We use cookies on our website to track and enhance your user experience. For more information or to update your cookie settings, please refer to our cookie policy.

AcceptDecline
Skip to Content

Scottish cities

This page describes trends in net migration for Scottish cities. Net migration is measured as the number of migrants moving into an area minus the number of migrants leaving an area.

Net migration in selected Scottish cities, 2001/02 - 2021/22
Net Mig Scot citiesFrom 2006/07 onwards, the number of migrants entering Glasgow has exceeded the number leaving and this has contributed significantly to the growth of Glasgow's population in this period. There has also been strong net migration into Edinburgh. All the cities have shown reductions in net migration in the last few years and in 2020/21 all of Scotland's major cities, with the exception of Glasgow, lost population due to residents moving elsewhere. Net migration into Glasgow was only modestly positive in 2020/21.

Notes

The National Records of Scotland (NRS), formerly the General Register Office for Scotland (GROS), estimates of total migration are mainly based on the International Passenger Survey (IPS) and GP registration information.

For further more detailed statistics on migration go to the NRS site.

Further reading under ‘Migration’