Readers react after Edinburgh named third happiest place to live in Scotland

The capital was placed behind Stirling and Kirkcaldy in the poll of the happiest places to live in Scotland. It saw Edinburgh rise from 8th in last year’s rankings to 3rd.

The city also made it into the top 100 for the whole of the UK, finishing 69th. Inverness and Perth rounded out the top five in Scotland.

The bustling market town of Skipton in North Yorkshire has been crowned the happiest place to live in the UK.

We asked the people of Edinburgh for their reactions to the news.

Jim Cassidy no longer lives in Edinburgh, having moved to Sutherland, but was visiting his son who still lives in the city. He said that tourists may give a false impression but that the history of the city is a massive draw.

He said: “In Edinburgh now you get an awful lot of tourists so you might be getting a false impression because they are there on holiday. When you go to the busy parts of Edinburgh there's a lot of tourists even at this time of year. But I would say it's quite a happy city. I think there's a lot of history, a lot of nice old buildings, nice parts of Edinburgh and it is the capital of Scotland after all.”

What our readers said

The Palace of Holyroodhouse was one of reader Elizabeth Thomas’ favourite things about the city. | NurPhoto via Getty Images

Elizabeth Thomas added her thoughts on Facebook. She highlighted many of the things that people love about the city, including its parks and its museums - and she was also keen to praise the Princess Alexandra Eye Pavillion and its amazing staff for helping her take it all in.

She wrote: “I love the history of Edinburgh. Especially the Old Town. The creepiness of the ghost tours etc. Beautiful buildings, the stunning castle and Holyrood Palace. Arthur’s Seat and the duck ponds. Good bus services and rail links to places. I love the Botanic Gardens, Inverleith Park and duck pond.

“I love the diverse culture of different places to eat. Different styles of cuisine. The museum in Chambers Street. The Museum of Childhood. The Meadows.

“The amazing Princess Alexandra Eye Pavillion with awesome staff. After major eye op in May on my only sighted eye. I'm elated and in awe of the things I'm able to now see in Edinburgh. I guess being happy in a place is about perspectives and appreciating things.”

‘You have to do something about Airbnb’

However, not everyone necessarily agreed that the city was a happy place to live. One former resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said that the increase of student housing and Airbnb was driving residents like them out of the city.

They said: “The fact that the centre of town is 80 per cent Airbnb makes it not necessarily a very nice place for normal people, or people who aren't just here for the duration of their studies or their holidays.

“I think there's all sorts of things that make Edinburgh lovely, but until I moved somewhere else, I was here for about 30 years and it was just what happened over time. You have to do something about Airbnb, change the law so that people can't buy stuff, people who don't live here can't buy state-owned investment, and get more long-term rental affordable housing. The joy of the historical city where the Old Town used to be a real mix, that's all gone by and by.”

AirBnb key safes can be found right across the city. | TSPL

‘Natural beauty, vibrant culture and strong sense of community’

Edinburgh council leader Jane Meagher responded to the announcement by saying the news reflected what residents told the local authority.

Cllr Meagher said: “It’s fantastic to see Edinburgh recognised among the happiest places to live, and it really reflects what our residents tell us. People value the clean air, the quality of our parks and green spaces, and the fact that choosing environmentally friendly ways to get around – whether that’s on foot, by bike or public transport – keeps getting easier in the city.

“Few capital cities can match Edinburgh’s unique mix of hills, beaches, or the two World Heritage Sites alongside world-renowned cultural festivals. That combination of natural beauty, vibrant culture and strong sense of community is what makes life here so special.

“Our city continues to thrive on the international stage, but what matters most is that those who live, work and study here feel proud to call Edinburgh home. I’m delighted this ranking reflects that pride and satisfaction.

“That said, there are people in our city that are struggling with the cost of living – meaning poverty and homelessness remain two of the biggest challenges of our time. I’ll continue to focus on our key priorities to eradicate poverty, become net-zero and to consistently deliver high quality services for our residents and businesses to ensure that Edinburgh is the happiest place for everyone.”