*** ARCHIVED ***

This ScotPHO web section has been archived and is no longer being updated or checked for accuracy, out of date information, broken links, etc. Its content should not be considered current or complete. This web section was archived on 9th May 2023. It was previously published under the Wider Determinants main menu heading.

Community wellbeing: neighbourhood satisfaction - ARCHIVED

Chart 1 shows the trend in neighbourhood satisfaction for Scotland between 1999 and 2019. The percentage of adults who rated their neighbourhood as a very good place to live increased over time, from 49% in 1999 to 57% in 2019.  There is some evidence the pace of improvement slowed after 2010.  

More detailed analysis at a local council level is available for 2019.  Levels of neighbourhood satisfaction are highest in the Highlands and Islands, East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire and Stirling (Chart 2).

Chart 3 presents levels of neighbourhood satisfaction in Scotland by SIMD decile in 2019.  29% of adults in the most deprived decile rated their neighbourhood as a very good place to live, compared to 79% in the least deprived decile.

Chart 4 presents levels of neighbourhood satisfaction in Scotland according to how urban or rural the area of residence is. This shows that there is greater neighbourhood satisfaction in more rural areas, but this is likely to be partly due to lower levels of socioeconomic deprivation.

The Scottish Health Survey also collects data relevant to community empowerment. In 2019:

  • 19% of adults agreed they could influence decisions affecting their local area.
  • Compared to those in the least deprived quintile, adults in the most deprived quintile were less likely to report that they feel involved a great deal or a fair amount in the local community (25% vs. 38%)
  • Adults in the most deprived quintile were less likely to agree they can influence decisions affecting their local area compared to those in the least deprived quintile (15% vs. 29%)

Differences in perceived influence by area deprivation are difficult to interpret. Adults in the most deprived quintiles are more likely to report they don’t know or don’t have an opinion on this (19% in the least deprived quintile, compared with 33% in the most deprived quintile).

 

Please note: If you require the most up-to-date data available, please check the data sources directly as new data may have been published since these data pages were last updated. Although we endeavour to ensure that the data pages are kept up-to-date, there may be a time lag between new data being published and the relevant ScotPHO web pages being updated.