of more than one council area All localities are either settlements themselves or contained within larger settlements As of 2020 there are 656 localities in Scotland and 514 settlements i e 142 of the localities combine as elements of larger settlements 1 Contents 1 Localities 2 Settlements 3 See also 4 ReferencesLocalities editIn Scotland locality refers to a populated area composed of contiguous postcodes with populations of at least 500 a 2 The 52 localities with a population over 15 000 are listed below 1 nbsp Glasgow is the most populous locality in Scotland and also the largest city Greater Glasgow is the largest settlement nbsp Paisley is the fifth most populous locality in Scotland and the largest town by population nbsp Stirling has the smallest population of Scotland s cities nbsp Kilmarnock is the 14th most populous locality in Scotland and the largest in East Ayrshire nbsp Edinburgh the capital city is the second largest locality and settlement by population nbsp Aberdeen is both the third largest locality and settlement nbsp Motherwell is the 24th most populous locality but anchors a defined settlement covering much of North Lanarkshire that is Scotland s 5th largest As of mid 2020Rank Locality Population Status Council area1 Glasgow 632 350 City Glasgow City2 Edinburgh 506 520 City City of Edinburgh3 Aberdeen 198 590 City Aberdeen City4 Dundee 148 210 City Dundee City5 Paisley 77 270 Town 3 Renfrewshire6 East Kilbride 75 310 Town South Lanarkshire7 Livingston 56 840 Town West Lothian8 Dunfermline 54 990 City 4 Fife9 Hamilton 54 480 Town South Lanarkshire10 Cumbernauld 50 530 Town North Lanarkshire11 Kirkcaldy and Dysart 50 370 Town Fife12 Inverness 47 790 City Highland13 Perth 47 350 City 5 Perth and Kinross14 Kilmarnock 46 970 Town East Ayrshire15 Ayr 46 260 Town South Ayrshire16 Coatbridge 43 950 Town North Lanarkshire17 Greenock 41 280 Town Inverclyde18 Glenrothes 38 360 Town Fife19 Stirling 37 910 City Stirling20 Airdrie 36 390 Town North Lanarkshire21 Falkirk 35 590 Town Falkirk22 Irvine 34 130 Town North Ayrshire23 Dumfries 33 470 Town Dumfries and Galloway24 Motherwell 32 840 Town North Lanarkshire25 Rutherglen 30 950 Town South Lanarkshire26 Cambuslang 30 790 Town South Lanarkshire27 Wishaw 30 050 Town North Lanarkshire28 Bearsden 28 470 Town East Dunbartonshire29 Newton Mearns 28 210 Town East Renfrewshire30 Clydebank 25 620 Town West Dunbartonshire31 Elgin 25 040 Town 3 Moray32 Renfrew 24 270 Town Renfrewshire33 Bishopbriggs 23 680 Town East Dunbartonshire34 Bathgate 23 600 Town West Lothian35 Arbroath 23 500 Town Angus36 Kirkintilloch 21 870 Town East Dunbartonshire37 Musselburgh 21 100 Town East Lothian38 Dumbarton 20 480 Town West Dunbartonshire39 Bellshill 19 700 Town North Lanarkshire40 Peterhead 19 060 Town Aberdeenshire41 St Andrews 18 410 Town Fife42 Bonnyrigg 18 320 Town Midlothian43 Barrhead 17 890 Town East Renfrewshire44 Blantyre 16 800 Town South Lanarkshire45 Penicuik 16 150 Town Midlothian46 Grangemouth 16 120 Town Falkirk47 Kilwinning 16 100 Town North Ayrshire48 Broxburn 15 970 Town West Lothian49 Johnstone 15 930 Town Renfrewshire50 Viewpark 15 830 Town North Lanarkshire51 Larkhall 15 030 Town South Lanarkshire52 Erskine 15 010 Town Renfrewshire The definition as per National Records of Scotland does not always correspond to other definitions For example the adjoining East Renfrewshire localities of Busby Clarkston Netherlee and Stamperland with a combined population of 21 270 are each counted separately despite normally being unified as Clarkston The same occurs in nearby Giffnock and Thornliebank The total population for this agglomeration across its six NRS localities is 37 690 1 Conversely the distinct villages of Easthouses and Newtongrange in Midlothian are not listed at all presumably included in the figure of adjoining Mayfield however the smaller village of Newbattle is listed 1 Also noteworthy is Viewpark which appears to include Birkenshaw and Tannochside under a single North Lanarkshire locality in this data Settlements editIn Scotland settlement refers to a collection of contiguous high density postcodes bounded by low density postcodes whose population was 500 or more For example the area of Ayr includes the adjoining localities of Ayr Monkton and Prestwick a However most settlements coincide to a single locality The 44 settlements with a population over 15 000 are listed below 1 As of mid 2020Rank Urban sub area Population Localities b Council areas1 Greater Glasgow 1 028 220 Barrhead Bearsden Bishopbriggs Bowling Brookfield Busby Cambuslang Clarkston Clydebank Duntocher amp Hardgate Elderslie Faifley Giffnock Glasgow Johnstone Kilbarchan Linwood Milngavie Netherlee Newton Mearns Old Kilpatrick Paisley Renfrew Rutherglen Stamperland Stepps Thornliebank Glasgow City c East Dunbartonshire East Renfrewshire North Lanarkshire Renfrewshire South Lanarkshire West Dunbartonshire2 Edinburgh 530 990 Edinburgh Musselburgh Wallyford City of Edinburgh d East Lothian3 Aberdeen 220 690 Aberdeen Cove Bay Dyce Milltimber Peterculter Aberdeen City e 4 Dundee 158 820 Dundee Monifieth Invergowrie Dundee City Angus Perth and Kinross5 Motherwell amp Wishaw 125 610 Bellshill Carfin Holytown Motherwell New Stevenston Newarthill Newmains Viewpark Wishaw North Lanarkshire6 Falkirk 103 380 Brightons Carron Carronshore Falkirk f Grangemouth Larbert Laurieston Maddiston Polmont Redding Reddingmuirhead Rumford Stenhousemuir Wallacestone Westquarter Falkirk7 Coatbridge amp Airdrie g 90 690 Airdrie Bargeddie Chapelhall Coatbridge North Lanarkshire8 Hamilton 84 450 Blantyre Bothwell Hamilton Uddingston South Lanarkshire9 Dunfermline 76 210 Crossgates Dunfermline Inverkeithing Rosyth Fife10 East Kilbride 75 310 East Kilbride South Lanarkshire11 Livingston 65 770 Livingston Mid Calder Polbeth West Calder West Lothian12 Greenock 65 690 Gourock Greenock Port Glasgow Inverclyde13 Inverness 63 730 Balloch Culloden Milton of Leys Inverness Smithton Westhill Highland14 Ayr 62 270 Ayr Monkton Prestwick South Ayrshire15 Bonnyrigg Dalkeith amp Gorebridge 54 940 Bonnyrigg Dalkeith Gorebridge Mayfield h Newbattle Midlothian16 Cumbernauld 52 420 Croy Cumbernauld North Lanarkshire17 Kilmarnock 51 370 Crookedholm Hurlford Kilmarnock East Ayrshire18 Kirkcaldy 50 370 Kirkcaldy amp Dysart Fife19 Stirling 49 950 Bannockburn Bridge of Allan Stirling Stirling20 Perth 47 350 Perth Perth and Kinross21 Glenrothes 44 760 Coaltown of Balgonie Glenrothes Leslie Markinch Thornton Fife22 Irvine 37 580 Dreghorn Irvine North Ayrshire23 Dumfries 34 040 Dumfries Dumfries and Galloway24 Saltcoats i 31 800 Ardrossan Saltcoats Stevenston North Ayrshire25 Methil Leven amp Buckhaven j 30 730 Buckhaven Kennoway Leven Methil Windygates Fife26 Kirkintilloch 29 960 Kirkintilloch Lenzie East Dunbartonshire27 Bathgate 29 330 Bathgate Blackburn West Lothian28 Bonnybridge k 25 710 Banknock Bonnybridge Denny Dennyloanhead Dunipace Greenhill Haggs Head of Muir High Bonnybridge Longcroft Falkirk29 Elgin 25 040 Elgin Moray30 Vale of Leven 24 130 Alexandria Balloch amp Haldane Bonhill Renton West Dunbartonshire31 Arbroath 23 500 Arbroath Angus32 Dumbarton 21 030 Dumbarton Milton West Dunbartonshire33 Alloa 20 750 Alloa Sauchie Clackmannanshire34 Cowdenbeath 19 330 Cowdenbeath Lochgelly Lumphinnans Fife35 Peterhead 19 060 Peterhead Aberdeenshire36 St Andrews 18 410 St Andrews Fife37 Erskine 16 830 Erskine Inchinnan Renfrewshire38 Larkhall 16 400 Ashgill Larkhall South Lanarkshire39 Penicuik 16 150 Penicuik Midlothian40 Kilwinning 16 100 Kilwinning North Ayrshire41 Broxburn 15 970 Broxburn West Lothian42 Galashiels 15 490 Galashiels Langlee Tweedbank Scottish Borders43 Helensburgh 15 160 Helensburgh Rhu Argyll and Bute The definition as per National Records of Scotland does not always correspond to other definitions For example the Greater Glasgow settlement under NRS stretches as far as Bowling Kilbarchan and Newton Mearns due to the continuous chain of populated postcodes but does not encompass places as close as Bargeddie Chryston Erskine Kirkintilloch or Uddingston due to small gaps in this chain If these gaps were counted Greater Glasgow would extend as far as Ferniegair Wishaw Neilston Denny Airdrie and Bishopton In other examples Cleland Gowkthrapple and Overtown are not included in the wider NRS Motherwell amp Wishaw settlement while distinct towns such as Bellshill and Viewpark are included and Inverkeithing and Rosyth are counted in the Dunfermline settlement but Dalgety Bay is not As named defined and grouped by NRS in Localities list above Does not include Carmunnock or Gartloch Does not include Kirkliston Newbridge amp Ratho Station Ratho or South Queensferry Does not include Kingswells Does not include Glen Village Hallglen Often known collectively as Monklands but not referred to as such by NRS Mayfield with Easthouses and Newtongrange Often known collectively as the Three Towns but not referred to as such by NRS Often known collectively as Levenmouth but not referred to as such by NRS Denny is the settlement s largest locality but Bonnybridge is the name chosen by NRS See also editLocal government in Scotland Subdivisions of ScotlandReferences edit a b c d e Data Tables Mid 2020 Population Estimates for Settlements and Localities in Scotland National Records of Scotland 31 March 2022 Retrieved 1 April 2022 NRS Background Information Settlements and Localities PDF National Records of Scotland Retrieved 17 February 2018 a b Department of Constitutional Affairs Retrieved 9 September 2009 Dunfermline is now officially a city Dunfermline Press 19 May 2022 Retrieved 20 May 2022 Letters Patent will now be prepared which will confer each of the awards formally and will be presented to winners later in the year Perth wins Diamond Jubilee contest to be named seventh Scottish city BBC News 14 March 2012 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title List of towns and cities in Scotland by population amp oldid 1188283155, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
