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List of towns and cities in Scotland by population facts for kids

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Scotland topographic map-en
Map of Scotland showing some of the major towns and cities

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 population, whilst the capital city, Edinburgh, is the second largest by population and largest by area (although the Aberdeen and Edinburgh local authority areas contain far more undeveloped land and have a lower population density than the council areas of Dundee and Glasgow; these are the only four city-districts in the country). The city of Stirling has the smallest population amongst Scotland's cities, with an estimated population of just over 37,000 inhabitants. In total, Scotland consists of eight cities, with multiple larger towns, the largest town being Paisley.

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).

Localities

In Scotland, "locality" refers to a populated area composed of contiguous postcodes with populations of at least 500. The 52 localities with a population over 15,000 are listed below.

Dawn over Glasgow (48659596342)
Glasgow is the most populous locality in Scotland, and also the largest city; Greater Glasgow is the largest settlement.
Paisley, White Cart Water, from Seedhill
Paisley is the fifth most populous locality in Scotland, and the largest town by population.
Stirling with Wallace-Monument
Stirling has the smallest population of Scotland's cities.
Train Station Panorama
Kilmarnock is the 14th most populous locality in Scotland, and the largest in East Ayrshire.
Edinburgh (14756698736)
Edinburgh, the capital city, is the second largest locality and settlement by population.
Aberdeen from Tollohill Woods
Aberdeen is both the third largest locality and settlement.
Street Modernization - geograph.org.uk - 3045085
Motherwell is the 24th most populous locality, but anchors a defined settlement covering much of North Lanarkshire that is Scotland's 5th largest.
Rank Locality Population Status Council area
1 Glasgow 632350 City Glasgow City
2 Edinburgh 506520 City City of Edinburgh
3 Aberdeen 198590 City Aberdeen City
4 Dundee 148210 City Dundee City
5 Paisley 77270 Town Renfrewshire
6 East Kilbride 75310 Town South Lanarkshire
7 Livingston 56840 Town West Lothian
8 Dunfermline 54990 City Fife
9 Hamilton 54480 Town South Lanarkshire
10 Cumbernauld 50530 Town North Lanarkshire
11 Kirkcaldy and Dysart 50370 Town Fife
12 Inverness 47790 City Highland
13 Perth 47350 City Perth and Kinross
14 Kilmarnock 46970 Town East Ayrshire
15 Ayr 46260 Town South Ayrshire
16 Coatbridge 43950 Town North Lanarkshire
17 Greenock 41280 Town Inverclyde
18 Glenrothes 38360 Town Fife
19 Stirling 37910 City Stirling
20 Airdrie 36390 Town North Lanarkshire
21 Falkirk 35590 Town Falkirk
22 Irvine 34130 Town North Ayrshire
23 Dumfries 33470 Town Dumfries and Galloway
24 Motherwell 32840 Town North Lanarkshire
25 Rutherglen 30950 Town South Lanarkshire
26 Cambuslang 30790 Town South Lanarkshire
27 Wishaw 30050 Town North Lanarkshire
28 Bearsden 28470 Town East Dunbartonshire
29 Newton Mearns 28210 Town East Renfrewshire
30 Clydebank 25620 Town West Dunbartonshire
31 Elgin 25040 Town Moray
32 Renfrew 24270 Town Renfrewshire
33 Bishopbriggs 23680 Town East Dunbartonshire
34 Bathgate 23600 Town West Lothian
35 Arbroath 23500 Town Angus
36 Kirkintilloch 21870 Town East Dunbartonshire
37 Musselburgh 21100 Town East Lothian
38 Dumbarton 20480 Town West Dunbartonshire
39 Bellshill 19700 Town North Lanarkshire
40 Peterhead 19060 Town Aberdeenshire
41 St Andrews 18410 Town Fife
42 Bonnyrigg 18320 Town Midlothian
43 Barrhead 17890 Town East Renfrewshire
44 Blantyre 16800 Town South Lanarkshire
45 Penicuik 16150 Town Midlothian
46 Grangemouth 16120 Town Falkirk
47 Kilwinning 16100 Town North Ayrshire
48 Broxburn 15970 Town West Lothian
49 Johnstone 15930 Town Renfrewshire
50 Viewpark 15830 Town North Lanarkshire
51 Larkhall 15030 Town South Lanarkshire
52 Erskine 15010 Town Renfrewshire

Settlements

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. However, most settlements coincide to a single locality. The 44 settlements with a population over 15,000 are listed below.

Rank Urban sub-area Population Localities Council areas
1 Greater Glasgow 1028220 Barrhead, Bearsden, Bishopbriggs, Bowling, Brookfield, Busby, Cambuslang, Clarkston, Clydebank, Duntocher & Hardgate, Elderslie, Faifley, Giffnock, Glasgow, Johnstone, Kilbarchan, Linwood, Milngavie, Netherlee, Newton Mearns, Old Kilpatrick, Paisley, Renfrew, Rutherglen, Stamperland, Stepps, Thornliebank Glasgow City, East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire
2 Edinburgh 530990 Edinburgh, Musselburgh, Wallyford City of Edinburgh, East Lothian
3 Aberdeen 220690 Aberdeen, Cove Bay, Dyce, Milltimber, Peterculter Aberdeen City
4 Dundee 158820 Dundee, Monifieth, Invergowrie Dundee City, Angus, Perth and Kinross
5 Motherwell & Wishaw 125610 Bellshill, Carfin, Holytown, Motherwell, New Stevenston, Newarthill, Newmains, Viewpark, Wishaw North Lanarkshire
6 Falkirk 103380 Brightons, Carron, Carronshore, Falkirk, Grangemouth, Larbert, Laurieston, Maddiston, Polmont, Redding, Reddingmuirhead, Rumford, Stenhousemuir, Wallacestone, Westquarter Falkirk
7 Coatbridge & Airdrie 90690 Airdrie, Bargeddie, Chapelhall, Coatbridge North Lanarkshire
8 Hamilton 84450 Blantyre, Bothwell, Hamilton, Uddingston South Lanarkshire
9 Dunfermline 76210 Crossgates, Dunfermline, Inverkeithing, Rosyth Fife
10 East Kilbride 75310 East Kilbride South Lanarkshire
11 Livingston 65770 Livingston, Mid Calder, Polbeth, West Calder West Lothian
12 Greenock 65690 Gourock, Greenock, Port Glasgow Inverclyde
13 Inverness 63730 Balloch, Culloden, Milton of Leys, Inverness, Smithton, Westhill Highland
14 Ayr 62270 Ayr, Monkton, Prestwick South Ayrshire
15 Bonnyrigg, Dalkeith & Gorebridge 54940 Bonnyrigg, Dalkeith, Gorebridge, Mayfield, Newbattle Midlothian
16 Cumbernauld 52420 Croy, Cumbernauld North Lanarkshire
17 Kilmarnock 51370 Crookedholm, Hurlford, Kilmarnock East Ayrshire
18 Kirkcaldy 50370 Kirkcaldy & Dysart Fife
19 Stirling 49950 Bannockburn, Bridge of Allan, Stirling Stirling
20 Perth 47350 Perth Perth and Kinross
21 Glenrothes 44760 Coaltown of Balgonie, Glenrothes, Leslie, Markinch, Thornton Fife
22 Irvine 37580 Dreghorn, Irvine North Ayrshire
23 Dumfries 34040 Dumfries Dumfries and Galloway
24 Saltcoats 31800 Ardrossan, Saltcoats, Stevenston North Ayrshire
25 Methil, Leven & Buckhaven 30730 Buckhaven, Kennoway, Leven, Methil, Windygates Fife
26 Kirkintilloch 29960 Kirkintilloch, Lenzie East Dunbartonshire
27 Bathgate 29330 Bathgate, Blackburn West Lothian
28 Bonnybridge 25710 Banknock, Bonnybridge, Denny, Dennyloanhead, Dunipace, Greenhill, Haggs, Head of Muir, High Bonnybridge, Longcroft Falkirk
29 Elgin 25040 Elgin Moray
30 Vale of Leven 24130 Alexandria, Balloch & Haldane, Bonhill, Renton West Dunbartonshire
31 Arbroath 23500 Arbroath Angus
32 Dumbarton 21030 Dumbarton, Milton West Dunbartonshire
33 Alloa 20750 Alloa, Sauchie Clackmannanshire
34 Cowdenbeath 19330 Cowdenbeath, Lochgelly, Lumphinnans Fife
35 Peterhead 19060 Peterhead Aberdeenshire
36 St Andrews 18410 St Andrews Fife
37 Erskine 16830 Erskine, Inchinnan Renfrewshire
38 Larkhall 16400 Ashgill, Larkhall South Lanarkshire
39 Penicuik 16150 Penicuik Midlothian
40 Kilwinning 16100 Kilwinning North Ayrshire
41 Broxburn 15970 Broxburn West Lothian
42 Galashiels 15490 Galashiels, Langlee, Tweedbank Scottish Borders
43 Helensburgh 15160 Helensburgh, Rhu Argyll and Bute

See also

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