Area report
Is Perth and Kinross a good place to live?
Perth and Kinross, Scotland
Report completeness: 80%. Score is based on the categories with data loaded for this area.
In short
Perth and Kinross scores 69 out of 100 overall, putting it in the top 37 per cent of the 539 UK areas we have scored. Its biggest lead is education, scoring 58 against the Scottish median of 42; its biggest shortfall is transport, 0 against 75.
- Nearest scored area: Perth, about 22 miles away, scoring 74.
- Median overall score across the 539 areas in our index: 67 out of 100.
- Report completeness 80 per cent: categories without data are excluded rather than estimated.
How detailed is this report?
Open data is published at different levels of detail, and this report always uses the most granular level available rather than pretending otherwise.
- Point-level for this exact location: Transport (stops within 800 m and the nearest railway station); Air quality (the 1 km grid cell containing this point).
- Council-level, covering all of Perth and Kinross: Cost of living, Affordability, Housing, Employment, Broadband, Safety. Every postcode and town in the council shares these figures.
- Neighbourhood-level: Education (the surrounding intermediate zone of roughly 2,500 to 6,000 residents).
- Not scored here: Weather (the nearest Met Office historic station, Braemar, is 55 km away), too far to describe this location, so it is left out of the overall score.
Research this area further with trusted open data: HM Land Registry sold prices, ONS local area profiles, Ofcom broadband checker, Scottish Government statistics. This report is open-source intelligence: everything is built from published government and public datasets you can check yourself.
Affordability
Source: HM Land RegistryWith a ten per cent deposit, the average Perth and Kinross home needs borrowing of 5.2 times a single UK median full-time salary of £39,039, beyond the 4.5 times most lenders will go to, so it takes a second income or a larger deposit. Try your own figures below.
Guidance only, using standard lending multiples and typical outgoings. Not a mortgage offer or financial advice. TrackPostcode.UK is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority; always seek independent professional advice before financial decisions.
Housing
Source: HM Land RegistryUK House Price Index for Perth and Kinross, all property types. Steady growth scores best; sharp falls and overheating both score lower.
Crime and safety
Source: Scottish GovernmentAnnual recorded crime for all of Perth and Kinross, from Scottish Government statistics. Police Scotland does not publish street-level data, so this is not comparable with English or Welsh reports. How safety is scored.
Weather and outdoors
Source: Met OfficeNo weather score for Perth and Kinross. The nearest Met Office historic station, Braemar, is 55 km away, beyond the 40 km we accept, so its climate would describe somewhere else. Weather is left out of the overall score here rather than borrowed. Why.
Broadband and mobile
Source: Ofcom Connected NationsOfcom Connected Nations coverage for Perth and Kinross: the share of premises that can get each service, not the share that has taken it up.
Schools and education
Source: DfE and devolved governmentsIntermediate zone (2011), three-year average. Source: Scottish Government (statistics.gov.scot). Each nation publishes its own measure, so this compares within Scotland only. How education is scored.
Healthcare
Source: OpenStreetMapHealthcare data is being sourced. We only publish figures once they are loaded from OpenStreetMap, so nothing here is estimated or invented.
Employment
Source: ONS / NOMISONS Annual Population Survey for Perth and Kinross, via NOMIS. Most UK councils fall between about 62% and 82% employment.
Environment
Source: Defra UK-AIRDefra modelled background air for the 1 km grid cell around this point (Crown copyright), scored against the WHO 2021 guidelines.
Transport
Source: DfT NaPTANDfT NaPTAN stops around this exact point. Twelve or more stops within 800 m, and a station within 1 km, each earn full marks.
Cost of living
Source: ONSAverage private rent, from the ONS Price Index of Private Rents. Rent stands in for cost of living because it is the largest living cost and the one that varies most between places.
Lifestyle and amenities
Source: OpenStreetMapLifestyle data is being sourced. We only publish figures once they are loaded from OpenStreetMap, so nothing here is estimated or invented.
Who Perth and Kinross suits
Perth and Kinross is a markedly better fit for some households than others. It ranks in the top 24% of the 539 areas we have scored for retirees, and the bottom 40% for young professionals. That gap comes from the same twelve categories weighted differently, which is why one overall score can never answer the question on its own.
| Household | Score | Standing | What it weights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retirees | 71 | top 24% | Weighted towards healthcare, safety, environment and cost of living. |
| Families | 67 | top 25% | Weighted towards schools, safety, housing and healthcare. |
| Remote workers | 72 | top 33% | Weighted towards broadband, cost of living, environment and weather. |
| Students | 70 | top 39% | Weighted towards cost of living, lifestyle, transport and safety. |
| Young professionals | 65 | bottom 40% | Weighted towards employment, lifestyle, transport and broadband. |
The same twelve scores, weighted per household. Set your own weights in the relocation quiz.
Stands out on
- Cost of living
- Affordability
- Environment
Worth checking carefully
- Transport
Built only from the categories with data; 3 are still to load for this area.
How Perth and Kinross compares
| Category | Perth and Kinross | Scotland median | UK median | vs Scotland median | UK position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | 86 | 81 | 72 | +5 | top 15% |
| Affordability | 80 | 94 | 68 | -14 | top 35% |
| Safety | 59 | 51 | 52 | +8 | top 25% |
| Employment | 57 | 50 | 59 | +7 | bottom 45% |
| Housing | 75 | 84 | 83 | -9 | bottom 36% |
| Transport | 0 | 75 | 75 | -75 | bottom 1% |
| Broadband | 60 | 88 | 88 | -28 | bottom 4% |
| Environment | 100 | 100 | 91 | 0 | top 8% |
| Education | 58 | 42 | 40 | +16 | top 15% |
Medians and positions are across the 539 areas in our index. Safety and education are measured differently in each nation, so read those two rows against the Scotland median only.
What Perth and Kinross does well. Measured against everywhere else in the index, the standouts are education (58, 16 above the median) and safety (59, 8 above the median).
Where it falls short. Transport (0, 75 below), broadband (60, 28 below) and affordability (80, 14 below).
Near Perth and Kinross, and places like it
Of the 6 scored areas within about 50 miles of Perth and Kinross, 4 score higher: Perth (74), Dundee (73), Dunfermline (73) and Alloa (70). Perth and Kinross scores 69. Perth is ahead mainly on transport (+92).
| Area | Distance | Where | Overall | Band |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perth | 22 miles | Perth and Kinross, Scotland | 74 | Very good |
| Stirling | 33 miles | Stirling, Scotland | 68 | Good |
| Alloa | 33 miles | Clackmannanshire, Scotland | 70 | Very good |
| Dundee | 36 miles | Dundee City, Scotland | 73 | Very good |
| Forfar | 38 miles | Angus, Scotland | 69 | Good |
| Dunfermline | 40 miles | Fife, Scotland | 73 | Very good |
Straight-line distances, so roads are longer. Any place not listed can be searched directly.
| Area | Where | Overall | Average gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caernarfon | Gwynedd, Wales | 69 | 7.7 |
| Brecon | Powys, Wales | 71 | 11.1 |
| Bangor | Gwynedd, Wales | 73 | 11.2 |
| Hawick | Scottish Borders, Scotland | 68 | 11.9 |
| Bideford | Torridge, South West, England | 66 | 11.9 |
Average score gap across every category both areas have, so smaller is closer. Neighbouring areas are left out.
What a home in Perth and Kinross actually costs
Source: HM Land Registry UK HPIThe average home in Perth and Kinross is £228,159, 16 per cent below the median of the areas we have scored. With a ten per cent deposit of £22,816, repaying the rest costs about £1,323 a month, £591 more than renting at the local average of £732, and needs a household income of about £45,600 to borrow.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Average property price | £228,159 (June 2026) |
| Change over 12 months | +0.2%, rising |
| Against our index median | 16% below the £270,569 median across every area we have scored |
| 10% deposit | £22,816 |
| 15% deposit | £34,224 |
| Price to earnings | 5.8 times UK median full-time earnings of £39,039 |
| Monthly repayment | £1,323 on a £205,343 mortgage (10% deposit, 6% over 25 years) |
| Against renting | £591 more than the £732 average monthly rent |
| Income to borrow it | About £45,600 a year at 4.5 times income |
Council-wide average across all property types; the multiple uses UK median full-time earnings (April 2025 (ONS ASHE)). Illustrative arithmetic, not a mortgage assessment or financial advice; TrackPostcode.UK is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Air quality in Perth and Kinross, against the limits
Source: Defra modelled background mapsFine particulates, at 3.6, sit inside the UK 2040 target of 10 and inside the World Health Organization guideline of 5, which few areas manage. Nitrogen dioxide, at 1.0, is well inside the UK limit of 40 and inside the WHO guideline of 10.
| Pollutant | Perth and Kinross | UK objective | WHO guideline | Standing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fine particulates (PM2.5) | 3.6 | 10 | 5 | Inside both |
| Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) | 1.0 | 40 | 10 | Inside both |
Neighbourhood background levels from the Defra 1 km model; readings beside a busy road are higher. UK figures are the legal limit (NO₂) and 2040 target (PM2.5); WHO figures are health guidelines, not law.
Questions about Perth and Kinross
Is Perth and Kinross a good place to live?
Perth and Kinross has an overall liveability score of 69 out of 100 (good) on TrackPostcode.UK, based on 80% of categories currently loaded. It scores best on cost of living and housing. The score combines cost, affordability, safety, weather and more from open government data.
What is the crime rate in Perth and Kinross?
Perth and Kinross records about 424 crimes per 10,000 people a year (2025/2026), giving Perth and Kinross a safety score of 59 out of 100. Figures are from Scottish Government statistics; Police Scotland does not publish street-level data to police.uk.
What is the weather like in Perth and Kinross?
The weather section shows annual sunshine, rainfall and typical temperatures for Perth and Kinross from Met Office climate data for the location.
How expensive is it to live in Perth and Kinross?
Average private rent in the Perth and Kinross area is about £732 a month (Jun-26, ONS), giving Perth and Kinross a cost-of-living score of 86 out of 100. Use the affordability calculator to estimate what you could comfortably afford here.
What are house prices like in Perth and Kinross?
The average property price in Perth and Kinross is about £228,159 (2026-06, HM Land Registry). Prices changed +0.2% over the year. See the affordability section for how that compares to local earnings.
Is Perth and Kinross safe?
Perth and Kinross scores 59 out of 100 for safety - good - measured from annual recorded crime per 10,000 residents across the Perth and Kinross council area (Scottish Government statistics). That puts it in the top 25% of every area in our index. A safety score is a comparison with other areas rather than a guarantee about a street. The figure covers the whole council, so it says nothing about differences between its towns.
Can I afford to buy a house in Perth and Kinross?
The average property in Perth and Kinross costs about £228,159, which is 5.8 times earnings against assumed full-time earnings of £39,039 a year (ONS ASHE), giving an affordability score of 80 out of 100. Mainstream lenders usually cap borrowing at around four to four and a half times income, so a ratio above that generally means a larger deposit, a second income or a cheaper property than the local average. With a ten per cent deposit, repaying the rest costs about £1,323 a month at 6% over 25 years, £591 more than the £732 average local rent. The affordability calculator on this page estimates it from your own salary and savings.
How fast is broadband in Perth and Kinross?
About 92.1% of premises in Perth and Kinross can get superfast broadband of 30 Mbit/s or more, and 53.9% can get a gigabit-capable connection, giving a broadband score of 60 out of 100 (Ofcom Connected Nations). These are council-area availability figures - the share of premises able to order each service, not the speed any single line achieves - so check the exact address with the Ofcom broadband checker before committing to it.
What is the job market like in Perth and Kinross?
76% of 16 to 64 year olds in Perth and Kinross are in work (NOMIS latest, retrieved Sep 2026, ONS Annual Population Survey via NOMIS), giving an employment score of 57 out of 100. UK local authorities typically range from about 62% to 82%. This is a whole-authority figure, so it describes the local labour market rather than any one town within it.
Are the schools good in Perth and Kinross?
The intermediate zone around this point records 5.64 on Average highest SCQF qualification score of school leavers (2022/23-2024/25), giving an education score of 58 out of 100. Each nation publishes its own attainment measure and they are not interchangeable, so education scores compare within England, Scotland or Wales and not across them. Scottish attainment is resolved to the intermediate zone around this point, which is finer than the council average used in England and Wales.
What is the air quality like in Perth and Kinross?
For the 1 km grid square containing Perth and Kinross, fine particulates (PM2.5) average 3.55 µg/m³ against a World Health Organization guideline of 5 and nitrogen dioxide averages 1 µg/m³ against a guideline of 10 (2024, Defra Pollution Climate Mapping, Crown copyright). That gives an environment score of 100 out of 100; an area meeting both guideline levels scores 100. These are modelled background concentrations for the square, not a reading taken at the roadside.
Does Perth and Kinross have good transport links?
The nearest railway station is Pitlochry Rail Station, about 14.9 km away, and there are 0 bus, tram or metro stops within an 800 metre walk, giving a transport score of 0 out of 100. Stops come from the DfT NaPTAN dataset and are counted for this exact point, so the figure measures access rather than how frequently anything runs.
Which council area is Perth and Kinross in?
Perth and Kinross is in the Perth and Kinross local authority, Scotland. It falls within the Highland ward and the Angus and Perthshire Glens parliamentary constituency. Cost of living, housing, affordability, employment, broadband and crime figures in this report are published at local-authority level, so every postcode and town inside Perth and Kinross shares them. Education comes from the surrounding intermediate zone, and weather, amenities, healthcare, transport and air quality are measured for this point.
How does Perth and Kinross compare with the rest of Scotland?
Perth and Kinross sits in the top 37% of the 539 UK areas we have scored. The median area in the index scores 67 out of 100. It is furthest above the benchmark for its nation on education and safety. It is furthest below on transport, broadband and affordability. Categories are compared against the area's own nation where the samples allow it, because crime and school attainment are measured differently either side of the border.
What are the best places to live near Perth and Kinross?
Of the areas we have scored within about 50 miles of Perth and Kinross, the highest are Perth (74 out of 100, about 22 miles away), Dundee (73 out of 100, about 36 miles away) and Dunfermline (73 out of 100, about 40 miles away). Perth and Kinross itself scores 69. Distances are straight-line from this point, and each of those names links to its own full report.
Which places are most similar to Perth and Kinross?
Across the twelve category scores, the closest matches elsewhere in Britain are Caernarfon (Gwynedd, Wales), Brecon (Powys, Wales) and Bangor (Gwynedd, Wales). Similarity is the average gap across every category both areas have data for, with immediate neighbours excluded, so these are places that score alike rather than places that look alike or sit nearby.
What area does this report cover?
Weather, local amenities, healthcare access, transport access and air quality are measured for this exact point. Cost of living, affordability, housing, employment, broadband and crime come from official statistics for the Perth and Kinross council area, so nearby postcodes and towns in the same council share those figures. Education comes from the surrounding intermediate zone of roughly 2,500 to 6,000 residents. The "How detailed is this report" section explains each level.