Churchill Support Services have studied the latest crime statistics from the Scottish Government to reveal which areas of Edinburgh have the highest crime rates per 10,000 people.
Edinburgh, which was ranked 7th among the most dangerous areas in Scotland, saw 34,976 crimes over the course of 2023 into 2024. A deeper dive into the figures shows significant rates of crimes of dishonesty (17,099 incidents), road traffic offences (8,439 incidents) and violent crime (7,278 incidents), all of which underscore the need for effective security in the Scottish capital.
A Churchill Support Services spokesperson said: “We’ve opted to break down Edinburgh by its local council wards. We’ve then displayed this as a ratio of the number of crimes per 1000 people living in that area. This allows us to take into account the size of the area, as well as crucial variables like population and area density.”
Scroll through our picture gallery to see the 17 ‘most dangerous areas’ of Edinburgh for crime, according to official figures.
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5. 14. Corstorphine & Murrayfield
Overall Crime Rate Of 47 Crimes Per 1000 People. Most noted for its world-famous stadium venue, the ward of Corstorphine and Murrayfield occupies a sought-after spot on the fringes of Edinburgh’s city centre. With exceptional public transport connections that are coupled with a lower crime rate of just 47 crimes per 1000 residents, it’s easy to understand why the region attracts the crowds it does. However, that popularity does still bring with it inherent risks. The most notable of these is the rate of crimes of dishonesty (484 incidents), which makes up over 44% of total crime in the neighbourhood. That’s alongside similarly high rates of both motor vehicle offences (215 incidents) and criminal damage (101 incidents). Photo: Google Street View
6. 13. Inverleith
Overall Crime Rate Of 59.7 Crimes Per 1000 People. Home to Edinburgh’s marvellous Botanical Gardens, as well as one of largest swathes of greenery in its eponymic park, Inverleith combines those idyllic, sweeping vistas with the modern conveniences one would expect from a suburb of a major city. Plus, with a crime rate that’s below the citywide average at 59.7 crimes per 1000 residents, it’s clearly got its draws. Those draws aren’t without their associated drawbacks, though. High rates of both crimes of dishonesty (617 offences) and motor vehicle crimes (373 offences) are the key causes of concern for Inverleith residents and businesses, alongside a climbing rate of violent assault (212 offences). Photo: Google Street View
7. 12. Pentland Hills
Overall Crime Rate Of 64.7 Crimes Per 1000 People. A sprawling ward of Edinburgh, the region of Pentland Hills adopts the name given to the range of hills that border it, which cast an impressive natural shadow over the labyrinthine neighbourhoods and residential areas. This close-knit sense of community means that Pentland Hills sees a relatively standard crime rate of 66.3 crimes per 1000 residents. Within that, however, there are points of concern, with the chief among them being crimes of dishonesty (885 offences) which make up 40% of all crimes in Pentland Hills. Outside of that, the area sees substantial rates across both violent assault (350 offences) and criminal damage (337 offences). Photo: Google Street View
8. 11. Leith Walk
Overall Crime Rate Of 66.3 Crimes Per 1000 People. Made infamous by its long stretch of uninterrupted road that leads from the very heart of the city to its bustling docklands, Leith Walk encompasses not just the city’s longest roadway, but the winding banks and biodiversity of the Water of Leith. It’s perhaps no surprise, then, that the region sees a comparatively low crime rate of 66.3 crimes per 1000 residents. There’s still cause for alarm among Leith Walk residents, however. The major issue for the region is crimes of dishonesty (885 incidents), but there’s also an equally warranted concern for the rising numbers across motor vehicle offences (226 incidents) and criminal damage (211 incidents). Photo: Google Street View