Quality of life survey rates Glasgow as miles worse

Glasgow was rated as having the worst quality of life in Scotland, according to a study published today.

Glasgow Skyline looking toowards West end. Trinity towers. Glasgow University. Picture Robert Perry Scotland on Sunday 18th July 2013

Despite having the lowest CO2 emissions in Scotland and some of the largest houses, the country’s biggest city came bottom in the Bank of Scotland Quality of Life survey.

Meanwhile, islanders have the best quality of life, the study found. Orkney, Shetland and the Outer Hebrides were placed first, second and third.

The archipelago off the northeastern coast was also found to be the second best place to live in the UK, for the second year in a row.

Graham Blair, mortgage director at Bank of Scotland, said: “It’s great to see Orkney retain its title of best place to live in Scotland and the second best place to live in the whole of the UK, losing out narrowly to Hart in the south-east of England.

“With high employment, low population and traffic levels, as well as having lots to do and see, it’s no wonder that Orcadians also have the highest life satisfaction ratings.”

Orkney has the lowest crime rates in the UK, at just 15 per cent of the national average. It also has the largest spending per pupil and the highest employment rate, at 87 per cent.

Adults on the northeastern islands have the highest average rating for life satisfaction in Scotland. Based on a score out of 10, they had an average rating of 8.3, while the Scottish average is 7.7.

This comes as it was found to have the second largest number of pubs per 10,000 in Scotland – at 20 – with only Argyll and Bute beating it with 25.

Meanwhile, the highest weekly average earnings in Scotland are in Stirling, at £845 per week, followed by East Renfrewshire at £789 and East Dunbartonshire at £739. The Scottish average is £630 per week.

The biggest homes in Scotland are in East Renfrewshire and the Western Isles, with both having an average of 4.9 habitable rooms. West Dunbartonshire has the smallest homes, with 4.2 livable rooms; Glasgow City, Aberdeen City and Dundee City all have 4.3, while the average number in Scotland is 4.6.