North Berwick has once again been named as the best place to live in Scotland, according to the 2025 Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide.
Seven other Scottish locations have been included in the guide, with Saffron Walden in Essex named as the UK’s best place to live, leaving the East Lothian town – which was last year’s overall best place to live in the UK – as the regional winner.
To decide which towns make the cut, each year expert judges from the Sunday Times travel around the UK to assess each location on a number of factors including schools, transport, broadband speeds and mobile signal, as well as culture, access to green spaces and how well the high street is doing.
Helen Davies, editorial projects director and Best Places to Live editor, said: “It is easy to feel overwhelmed by everything going on in the world, but there really is so much to celebrate closer to home, from small gestures that lift the everyday from verges blooming with daffodils to volunteer-run dementia cafés, to new initiatives from repair cafés to new railway stations.”
Taking the top spot for Scotland, North Berwick has been recognised for its schools, thriving independent businesses and close proximity to Edinburgh, with the town’s natural beauty, cultural attractions, beaches and other activities all playing a role.
Other locations which made this year’s list of Scotland’s best places to live include the island of Tiree in Argyll and Edinburgh’s Stockbridge.
Including North Berwick, here are the eight Scottish locations named in the 2025 Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide.
5. Milngavie, Dumbartonshire
With great amenities, schools and beauty spots such as Loch Lomond and the Trossachs nearby, Milngavie beat out Bearsden as one of Scotland’s best places to live – largely because of Mugdock Country Park. | Maritxu22 / Adobe Stock
6. Stockbridge, Edinburgh
Edinburgh’s affluent Stockbridge suburb is a combination of both city and village living, with its variety of local businesses, stunning historic architecture and location just 15 minutes from Princes Street by foot. | Adobe Stock
7. Strathbungo, Glasgow
While Strathbungo is a conservation area home to buildings by famous architect Alexander “Greek” Thomson, it is the area’s central location and strong sense of community which makes it one of the best places to live in Scotland, from its independent businesses to community initiatives such as the annual Bungo in the Back Lanes festival. | ystewarthenderson / Adobe Stock
8. Tiree, Argyll
While popular among holidaymakers, the island of Tiree in Argyll has plenty to offer permanent residents as well. There’s watersports, beautiful beaches and nature, yes, but there’s also a wonderful close-knit community. Its small airport and two daily flights to Glasgow also mark it among Scotland’s best places to live in 2025. | Richard Kellett / Adobe Stock