Scottish relationship map: Where in Scotland to find love

Looking for love? New government maps have revealed the singles capital of Scotland and which areas of the country have the highest number of married couples and divorcees.
Glasgow has a higer percentage of singles than anywhere else in Scotland.Glasgow has a higer percentage of singles than anywhere else in Scotland.
Glasgow has a higer percentage of singles than anywhere else in Scotland.

More singles are found in Glasgow than anywhere else in Scotland with 49 per cent of the population- that’s almost 244,000 people – registering as single, never married or never in a same sex civil partnership.

Those living in cities, more commonly populated with a younger, working generation, are least likely to have wed.

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In Edinburgh, 45 per cent of the population over 16 was recorded as single, with the figure dropping slightly in Dundee and Aberdeen to 43 per cent.

Scotland's singles are clustered in the cities. Lightest colour depicts less than 30% of population single. Darkest colour shows over 40% of population are single. Pic: Scottish GovernmentScotland's singles are clustered in the cities. Lightest colour depicts less than 30% of population single. Darkest colour shows over 40% of population are single. Pic: Scottish Government
Scotland's singles are clustered in the cities. Lightest colour depicts less than 30% of population single. Darkest colour shows over 40% of population are single. Pic: Scottish Government

West Dunbartonshire and Inverclyde had the next highest rates of singles in Scotland, at 37 per cent and 36 per cent respectively.

On average, 35 per cent of the Scottish population is single or never bound their relationship in law.

In 2011, 300,000 more Scots fell into this category when compared to 10 years earlier - a rise of five per cent.

The lowest rates of single living recorded by Scotland’s Census were found in Aberdeenshire and the Scottish Borders, both at 27 per cent.

The Borders is one of the areas where over 50% of the population are married or in a civil partnership (darkest blue areas). In Edinburgh and Glasgow less than 40% are married.  Pic: Scottish GovernmentThe Borders is one of the areas where over 50% of the population are married or in a civil partnership (darkest blue areas). In Edinburgh and Glasgow less than 40% are married.  Pic: Scottish Government
The Borders is one of the areas where over 50% of the population are married or in a civil partnership (darkest blue areas). In Edinburgh and Glasgow less than 40% are married. Pic: Scottish Government

Professor Robert Wright, of the department of economics at Strathclyde University, said single people were more likely to be found in cities as “single people work more.”

He said: “If you are married, you have a lower probability of working.

“More single people will be in the city because that is where the work is.”

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He said that being single was a “continued trend” and that single people were often not “lonely” due to living with partners and cohabiting with others.

Map depicting where in Scotland has the highest percentage of people who are seperated, divorced or were formerly in a same-sex civil partnership. The darkest areas have over 12% divorced or separated compared to under 10% in the lightest area.  Picture: Scottish GovernmentMap depicting where in Scotland has the highest percentage of people who are seperated, divorced or were formerly in a same-sex civil partnership. The darkest areas have over 12% divorced or separated compared to under 10% in the lightest area.  Picture: Scottish Government
Map depicting where in Scotland has the highest percentage of people who are seperated, divorced or were formerly in a same-sex civil partnership. The darkest areas have over 12% divorced or separated compared to under 10% in the lightest area. Picture: Scottish Government

Professor Wright added: “If you are single you have to work and you’ll probably work in the city as that is where the jobs are.

“You get more married people in rural areas as it is less central to be able to work if you are in a relationship with someone else. That was the traditional model.”

He added that marriage rates were lower amongst lower socio-economic groups.

Meanwhile, a second map shows that Aberdeenshire has the highest rate of couples who have wed or in a same sex civil partnerships, at 56 per cent.

The figures, drawn from the data issued following the 2011 Census, will not include same sex marriages, which did not become law until December 2014.

East Dunbartonshire and East Renfrewshire, had the second highest marriage of civil partnership rate, both at 55 per cent.

This was followed by Borders and Moray at 52 per cent.

Whilst still the most common status, the proportion of adults in Scotland who are married decreased by five percentage points since 2001 to 45 per cent.

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Glasgow had the lowest rate of marriage or same sex civil partnership at 31 per cent, followed by Dundee at 36 per cent.

Dundee was also amongst the places with the highest divorce rate at nine per cent, with that rate also recorded in West Dunbartonshire, Inverclyde, North Ayrshire, Fife and Clackmannanshire.

The lowest divorce rates were recorded in East Dunbartonshire , East Renfrewshire and Eilan Sar, where six per cent of the population recorded the legal break up of their marriage.

On average, eight per cent of the Scottish population is divorced.

A detailed breakdown of the age of those who are single and are married gives further insight into how Scots are living and who they are living with.

In 2011, most (98 per cent) people aged 16 to 24 in Scotland were single.

For those aged 25 to 29, the single rate fell slightly to 78% and dropped again to 54% for those aged between 30 and 34 age group.

By the time Scots entered their mid thirties, just over a quarter considered themselves single or never married.

Marital status was recorded separately to living arrangements in the 2011 with the results again offering further insight.