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Scottish cities

Percentage of the population by sexual orientation in selected Scottish cities

Population Sexual Orientation - Scottish cities

The percentage of the population identifying as Bisexual is marginally higher in Edinburgh (3.6%) of all the selected Scottish cities, whereas the percentage of those identifying as Gay or Lesbian is marginally higher in Glasgow (3.1%). Overall, Edinburgh has the highest percentage of the population (7.6%) identifying as either Bisexual, Gay/Lesbian or Other Sexual Orientation.

Around 85% of the population in all selected cities identify as Heterosexual/Straight (excluded from the above chart).

As the question was voluntary in the Scotland Census, around 8% of people aged 16 and over in each of the Scottish cities chose not to answer the question.

Notes

Sexual orientation is an umbrella term covering sexual identity, attraction, and behaviour. The term sexual orientation may mean different things to different people.

Scotland’s Census included a new question on sexual orientation in 2022 for people aged 16 and over. This means that we do not have comparable data for previous Censuses.

This section was last updated in December 2024.

Further reading under ‘Sexual orientation’