Scottish city named best to retire in the country with most chippies per pensioner

New research has revealed the best cities to retire in, and one Scottish destination has risen above all of the others — thanks to its high numbers of parks and fish and chip shops.

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Scotland Now

Alexander Smail

14:11, 8 JUL 2024

Mature woman with smart phone and coffee beside the riverfront at Leith in Edinburgh, Scotland. — One Scottish city has been crowned the best in the country for retirees (Image: lucentius / Getty Images)

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One city has been named the best in Scotland for retirees, with more fish and chip shops per pensioner than any other destination.

Deciding where to live is an important decision to ensure a good quality of life in your later years. The number of people in the UK over the age of 85 is set to triple by 2066, according to the Office for National Statistics.

To help those struggling to decide where to retire, life insurance experts at Compare the Market investigated which UK locations are currently the most set up for an ageing population. They analysed various data points, from the quality and cost of elderly care to the availability of leisure activities and green spaces.

According to the research, Edinburgh is the best city in Scotland to retire. Offering the highest quality of life of all locations analysed and a highly rated healthcare system, the Scottish capital was also named the third best city in the whole of the UK for retirees.

Looking at Compare the Market statistics, 16.6 per cent of Edinburgh's population are of retirement age, while the city was found to have 26 care homes per 10,000 pensioners. However, average residential home costs were found to be higher than any other of the top five cities at £1,023.

As well as having the highest life satisfaction rating out of all the cities analysed, with a score of 7.7 out of 11, Edinburgh also has the highest number of fish and chip shops. The Scottish capital has 27 chippies per 10,000 pensioners, giving you plenty of options when it comes to a mouthwatering supper.

A tree covered path in The Meadows, a public park in Edinburgh, Scotland. — The Meadows is one of many stunning parks in Edinburgh (Image: georgeclerk / Getty Images)

Another area Edinburgh scored highly on is its healthcare system, coming in second place among the out of all of the cities analysed by Compare the Market after Norwich in England. This metric evaluates the overall quality of the healthcare system, including things like healthcare professionals, equipment, and costs.

Meanwhile, according to the experts, Edinburgh has 10 parks per 10,000 pensioners. With green space being high on many people's priorities when deciding on a place to live, the city is known for being home to some of the most beautiful parks in the country.

Elsewhere, topping the overall UK-wide list as the number one city to retire according to Compare the Market is Nottingham in England. The historic Midlands destination was found to have a life satisfaction score of 7.2 out of 11,130 care homes, and 17 fish and chip shops per 10,000 pensioners.