Edinburgh has been ranked as the fourth best city in the world and the best in the UK for young people to live and work.
Time Out Magazine surveyed thousands of Gen Z (aged between 19 and 29) people across the globe and asked them to rate their city on a number of metrics like walkability, nightlife, friendliness, and culture.
Edinburgh came out as the UK’s number one destination for young people, moving from seventh in the rankings last year to fourth this time around.
Liv Kelly, travel writer at Time Out, said Edinburgh struck an “outstanding balance” between access to “world-class cultural events”, as well as “green space, walkability, and a distinctive, unique nightlife scene”.
On Edinburgh’s nightlife, she added that the scene is “less glossy and more community-focused and spontaneous, which is why it appeals to young people”.
“The most popular areas in Edinburgh among Gen Z are focused more around underground nightclubs and live venues in the Cowgate,’ she elaborated.
“A lot of venues around there, which are kind of housed these medieval vaulted arches, foster a much more community vibe, like Sneaky Pete’s and the Bongo Club and Stramash.”
On whether Edinburgh’s student culture was still the driving force behind Edinburgh’s appeal, she added that while both students and young professionals in the city were surveyed, “its well-established culture for young people comes from having such a large student population”.
Despite Edinburgh’s reputation for the coldness of its people – especially when compared to its opposite number, Glasgow – Kelly added that 94% of people said the city seemed like a “positive” place based on day-to day interactions.
“I think that’s why it shone so well. 90% of the people we spoke to said they were happy living happier living in Edinburgh than they had been anywhere else they’d lived, and 94% of the people we spoke to said that the city seemed positive to them on a daily basis,” she said.
Time Out quizzed 4,000 young people living in cities across the world on how enjoyable life is, the quality of the restaurants, the nightlife, arts and culture, and affordability in their city.
Those responses made up 70% of the final score, with their network of editors and city experts making up the other 30%. In Edinburgh, UK Deputy Editor Chiara Wilkinson, who was born in the city, provided expert advice.
Globally, Edinburgh was beaten out by Melbourne, Porto, Tokyo, and Japan. Edinburgh was the only UK city to rank in the top-20 list.
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