LocaleIQ

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Best Areas To Live

Best Areas to Live in Edinburgh (2026)

ScotlandData checked against live LocaleIQ ranking for Edinburgh on 28 March 2026.

The best areas to live in Edinburgh in 2026 are Craigentinny, Fairmilehead, Newington and Dalkeith Road, based on safety, schools, and neighbourhood wellbeing data from LocaleIQ.

Explore the full Edinburgh map Check your postcode
Best city sectorCraigentinny (EH7 9)Craigentinny currently leads Edinburgh on 75.9 (Top 5%).Safest shortlist pickCraigentinny (EH7 9)Craigentinny is the current safety leader among the strongest sectors.Best value shortlistSilverknowes and Davidson's Mains (EH4 6)Silverknowes and Davidson's Mains looks stronger on score-versus-price than the most expensive winners.Needs most cautionGranton and Royston Mains (EH5 1)Granton and Royston Mains is the softest current sector and needs postcode-by-postcode checking before any move decision.

Short answer

Quick answer: where to live in Edinburgh

Craigentinny is currently the strongest all-round area in Edinburgh. After that, the most practical shortlist is Fairmilehead, Newington and Dalkeith Road, Colinton and Kingsknowe, Silverknowes and Davidson's Mains, while Granton and Royston Mains needs extra caution before committing.

  • Best overall: Craigentinny.
  • Best for families: Craigentinny, Fairmilehead, Currie West.
  • Safest current shortlist: Craigentinny, Fairmilehead, Currie West, Balerno and Bonnington Village.
  • Best for young professionals: Craigentinny, Fairmilehead, Newington and Dalkeith Road.
  • Cheapest areas: .
  • Best value shortlist: Silverknowes and Davidson's Mains.
  • Best outer alternatives: Balerno and Bonnington Village, Currie West, Craigentinny.
  • Classic areas people still search for: Stockbridge, Morningside, Leith, Marchmont.

Top-ranked areas in Edinburgh

Live LocaleIQ ranking by postcode sector — with score breakdown, typical sold prices where we have them, and what actually drives each place up or down the table. Median price is from recent sales in that sector, not a forecast.

75.9Top 5%
#1
EH7 9Craigentinny
Median sold priceNot available
Why it ranks

Craigentinny stands out for day-to-day peace of mind and overall stability compared with weaker nearby sectors.

Best for: buyers who want the cleanest all-round fundamentals. The obvious compromise is education, which is weaker here than in the strongest sectors.

Safety
89
Education
50
Wellbeing
100
Property
50
Employment
50
Map EH7 9AS postcode analysis
73Top 8%
#2
EH10 7Fairmilehead
Median sold priceNot available
Why it ranks

Fairmilehead stands out for day-to-day peace of mind and overall stability compared with weaker nearby sectors.

Best for: buyers who want the cleanest all-round fundamentals. The obvious compromise is education, which is weaker here than in the strongest sectors.

Safety
80
Education
50
Wellbeing
98
Property
50
Employment
50
Map EH10 7AA postcode analysis
68.8Top 15%
#3
EH9 1Newington and Dalkeith Road
Median sold priceNot available
Why it ranks

Newington and Dalkeith Road stands out for day-to-day peace of mind and overall stability compared with weaker nearby sectors.

Best for: buyers who want the cleanest all-round fundamentals. The obvious compromise is education, which is weaker here than in the strongest sectors.

Safety
67
Education
50
Wellbeing
97
Property
50
Employment
50
Map EH9 1AB postcode analysis
68.6Top 15%
#4
EH13 0Colinton and Kingsknowe
Median sold priceNot available
Why it ranks

Colinton and Kingsknowe stands out for day-to-day peace of mind and overall stability compared with weaker nearby sectors.

Best for: buyers who want the cleanest all-round fundamentals. The obvious compromise is education, which is weaker here than in the strongest sectors.

Safety
68
Education
50
Wellbeing
96
Property
50
Employment
50
Map EH13 0AA postcode analysis
68.4Top 16%
#5
EH4 6Silverknowes and Davidson's Mains
Median sold priceNot available
Why it ranks

Silverknowes and Davidson's Mains stands out for day-to-day peace of mind and overall stability compared with weaker nearby sectors.

Best for: buyers who want the cleanest all-round fundamentals. The obvious compromise is education, which is weaker here than in the strongest sectors.

Safety
65
Education
50
Wellbeing
98
Property
50
Employment
50
Map EH4 6AA postcode analysis
68.3Top 16%
#6
EH4 1Comely Bank
Median sold priceNot available
Why it ranks

Comely Bank stands out for day-to-day peace of mind and overall stability compared with weaker nearby sectors.

Best for: buyers who want the cleanest all-round fundamentals. The obvious compromise is education, which is weaker here than in the strongest sectors.

Safety
67
Education
50
Wellbeing
96
Property
50
Employment
50
Map EH4 1AF postcode analysis
67.4Top 18%
#7
EH3 5Stockbridge
Median sold priceNot available
Why it ranks

Stockbridge is a balanced pick with practical access, a stable local feel, and fewer trade-offs than lower-ranked options.

Best for: people balancing access, budget and postcode quality. The obvious compromise is education, which is weaker here than in the strongest sectors.

Safety
63
Education
50
Wellbeing
99
Property
50
Employment
50
Map EH3 5AA postcode analysis
67.4Top 18%
#8
EH10 5Merchiston and Greenhill
Median sold priceNot available
Why it ranks

Merchiston and Greenhill is a balanced pick with practical access, a stable local feel, and fewer trade-offs than lower-ranked options.

Best for: people balancing access, budget and postcode quality. The obvious compromise is education, which is weaker here than in the strongest sectors.

Safety
64
Education
50
Wellbeing
95
Property
50
Employment
50
Map EH10 5AA postcode analysis
67.1Top 18%
#9
EH14 5Currie West
Median sold priceNot available
Why it ranks

Currie West stands out for day-to-day peace of mind and overall stability compared with weaker nearby sectors.

Best for: buyers who want the cleanest all-round fundamentals. The obvious compromise is education, which is weaker here than in the strongest sectors.

Safety
71
Education
50
Wellbeing
86
Property
50
Employment
50
Map EH14 5AA postcode analysis
66.3Top 20%
#10
EH14 7Balerno and Bonnington Village
Median sold priceNot available
Why it ranks

Balerno and Bonnington Village stands out for day-to-day peace of mind and overall stability compared with weaker nearby sectors.

Best for: buyers who want the cleanest all-round fundamentals. The obvious compromise is education, which is weaker here than in the strongest sectors.

Safety
70
Education
50
Wellbeing
84
Property
50
Employment
50
Map EH14 7AA postcode analysis

Areas that need closer checking

Not blanket avoid calls — but the score gap is visible, so check at postcode level.

SectorAreaScoreRankWhy it needs more scrutiny
EH5 1Granton and Royston Mains36.7Bottom 8%Granton and Royston Mains is being dragged down by wellbeing and safety.
EH1 2Tollcross37.3Bottom 9%Tollcross is being dragged down by safety and education.
EH15 3Bingham38.7Bottom 11%Bingham is being dragged down by safety and wellbeing.
EH11 4Broomhouse and Bankhead39.4Bottom 12%Broomhouse and Bankhead is being dragged down by safety and wellbeing.
EH13 9Colinton Mains and Firrhill40.6Bottom 14%Colinton Mains and Firrhill is being dragged down by safety and wellbeing.
EH2 4Deans Village40.7Bottom 14%Deans Village is being dragged down by safety and education.

How Edinburgh splits

What the Edinburgh market is really splitting on

Old-town adjacency, New Town premiums, and outer bypass belts behave like separate cities on the data. Right now the leading sectors are EH7 9, EH10 7, EH9 1, EH13 0, which is why this page stays at sector level first instead of repeating one broad reputation line.

Where buyers are most likely to get misled

The risk is paying for the skyline in sectors where pressure or churn is doing quiet damage underneath. In the current table the weaker end is led by EH5 1, with EH1 2, EH15 3, EH11 4 also needing much harder postcode-level checking.

Why the shortlist changes once value enters the picture

Value is almost always relative: pockets that keep fundamentals without paying peak festival-city rents or prices. That is why a value-aware shortlist usually ends up including sectors such as EH13 0 rather than simply the cheapest addresses.

Schools in Edinburgh

School ranking data is available separately in the schools map.

Shortlists by use case

Best Edinburgh areas for families

Families usually weigh south-west calm against north-side practicality and verify schools explicitly. In the current data that points most clearly to EH7 9, EH10 7, EH14 5.

  • EH7 9: safety 88.9, education 50, overall 75.9.
  • EH10 7: safety 79.7, education 50, overall 73.
  • EH14 5: safety 70.7, education 50, overall 67.1.
EH7 9AS postcode analysis EH10 7AA postcode analysis EH14 5AA postcode analysis

Best Edinburgh areas for schools

Scotland's inspection context matters, but postcode fundamentals still decide daily-life quality. This page still ranks residential sectors first, so use the schools explorer for the full school map.

  • Compare secondary performance separately before you shortlist.
  • Compare primary performance separately before you shortlist.
  • The highest-scoring residential sector is not always the same place as the strongest nearby school.

Best Edinburgh areas for young professionals

If jobs access, rental demand and property liquidity matter most, start with Craigentinny (EH7 9), Fairmilehead (EH10 7), Newington and Dalkeith Road (EH9 1).

  • Craigentinny (EH7 9): employment 50, property 50, overall 75.9.
  • Fairmilehead (EH10 7): employment 50, property 50, overall 73.
  • Newington and Dalkeith Road (EH9 1): employment 50, property 50, overall 68.8.
Craigentinny on the map Fairmilehead on the map Newington and Dalkeith Road on the map

Cheapest areas in Edinburgh

These are the lowest median-price sectors in the current Edinburgh table, shown with score so you can separate value from risk.

    Areas to avoid in Edinburgh

    No area should be ruled out blindly, but these sectors currently need the most caution before you commit to viewings: Granton and Royston Mains (EH5 1), Tollcross (EH1 2), Bingham (EH15 3), Broomhouse and Bankhead (EH11 4).

    • Granton and Royston Mains (EH5 1): overall 36.7; weaker on wellbeing and safety.
    • Tollcross (EH1 2): overall 37.3; weaker on safety and education.
    • Bingham (EH15 3): overall 38.7; weaker on safety and wellbeing.
    • Broomhouse and Bankhead (EH11 4): overall 39.4; weaker on safety and wellbeing.
    EH5 1AB postcode analysis EH1 2AA postcode analysis EH15 3AA postcode analysis EH11 4AA postcode analysis

    Classic Edinburgh areas people ask about

    These areas are popular in search and local conversations even when they are not always top in the score table: Stockbridge, Morningside, Leith, Marchmont.

    • Stockbridge: closest current sector match is EH3 5 (score 67.4).
    • Morningside: closest current sector match is EH10 6 (score 65.7).
    • Leith: closest current sector match is EH5 3 (score 59).
    • Marchmont: include this in your shortlist, then verify the exact postcode on the map.
    Stockbridge (EH3 5) Morningside and Craighouse (EH10 6) Inverleith (EH5 3)

    Best outer areas near Edinburgh

    The bypass and Fife-facing options matter when you need space without giving up the Edinburgh labour market. Right now the sectors worth checking first are EH14 7, EH14 5, EH7 9.

    • EH14 7: about 6.2 miles from the city anchor, score 66.3.
    • EH14 5: about 4.5 miles from the city anchor, score 67.1.
    • EH7 9: about 3.8 miles from the city anchor, score 75.9.
    EH14 7 on the map EH14 5 on the map EH7 9 on the map

    Best value alternatives in Edinburgh

    Value is almost always relative: pockets that keep fundamentals without paying peak festival-city rents or prices. The current value shortlist points most clearly to EH4 6.

    • EH4 6: score 68.4, median price Price not available.
    EH4 6AA postcode analysis

    Explore further

    Explore Edinburgh sectors on the mapCompare Edinburgh sectors visually before you narrow to an exact address.Check EH7 9ASOpen the strongest current postcode example.Check EH5 1ABSee why one of the weaker sectors needs closer checking.Browse schools mapCompare school performance separately from postcode score.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Is Edinburgh a good place to live?

    Edinburgh has strong and weak pockets, which is why sector and postcode-level ranking matters. The current top shortlists are Craigentinny (EH7 9), Fairmilehead (EH10 7), Newington and Dalkeith Road (EH9 1), Colinton and Kingsknowe (EH13 0), Silverknowes and Davidson's Mains (EH4 6).

    Where is safest in Edinburgh?

    Craigentinny (EH7 9, safety 88.9), Fairmilehead (EH10 7, safety 79.7), Currie West (EH14 5, safety 70.7), Balerno and Bonnington Village (EH14 7, safety 69.9) are the strongest current safety-led options.

    What areas should I avoid in Edinburgh?

    Treat Granton and Royston Mains (EH5 1), Tollcross (EH1 2), Bingham (EH15 3), Broomhouse and Bankhead (EH11 4) as caution-first sectors. They are not automatic no-go zones, but they need postcode-level checking before any move decision.

    What is the best area to live in Edinburgh in 2026?

    Right now the top pick is Craigentinny (EH7 9) on 75.9. The more practical shortlist is Craigentinny (EH7 9), Fairmilehead (EH10 7), Newington and Dalkeith Road (EH9 1), Colinton and Kingsknowe (EH13 0), Silverknowes and Davidson's Mains (EH4 6).

    What are the best value areas in Edinburgh?

    Silverknowes and Davidson's Mains (EH4 6, score 68.4) are the strongest current value-led sectors because they hold up better on score than their price suggests.

    Which outer areas near Edinburgh look strongest right now?

    Balerno and Bonnington Village (EH14 7, score 66.3), Currie West (EH14 5, score 67.1), Craigentinny (EH7 9, score 75.9) are the strongest current outer-market options in the live table.

    How should I use this Edinburgh ranking before I move?

    Use the sector table to build a shortlist, then open the exact postcode you are considering. Edinburgh is too granular for a broad city-level answer to be enough on its own.

    Compare Edinburgh on the map, then check the exact postcode

    The fastest way to use this page is to shortlist sectors first, then open the exact address you are considering. That is where the real move trade-offs show up.

    Explore the full Edinburgh map Check your postcode