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Publication - Statistics

Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification 2022

Published
16 December 2024
Directorate
Digital Directorate, +1 more … Environment and Forestry Directorate
Topic
Farming and rural, Transport

The Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification provides a consistent way of defining urban and rural areas across Scotland. The classification is based upon two main criteria: population and accessibility.

Supporting documents

2. Overview

The Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification provides a consistent way of defining urban and rural areas across Scotland. The classification is based upon two main criteria: (i) population, as defined by the National Records of Scotland (NRS), and (ii) accessibility, based on drive time analysis to differentiate between accessible and remote areas in Scotland.  The classification is available in multiple forms, including a 6-fold classification which distinguishes between urban, rural, and remote areas through six categories, and an 8-fold classification which further distinguishes between remote and very remote regions. 

(1) Large Urban Areas - populations of 125,000 or more

(2) Other Urban Areas - populations of 10,000 to 124,999

(3) Small Towns - populations of 3,000 to 9,999

(4) Rural Areas - populations less than 3,000

Accessibility is measured in terms of drive times to an urban area.  This is done by calculating 30 and 60 minute drive times from the population weighted centroids of Settlements with a population of 10,000 or more (i.e. Large and Other Urban Areas).  The results allow areas to be classified in terms of accessibility by the following categories:

(1) Accessible - Areas within a 30 minute drive time of a Settlement with a population of 10,000 or more.

(2) Remote - Areas that are more than a 30 minute drive time (6-fold classification), or areas that have a drive time between 30 and 60 minutes (8-fold classification) from a Settlement with a population of 10,000 or more.

(3) Very Remote - Areas that are more than a 60 minute drive time from a Settlement with a population of 10,000 or more (8-fold classification only).

By combining both the population and accessibility measures, a Scotland-wide Urban Rural Classification is defined.  Categories of the 6- and 8-fold classifications are shown in Tables 2.1 and 2.2 below.

Table 2.1: Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification, 6-fold
Class Class Name Description
1 Large Urban Areas Settlements of 125,000 people and over.
2 Other Urban Areas Settlements of 10,000 to 124,999 people.
3 Accessible Small Towns Settlements of 3,000 to 9,999 people, and within a 30 minute drive time of a Settlement of 10,000 or more.
4 Remote Small Towns Settlements of 3,000 to 9,999 people, and with a drive time of over 30 minutes to a Settlement of 10,000 or more.
5 Accessible Rural Areas with a population of less than 3,000 people, and within a 30 minute drive time of a Settlement of 10,000 or more.
6 Remote Rural Areas with a population of less than 3,000 people, and with a drive time of over 30 minutes to a Settlement of 10,000 or more.
Table 2.2: Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification, 8-fold
Class Class Name Description
1 Large Urban Areas Settlements of 125,000 people and over.
2 Other Urban Areas Settlements of 10,000 to 124,999 people.
3 Accessible Small Towns Settlements of 3,000 to 9,999 people, and within a 30 minute drive time of a Settlement of 10,000 or more.
4 Remote Small Towns Settlements of 3,000 to 9,999 people, and with a drive time of over 30 minutes but less than or equal to 60 minutes to a Settlement of 10,000 or more.
5 Very Remote Small Towns Settlements of 3,000 to 9,999 people, and with a drive time of over 60 minutes to a Settlement of 10,000 or more.
6 Accessible Rural Areas with a population of less than 3,000 people, and within a drive time of 30 minutes to a Settlement of 10,000 or more.
7 Remote Rural Areas with a population of less than 3,000 people, and with a drive time of over 30 minutes but less than or equal to 60 minutes to a Settlement of 10,000 or more.
8 Very Remote Rural Areas with a population of less than 3,000 people, and with a drive time of over 60 minutes to a Settlement of 10,000 or more.

The Scottish Government core definition of rurality classifies areas with a population of fewer than 3,000 people to be rural. The Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification can be collapsed to this core definition, to create a 2-fold classification (see Table 2.3). Categories 5 and 6 are rural and categories 1 to 4 make up the rest of Scotland (Urban Areas and Small Towns).

(1) Rest of Scotland – (1) Large Urban Areas, (2) Other Urban Areas, (3) Accessible Small Towns, and (4) Remote Small Towns.

(2) Rural Scotland – (5) Accessible Rural and (6) Remote Rural.

Table 2.3: Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification lookup table
UR 8-fold Class UR 6-fold Class UR 3-fold Class UR 2-fold Class
1 1 1 1
2 2 1 1
3 3 1 1
4 4 1 1
5 4 1 1
6 5 2 2
7 6 3 2
8 6 3 2

An alternative grouping of categories can be used to distinguish between Accessible and Remote areas. Settlements containing fewer than 10,000 people, or areas of Scotland not included in a Settlement, with a drive time of over 30 minutes to a Settlement of 10,000 or more are defined to be remote areas. These are categories 4 and 6 in the 6-fold classification.

(1) Accessible – (1) Large Urban Areas, (2) Other Urban Areas, (3) Accessible Small Towns, and (5) Accessible Rural

(2) Remote – (4) Remote Small Towns and (6) Remote Rural

Versions

The Scottish Government hold the current and previous versions of the classification, as listed below.  All previous versions are readily available and, depending on the analysis, users may want to apply these or the current version to historic datasets. Users are encouraged to reference the version of the Urban Rural Classification used. 

The classification was last produced based on 2020 Settlements, and named the ‘Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification 2020’.  This updated version is reflective of Census 2022 Settlements and has been named the ‘Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification 2022’. 

Note; the classification was previously called the Scottish Household Survey (SHS) Urban Rural Classification.  Its original name reflected the fact that it was developed within the context of the SHS.  To reflect its wider use beyond SHS, the name has been changed to the Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification.

  • 2022 Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification
  • 2020 Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification
  • 2016 Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification
  • 2013-2014 Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification
  • 2011-2012 Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification
  • 2009-2010 Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification
  • 2007-2008 Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification
  • 2005-2006 Scottish Executive Urban Rural Classification
  • 2003-2004 Scottish Executive Urban Rural Classification
  • 2001 Scottish Household Survey Urban Rural Classification (6-fold only)

Comparison with other UK classifications

Different urban rural definitions are required as the nature of rurality is different in each country.  Separate definitions in Scotland, Northern Ireland, and England and Wales have been in use for a number of years.  A review paper is available which provides more information on the Northern Ireland 2015 classification.  A definition for England and Wales was introduced in 2004 and, at the time of writing, was most recently updated in 2011.  For more information see Rural/urban classifications - Office for National Statistics.

Map 2.1: Scottish Government 2-fold Urban Rural Classification 2022

The map shows Scotland at national scale with the Scottish Government 2-fold Urban Rural Classification 2022 displayed. Scotland is classified according to a 2-fold classification represented by two colours; Urban Areas are shown as blue and Rural Areas are shown as green. In the 2-fold Urban Rural Classification, Urban Areas are comprised of the areas defined as Large Urban, Other Urban, Accessible Small Towns, Remote Small Towns, and Very Remote Small Towns in the 8-fold Classification. Rural Areas are comprised of areas defined as Accessible Rural, Remote Rural, and Very Remote Rural in the 8-fold Classification. Table 2.3 in this publication shows how the categories nest between the 8-fold, 6-fold, 3-fold, and 2-fold Classifications.

Map 2.2: Scottish Government 3-fold Urban Rural Classification 2022

The map shows Scotland at national scale with the Scottish Government 3-fold Urban Rural Classification 2022 displayed. Scotland is classified according to a 3-fold classification represented by three colours. Rest of Scotland areas are royal blue, Accessible Rural areas are light green, and Remote Rural areas are mid-green. The difference between the 3-fold Classification and the 6-fold and 8-fold Classifications is that all urban areas are classified together as one ‘Rest of Scotland’ category. In the 3-fold Urban Rural Classification, Rest of Scotland is comprised of the areas defined as Large Urban, Other Urban, Accessible Small Towns, Remote Small Towns, and Very Remote Small Towns in the 8-fold Classification. Accessible Rural areas in the 3-fold Classification are the same as Accessible Rural in the 8-fold and 6-fold Classifications, and Remote Rural is comprised of the combined areas of Remote Rural and Very Remote Rural in the 8-fold Classification. Table 2.3 in this publication shows how the categories nest between the 8-fold, 6-fold, 3-fold, and 2-fold Classifications.

Map 2.3: Scottish Government 6-fold Urban Rural Classification 2022

The map shows Scotland at national scale with the Scottish Government 6-fold Urban Rural Classification 2022 displayed. Scotland is classified according to a 6-fold classification represented by six colours. Large Urban Areas are navy blue, Other Urban Areas are royal blue, Accessible Small Towns are yellow, Remote Small Towns are orange, Accessible Rural is light green and Remote Rural is mid-green. In the 6-fold Urban Rural Classification, Large Urban, Other Urban, Accessible Small Towns, and Remote Small Towns are defined with the same parameters as in the 8-fold Classification. The 8-fold Classifications of Remote Small Towns and Very Remote Small Towns have been combined to form the 6-fold Classification of Remote Small Towns. Similarly, the 8-fold Classifications of Remote Rural and Very Remote Rural have been combined to form the 6-fold Classification of Remote Rural. Table 2.3 in this publication shows

Map 2.4: Scottish Government 8-fold Urban Rural Classification 2022

The map shows Scotland at national scale with the Scottish Government 8-fold Urban Rural Classification 2022 displayed. Scotland is classified according to an 8-fold classification represented by eight colours. Large Urban Areas are navy blue, Other Urban Areas are royal blue, Accessible Small Towns are yellow, Remote Small Towns are orange, Very Remote Small Town are magenta, Accessible Rural is light green, Remote Rural is mid-green, and Very Remote Rural is dark green. In the 8-fold Urban Rural Classification, Large Urban Areas are defined as Settlements with a population greater than 125,000 people. Other Urban Areas are defined as Settlements with a population of between 10,000 and 124,999 people. Accessible Small Towns are defined as Settlements with a population of between 3000 and 9999 people that are also within a 30 minute drive of a Settlement with a population of over 10,000. Remote Small Towns have the same population band as Accessible Small Towns, but are defined as being more than 30 minute but less than 60 minute drive from a Settlement with a population of over 10,000. Very Remote Rural Settlements also have the same population band, but are defined as being more than 60 minute drive from a Settlement with a population of over 10,000. Accessible Rural areas are defined as Settlements with a population of less than 3000 people and all non-Settlement areas of Scotland within a 30 minute drive of a Settlement with a population of more than 10,000 people. Table 2.3 in this publication shows how the categories nest between the 8-fold, 6-fold, 3-fold, and 2-fold Classifications.

Contact

Email: GI_Science_and_Analysis@gov.scot

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