Overwhelming majority of Edinburgh residents ‘exhibit high levels of satisfaction with city life’

Around 3,700 residents were interviewed face-to-face between July and September 2023, with 94% of the respondents saying they’re satisfied with life in Edinburgh.

The survey was commissioned by the Edinburgh Partnership to inform best practice, strategy development and outcome monitoring across the Partnership including informing the Local Outcome Improvement Plan, and will be noted by the Culture and Communities Committee in their meeting next Thursday (February 29).

Results also demonstrated that deprivation is the most significant factor impacting the experience of life, living in Edinburgh, and receiving services.

It shows that those in the 20% most deprived areas have an experience that is substantially worse than people who live in other areas of Edinburgh. Of those who took part in the survey, more than a quarter of residents had not paid a household bill, paid a bill using credit, or used a food bank in the past twelve months.

Most participants reported feeling very safe in general, but much less safe in their neighbourhood after dark. When asked what would make them feel safer, over half suggested additional police presence. The majority of people who took part said their satisfaction was lowest with the management of antisocial behaviour, road safety, and cleanliness of neighbourhoods.

The results of the survey, which were jointly funded by members of The Edinburgh Partnership, were designed to provide a proportionate sample of Edinburgh residents.

Read the full summary of results from the 2023 Edinburgh Partnership Survey on their website.

Council Leader Cammy Day said: “I’m delighted that such a large majority of our residents are so satisfied with Edinburgh as a place to live. It’s also heartening to see that people have recognised the hard work our Council teams put in to supporting and delivering our services.

“Research like the Edinburgh Partnership Survey is incredibly insightful for our own future planning and the feedback will help us to keep improving the way we serve Edinburgh’s residents. 

“The rise in inflation and the continuing cost-of-living crisis mean that many residents are facing the most difficult financial circumstances ever, but we are working extremely hard to lessen the impacts.

“The reality is that we are Scotland’s lowest funded council and ending poverty is not something we can do alone. I remain committed to doing my utmost as Council Leader along with colleagues and our city’s partners to improving the situation here in Edinburgh as there’s still a lot more work to do.”