The study includes a description from the guide’s judges explaining what makes the chosen town or neighbourhood a special place to live and a breakdown of the average cost of houses and rent in that area.
North Berwick in East Lothian has been hailed as the best place to live in Scotland, according to the 2021 guide.
Apart from the Scottish winner, the other locations are not ranked, but listed in alphabetical order.
Helen Davies, The Times and Sunday Times Property Editor, said: “North Berwick is our winner in Scotland because it is one place that really does have it all: heavenly beaches, jaw-dropping views from North Berwick Law, a successful secondary school and a lively high street.
“This guide has never been so important. The pandemic has taught us just how much we rely on our homes, our communities and our surroundings. With working from home now common, it’s no surprise that many of us are reassessing our priorities and thinking hard about where we really want to live.
“Our focus for this year has been community, countryside and convenience. It hasn’t been a year for big cities or small villages. Instead it is small towns that have shone: big enough to have everything you need within walking distance and small enough for everyone to feel connected.”
The Sunday Times Best Places to Live in Britain covers the following nations and regions: North and Northeast England, Midlands, Northern Ireland, Southeast England, Wales, Southwest England, East England, London, Scotland and Northwest England.
Stroud in Gloucestershire was named as the Best Place to Live in the UK.
Here are the top eight places to live in Scotland:
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Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide reveals Scotland's top eight places to live. Photo: supplied
. North Berwick
The judges hailed the coastal town as its winner with its 300 million-year-old volcanic plug that stands brooding over the town, which is about a 40 minute drive from Edinburgh. North Berwick High School is considered one of the best secondaries in the country as shown in The Times Scottish school league table 2020 where it is rated 13th out of 343 schools for pupils achieving five or more highers. The study shows the average house price costs £355,000 and the average rental is about £1,200 pcm. Photo: supplied
1. North Berwick
The judges hailed the coastal town as its winner with its 300 million-year-old volcanic plug that stands brooding over the town, which is about a 40 minute drive from Edinburgh. North Berwick High School is considered one of the best secondaries in the country as shown in The Times Scottish school league table 2020 where it is rated 13th out of 343 schools for pupils achieving five or more highers. The study shows the average house price costs £355,000 and the average rental is about £1,200 pcm. Photo: supplied
2. Bearsden
Judges also went for Bearsden in East Dunbartonshire, a Glasgow suburb that’s a 20-minute train journey to the city centre but also surrounded by countryside. House prices average £272,500 with rent costing £895 per month on average. Photo: supplied
3. Broughty Ferry
Broughty Ferry in Tayside has been hailed on of the top place to live in Scotland for its “golden sandy beach” and coastal paths up to Arbroath. The average cost for a home in the area costs £215,000 with rents reaching an average of £895 per month. Photo: supplied
4. Dennistoun
Dennistoun in Glasgow was described by judges as the “up-and-coming corner of the East End.” The neighbourhood, where house prices average £147,000 and rents cost about £750 pcm, was described in TimeOut’s magazine last year as the eighth-coolest neighbourhood in the world. Photo: supplied