This is a list of towns and cities in Scotland with a population of more than 15,000, ordered by population, as recorded by the Mid-2012 Populations Estimates for Settlements and Localities in Scotland.
This article is divided into two sections. The first section of this article ("Localities") contains a list of settlements ordered by population which are contained within the limits of a particular city, town or village. The second section of this article ("Settlements") is a list of populated urban areas, some of which are composed of more than one settlement.
Localities
In Scotland, locality refers to a populated area found within the limits of a city, town or village.
Rank |
Locality |
Population |
Status |
Council area |
---|
1 |
Glasgow |
599,650 |
City |
Glasgow City |
---|
2 |
Edinburgh |
464,990 |
City |
City of Edinburgh |
---|
3 |
Aberdeen |
196,670 |
City |
Aberdeen City |
---|
4 |
Dundee |
147,710 |
City |
Dundee City |
---|
5 |
Paisley |
76,220 |
Town |
Renfrewshire |
---|
6 |
East Kilbride |
74,740 |
Town |
South Lanarkshire |
---|
7 |
Livingston |
56,570 |
Town |
West Lothian |
---|
8 |
Hamilton |
53,200 |
Town |
South Lanarkshire |
---|
9 |
Cumbernauld |
51,610 |
Town |
North Lanarkshire |
---|
10 |
Dunfermline |
50,380 |
Town |
Fife |
---|
11 |
Kirkcaldy |
49,460 |
Town |
Fife |
---|
12 |
Ayr |
47,190 |
Town |
South Ayrshire |
---|
13 |
Perth |
47,180 |
City |
Perth and Kinross |
---|
14 |
Inverness |
46,870 |
City |
Highland |
---|
15 |
Kilmarnock |
46,350 |
Town |
East Ayrshire |
---|
16 |
Coatbridge |
43,970 |
Town |
North Lanarkshire |
---|
17 |
Greenock |
43,690 |
Town |
Inverclyde |
---|
18 |
Glenrothes |
39,100 |
Town |
Fife |
---|
19 |
Airdrie |
37,130 |
Town |
North Lanarkshire |
---|
20 |
Stirling |
36,440 |
City |
Stirling |
---|
21 |
Falkirk |
35,310 |
Town |
Falkirk |
---|
22 |
Irvine |
33,740 |
Town |
North Ayrshire |
---|
23 |
Dumfries |
33,280 |
Town |
Dumfries and Galloway |
---|
24 |
Motherwell |
32,120 |
Town |
North Lanarkshire |
---|
25 |
Rutherglen |
31,180 |
Town |
South Lanarkshire |
---|
26 |
Wishaw |
30,510 |
Town |
North Lanarkshire |
---|
27 |
Cambuslang |
27,610 |
Town |
South Lanarkshire |
---|
28 |
Bearsden |
27,340 |
Town |
East Dunbartonshire |
---|
29 |
Clydebank |
26,640 |
Town |
West Dunbartonshire |
---|
30 |
Newton Mearns |
24,650 |
Town |
East Renfrewshire |
---|
31 |
Arbroath |
23,640 |
Town |
Angus |
---|
32 |
Musselburgh |
23,620 |
Town |
East Lothian |
---|
33 |
Bishopbriggs |
23,430 |
Town |
East Dunbartonshire |
---|
34 |
Elgin |
22,980 |
Town |
Moray |
---|
35 |
Renfrew |
22,010 |
Town |
Renfrewshire |
---|
36 |
Bathgate |
21,070 |
Town |
West Lothian |
---|
37 |
Bellshill |
20,650 |
Town |
North Lanarkshire |
---|
38 |
Alloa |
20,390 |
Town |
Clackmannanshire |
---|
39 |
Dumbarton |
19,950 |
Town |
West Dunbartonshire |
---|
40 |
Kirkintilloch |
19,630 |
Town |
East Dunbartonshire |
---|
41 |
Peterhead |
18,450 |
Town |
Aberdeenshire |
---|
42 |
Barrhead |
17,620 |
Town |
East Renfrewshire |
---|
43 |
Grangemouth |
17,280 |
Town |
Falkirk |
---|
44 |
Blantyre |
17,090 |
Town |
South Lanarkshire |
---|
45 |
St Andrews |
16,800 |
Town |
Fife |
---|
46 |
Kilwinning |
16,420 |
Town |
North Ayrshire |
---|
47 |
Johnstone |
16,390 |
Town |
Renfrewshire |
---|
48 |
Bonnyrigg |
16,360 |
Town |
Midlothian |
---|
49 |
Penicuik |
16,110 |
Town |
Midlothian |
---|
50 |
Viewpark |
16,020 |
Area |
North Lanarkshire |
---|
51 |
Erskine |
15,530 |
Town |
Renfrewshire |
---|
52 |
Broxburn |
15,360 |
Town |
West Lothian |
---|
53 |
Port Glasgow |
15,190 |
Town |
Inverclyde |
---|
54 |
Larkhall |
15,020 |
Town |
South Lanarkshire |
---|
Settlements
In Scotland, settlement refers to a populated area which is not contained within a set city limit but instead forms a single urban area. Some urban areas may be composed of more than one locality, for example the area of Ayr includes the adjoining localities of Ayr and Prestwick.
Rank |
Urban sub-area |
Population |
Localities |
Council areas |
---|
1 |
Greater Glasgow |
976,970 |
Bearsden, Bishopbriggs, Glasgow, Milngavie, Barrhead, Busby, Clarkston, Giffnock, Netherlee, Newton Mearns, Thornliebank, Barrhead, Stepps, Elderslie, Johnstone, Kilbarchan, Linwood, Renfrewshire, Paisley, Renfrew, Cambuslang, Rutherglen, Bowling, Clydebank, Duntocher, Hardgate and Old Kilpatrick |
Glasgow City, West Dunbartonshire, East Dunbartonshire, Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire, North Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire |
---|
2 |
Edinburgh |
488,610 |
Edinburgh and Musselburgh |
City of Edinburgh and East Lothian |
---|
3 |
Aberdeen |
209,460 |
Aberdeen, Cove Bay and Dyce |
Aberdeen City |
---|
4 |
Dundee |
157,690 |
Dundee, Monifieth and Invergowrie |
Dundee City, Angus and Perth and Kinross |
---|
5 |
Motherwell and Bellshill |
124,530 |
Bellshill, Carfin, Holytown, Motherwell, New Stevenston, Newarthill, Newmains, Viewpark and Wishaw |
North Lanarkshire |
---|
6 |
Falkirk |
100,840 |
Brightons, Carron, Carronshore, Falkirk, Grangemouth, Larbert, Laurieston, Maddiston, Polmont, Redding, Reddingmuirhead, Rumford, Stenhousemuir, Wallacestone and Westquarter |
Falkirk |
---|
7 |
Coatbridge and Airdrie |
90,330 |
Airdrie, Bargeddie, Chapelhall and Coatbridge |
North Lanarkshire |
---|
8 |
Hamilton |
82,310 |
Blantyre, Bothwell, Hamilton and Uddingston |
South Lanarkshire |
---|
9 |
East Kilbride |
74,740 |
East Kilbride |
South Lanarkshire |
---|
10 |
Dunfermline |
71,820 |
Crossgates, Dunfermline, Inverkeithing and Rosyth |
Fife |
---|
11 |
Greenock |
69,450 |
Gourock, Greenock and Port Glasgow |
Inverclyde |
---|
12 |
Ayr |
61,940 |
Ayr and Prestwick |
South Ayrshire |
---|
13 |
Livingston |
60,030 |
Livingston and Mid Calder |
West Lothian |
---|
14 |
Cumbernauld |
51,610 |
Cumbernauld |
North Lanarkshire and East Dunbartonshire |
---|
15 |
Kilmarnock |
51,150 |
Kilmarnock, Hurlford and Crookedholm |
East Ayrshire |
---|
16 |
Kirkcaldy |
49,460 |
Kirkcaldy |
Fife |
---|
17 |
Stirling |
48,480 |
Bannockburn, Bridge of Allan and Stirling |
Stirling |
---|
18 |
Glenrothes |
47,730 |
Coaltown of Balgonie, Glenrothes, Leslie, Markinch and Thornton |
Fife |
---|
19 |
Perth |
47,180 |
Perth |
Perth and Kinross |
---|
20 |
Inverness |
46,870 |
Inverness |
Highland |
---|
21 |
Dalkeith |
42,220 |
Bonnyrigg, Dalkeith and Mayfield |
Midlothian |
---|
22 |
Irvine |
37,380 |
Irvine and Dreghorn |
North Ayrshire |
---|
23 |
Dumfries |
33,280 |
Dumfries |
Dumfries and Galloway |
---|
24 |
Ardrossan |
33,020 |
Ardrossan, Saltcoats and Stevenston |
North Ayrshire |
---|
25 |
Methil, Leven and Buckhaven |
30,950 |
Buckhaven, Kennoway, Leven, Methil and Windygates |
Fife |
---|
26 |
Kirkintilloch |
28,210 |
Kirkintilloch and Lenzie |
East Dunbartonshire |
---|
27 |
Bathgate |
26,550 |
Bathgate and Blackburn |
West Lothian |
---|
28 |
Bonnybridge |
25,150 |
Banknock, Bonnybridge, Denny, Dennyloanhead, Dunipace, Greenhill, Haggs, Longcroft, Head of Muir and High Bonnybridge |
Falkirk |
---|
29 |
Vale of Leven |
24,640 |
Alexandria, Balloch, Haldane, Bonhill and Renton |
West Dunbartonshire |
---|
30 |
Arbroath |
23,640 |
Arbroath |
Angus |
---|
31 |
Galashiels |
22,547 |
Galashiels, Darnick, Melrose, Tweedbank |
Scottish Borders |
---|
Images for kids
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Glasgow is the most populous locality in Scotland, and also the largest city; Greater Glasgow is the largest settlement.
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Paisley is the fifth most populous locality in Scotland, and the largest town by population.
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Stirling has the smallest population of Scotland's cities.
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Edinburgh, the capital city, is the second largest locality and settlement by population.
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Aberdeen is both the third largest locality and settlement.
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Motherwell is the 24th most populous locality, but anchors a defined settlement covering much of North Lanarkshire that is Scotland's 5th largest.