Best places to live: Scotland's 10 best cities, towns and villages to live in 2026 revealed

The best places to live in Scotland in 2026 have been revealed, with two locations in the Scottish Borders topping this year’s list.

The annual league table compiled by Garrington Property Finders, ranks over 160 of Scotland’s best cities, towns and villages to settle in this year.

The experts ranked the locations across five key areas: natural beauty, wellbeing, heritage and culture, employment and connectivity, and value for money.

Analysts examined price movements in each of the local authorities, comparing them with the regional average and against last year’s figures to create a “best value” score that was overlaid with the other four categories to produce the overall league table.

Nearly half of the top 20 locations in the ranking saw average property prices fall, with prices falling furthest in Perth and in the nearby town of Crieff.

At the other end of the scale, three affluent Glasgow suburbs - Milngavie, Bearsden and Bishopbriggs - all saw prices surge by 14.6% over the year.

Jonathan Hopper, CEO of Garrington Property Finders, said: “Property prices in Scotland rose more than twice as fast as those in England over the year, and most places in Scotland saw average prices increase.

“Yet the pace of price rises is patchy, and our analysis has revealed several highly desirable, prime locations where value for money has improved - with prices either coming down or rising more slowly than the national average.

“Chief among these is Perth, winner in both the natural beauty and value for money categories, which saw average prices ease off by 4.5%.

“All of our top 20 offer a winning combination of excellent amenities, a high standard of living and good affordability.

“With the Bank of England base rate back below 4%, mortgages have become more affordable and this gives would-be buyers greater freedom to pick a property that’s perfect for them.

“If this is you, our 2026 Best Places to Live guide can help you identify locations with the optimum blend of natural beauty, quality of life and value for money.”

Scroll through our gallery to the full list.