ORKNEY has been named Scotland's best place to live in a survey for the eighth year in a row.
The Bank of Scotland Quality of Life survey 2020 has placed Orkney in top spot once again thanks to high employment levels, a low crime rate, strong exam results, smaller primary class sizes and good health and happiness scores.
East Renfrewshire moved into second place – up from 13th – with Shetland down one place to third, East Dunbartonshire fourth and Edinburgh up 15 places to fifth.
The top five Scottish locations also appear in the UK top 100.
Tara Foley, managing director of the bank, said: "Orcadians have long celebrated the islands' status as one of the most desirable places to live in Scotland as well as the UK – with high employment, low crime rates, smaller class sizes and more affordable housing.
"The Scottish locations that make it into the UK's top 100 showcase the diversity of Scotland from the dramatic beauty of its remote islands to the impressive architecture of its historical cities and easy access."
The annual research takes into consideration 26 factors that homebuyers consider when choosing a place to live.
For the first time, the research also this year took into account how important these factors are to people looking to find the perfect property, which contributed to East Renfrewshire's surge.
Affordability, safety and access to parks and green spaces proved most essential, according to UK adults.
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