Town

Living in Dalkeith: Liveability Score 58/100

Last updated 7 August 2026

Our overall score for Dalkeith is 58/100, built from 8 categories. Measured against other towns, transport stands out most: 61/100 where the typical UK town scores 21/100. Economic health falls furthest short: 49/100 where the typical UK town reaches 67/100.

Notably, nothing falls below 49/100. Most UK towns have at least one category in the 30s or worse. That sits 8 points above the UK-wide average of 50, putting it in the top 10% of the towns and villages we score. Wider context for the surrounding area: EH18 postcode district.

58
OUT OF 100
Average
Score for:

Settlement area

The built-up area boundary and the postcodes its score is averaged from, each shaded by its own score. Clustered pins are other settlements. Tap one to view or compare it, or zoom in to reveal more.

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Each postcode is coloured by its own overall score on the default weighting. Scores are filled in as postcodes get searched on the site, so a blue dot just means that postcode hasn't been scored yet.

Dalkeith scores 58 but individual postcodes tell the full story

See the exact score for any postcode, side by side with Dalkeith.
Or compare:
EH18 1AA EH18 EH22 EH37

Score breakdown

Safety & Environment

Safety
—

Crime is scored from the last 12 months of police street-level data. Police Scotland does not publish this, and there is no Scottish equivalent of the Police UK open data service, so crime has been left out of the score for this area. This is a gap in published data, not a sign of low crime.

Environment
76
Air Quality NO₂ 6.3 · PM2.5 4.7 · PM10 8.2 µg/m³
79
Green Space 66
Parks Ample 19
Sports Pitches Ample 9
Allotments None
Golf Courses Ample 5
Tennis Courts Adequate 3
Bowling Greens Adequate 2
Playgrounds Ample 17

Services

Schools
50
8 schools in area · 18 within 4km
1Outstanding7Good
  • Woodburn Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2024
    Outstanding
  • Dalkeith High SchoolSecondary · inspected 2018
    Good
  • King's Park Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2013
    Good
  • Lasswade Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2023
    Good
  • Mayfield Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2010
    Good
  • Saltersgate SchoolOther · inspected 2023
    Good
  • St David's RC High SchoolSecondary · inspected 2019
    Good
  • St David's RC Primary SchoolPrimary · inspected 2011
    Good

Score reflects proximity-weighted access to rated schools within 4km: areas with more nearby schools score higher regardless of settlement boundary.

Healthcare
54
A&E departmentsCommunity Paramedic Service59.7 mi
Cumberland Infirmary68.1 mi
Hexham General Hospital73.6 mi
Hospital waitsThe Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust42 mi
Routine referral (median)9 wks
Treated within 18 weeks72.5%
A&E seen within 4 hrs78.5%
1 GP surgery in area 5 within 4km
GP capacity1,324 patients per GP

A&E, dentist and pharmacy data, and CQC ratings, are currently available for England only, not Scotland.

Broadband
69
Full fibre (FTTP)91.8%
available across Midlothian
Gigabit-capable · incl. cable
88.7%
Ultrafast (300+ Mbps)
88.7%
Superfast (30+ Mbps)
99.8%
Ofcom Connected Nations · 418 postcodes · full fibre at local-authority level

Economy & Bills

Economic Health
49
Employment rate67%
Above the Great Britain average of 57.3% of residents aged 16+
Economic activity (16+)
Employed67%Unemployed1.9%Retired19.9%Student2.5%Other inactive8.7%
Occupation mix
Professional & managerial43.7%Skilled & technical31.4%Routine & elementary24.9%
Degree-level (Level 4+) qualifications35.1%
Home ownership69.2%
Around the Scotland average for deprivation
Census 2021/22 (Great Britain) · deprivation: IoD 2025 / SIMD
Bills
76
Council tax Midlothian · 2025-26
A £1,111
B £1,296
C £1,481
D £1,666
E £2,189
F £2,707
G £3,263
H £4,082
Energy South Scotland region
Typical bill regional £1,641/yr
Ofgem price cap, GB average · Apr–Jun 2026
Typical home efficiency local EPC band C
Water Scottish Water
Average bill regional £456/yr
Combined water & sewerage · GB average £520

Transport

Transport
61
Eskbank 1 mi
Newtongrange 1.9 mi
Shawfair 2.1 mi
J1 M8 10.2 mi
J2 M8 12.8 mi
J1 M9 13.5 mi

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
51
Pubs & Bars Ample 9
Restaurants & Cafes Adequate 11
Supermarkets & Convenience Ample 10
Retail Shopping Ample 58
Takeaways Ample 14
Fitness Some 1

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House Prices

Not published for Scotland

Sold-price data isn't available for Dalkeith. HM Land Registry's Price Paid dataset covers England and Wales only. Scottish sales are recorded separately by Registers of Scotland, which we don't yet include. This is a gap in the data we hold, not a sign of an inactive market.

Nearby places

Bonnyrigg 63 2.1 mi away ⇄
Gorebridge and Mayfield 55 2.1 mi away ⇄
Danderhall 62 2.2 mi away ⇄
Whitecraig 45 2.3 mi away ⇄
Musselburgh 63 3.3 mi away ⇄
Loanhead 55 3.7 mi away ⇄
Wallyford 54 3.7 mi away ⇄
Rosewell 48 4.0 mi away ⇄
Pathhead 42 4.1 mi away ⇄
Elphinstone 49 4.3 mi away ⇄
Roslin 52 4.6 mi away ⇄
Ormiston 45 4.8 mi away ⇄

Frequently asked questions

Is Dalkeith a nice place to live?

Dalkeith is a decent place to live for many people. Our liveability score for Dalkeith is 58/100, placing it among an average areas in the UK across nine categories: safety, schools, healthcare, environment, transport, broadband, lifestyle, economic health, and bills.

What are the best schools in Dalkeith?

Among the top-rated schools in Dalkeith are Woodburn Primary School, Dalkeith High School and King's Park Primary School, rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 8 rated schools in Dalkeith in total.

Postcode districts in Dalkeith

EH18 58 ⇄
EH22 58 ⇄
EH37 41 ⇄

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