People often ask about the population of Scotland’s capital. Knowing how many people live in Edinburgh helps put the city’s size and importance in Scotland into perspective.
Population of Edinburgh
Recent estimates show that about 523,250 people live in Edinburgh.
This number counts people living within the City of Edinburgh council area, which is the official boundary used for statistics.
Scotland’s Population in Context
Across Scotland, the total population was estimated at about 5,546,900 in mid-2024.
This means:
- Edinburgh makes up about 9.4% of Scotland’s total population.
Put another way, nearly one out of every ten people in Scotland lives in Edinburgh.
Comparison with Glasgow
It’s also helpful to compare Edinburgh with Scotland’s largest city, Glasgow:
- Glasgow has a population of about 617,794.
This means Glasgow is quite a bit larger than Edinburgh when looking at the city boundaries.
Regarding national population share:
- Glasgow makes up about 11.1% of Scotland’s population, while Edinburgh accounts for 9.4%.
Population statistics underscore several key points:
- Edinburgh is the second-largest city in Scotland, after Glasgow. Together, these cities and the surrounding Central Belt are a major centre for culture, the economy, education, and infrastructure.
- Edinburgh’s influence goes beyond its population size, especially when it comes to politics, history, tourism, and higher education.
