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Migration and Commuting in Urban and Rural Scotland
2. Population Characteristics Related to Migration and Commuting
2.1 Introduction
The reasons behind migration and commuting patterns are complex. Migration and commuting may be related to changes in family, lifestyle and employment. In turn these changes may themselves be related to factors such as age, country of birth and cost of living. Although it is difficult to explain migration and commuting by any single factor, it is likely that migration and commuting is determined by a combination of factors such as age, country of birth, economic activity and occupational status. Commuting will also depend on car ownership and the ability to work from home.
This chapter presents statistics from Census 2001 on the characteristics of people and households in urban and rural Scotland that are likely to be related to migration and commuting patterns. This provides some context to later chapters which report statistics on who is migrating and commuting and to where.
2.2 Population and households
2.2.1 Population size and density
Table 2.1 shows the population size and density by geographic area. The total population of Scotland on Census day was 5,062,011.
Urban Scotland accounts for 68% of the population with rural Scotland accounting for 19% of the population. The remainder of the population live in small towns (13%).
Table 2.1 shows that, although rural Scotland accounts for 19% of the population, it also accounts for 98% of the land area of Scotland.
Table 2.1 shows that, as would be expected, the population density is much higher in urban areas (between 26 and 33 persons per hectare) and small towns (between 13 and 26 persons per hectare) than it is in rural areas (less than 1 person per hectare).
Table 2.1: Population and Population Density by Urban Rural Classification, 2001
Geographic area | All people | % of population | Area
(hectares) | % of land area | Density
(number of persons per hectare) |
Large Urban Areas | 1,972,466 | 39% | 60,299 | 0.8% | 32.71 |
Other Urban Areas | 1,483,478 | 29% | 56,788 | 0.7% | 26.12 |
Accessible Small Towns | 527,748 | 10% | 20,636 | 0.3% | 25.57 |
Remote Small Towns | 133,615 | 3% | 10,634 | 0.1% | 12.56 |
Accessible Rural | 663,166 | 13% | 2,245,342 | 28.8% | 0.30 |
Remote Rural | 281,538 | 6% | 5,405,527 | 69.3% | 0.05 |
Scotland | 5,062,011 | 100% | 7,799,226 | 100% | 0.65 |
Source: General Register Office for Scotland, 2001 Census.
2.2.2 Households
Table 2.2 shows the number and proportion of households in Scotland by geographic area. The total number of households in Scotland in 2001 was 2,192,246. Of these, large urban areas and other urban areas together account for 70% of households. Rural areas account for 17% of households in Scotland.
Table 2.2: Households by Urban Rural Classification, 2001
Geographic area | Number | Percentage |
Large Urban | 891,181 | 41% |
Other Urban | 636,014 | 29% |
Accessible Small Towns | 221,567 | 10% |
Remote Small Towns | 59,099 | 3% |
Accessible Rural | 264,576 | 12% |
Remote Rural | 119,809 | 5% |
Scotland | 2,192,246 | 100% |
Source: General Register Office for Scotland, 2001 Census.
2.2.3 Household type
Table 2.3 shows household type by geographic area. In large urban areas, one person households are the most common household type. Couple households without dependent children are the most common household type in rural areas and the percentages are higher than the Scottish average of 33%.
Table 2.3: Household type by Urban Rural Classification, 2001
Geographic area | Couple household with dependent children | Couple household with no dependent children | Lone parent household | One person household | Other |
Large Urban Areas | 17% | 28% | 13% | 37% | 4% |
Other Urban Areas | 21% | 33% | 12% | 31% | 2% |
Accessible Small Towns | 23% | 35% | 10% | 29% | 1% |
Remote Small Towns | 20% | 33% | 11% | 35% | 2% |
Accessible Rural | 25% | 40% | 8% | 25% | 1% |
Remote Rural | 22% | 38% | 8% | 30% | 2% |
Scotland | 20% | 33% | 11% | 33% | 3% |
Source: General Register Office for Scotland, 2001 Census.
Based on all households.
2.3 Age
Figure 2.1 shows the percentage of the population by age group and geographic area. The figure shows that Scotland's population as a whole is ageing with higher percentages in the younger age groups and lower percentages in the older age groups. Ageing is particularly the case for remote areas, with both remote small towns and remote rural areas having 10% of their population in age group 65 to 74 compared to the Scottish average of 9%.
Large urban areas have a lower percentage of their population in the age group 45 to 54 (13% compared to the Scottish average of 14%).
There is a lower percentage of the population in the younger age bands in rural areas with 10% and 9% of the population in the age group 15 to 24 in accessible rural and remote rural areas respectively compared to the Scottish average of 12%. Large urban areas have the highest percentage of population in the age group 15 to 24 (14%).
Figure 2.1: Percentage of Population by Age Group and Urban Rural Classification, 2001
Source: General Register Office for Scotland, 2001 Census.
Based on all people.
2.4 Country of birth
Figure 2.2 shows the country of birth of people living in Scotland at Census time by geographic area. For Scotland as a whole, 87% of the population were born in Scotland and 8% were born in England. The percentage of the population born in Scotland is lowest in rural areas where 77% of the remote rural population were born in Scotland and 83% of accessible rural areas were born in Scotland.
Rural areas have higher percentages of population born in England (13% in accessible rural Scotland and 18% in remote rural Scotland compared to the Scottish average of 8%). Large urban areas have the lowest percentage of population born in England (6%).
Large urban areas have the highest percentage of population born outside the United Kingdom (5% compared to the Scottish average of 4%).
Figure 2.2: Country of Birth by Urban Rural Classification, 2001
Source: General Register Office for Scotland, 2001 Census.
Based on all people.
2.5 Economic activity
Figure 2.3 shows the percentage of people aged 16 to 74 in Scotland who are economically active by geographic area. For Scotland as a whole, 62% of people aged 16 to 74 are full-time employees. Remote small towns and rural areas have lower percentages of full-time employees (between 52% and 60%) but higher percentages of self-employment. The rates of self-employment are significantly higher in rural areas than the Scottish average.
The unemployment rate is lowest in accessible rural areas (4%) compared to the Scottish average (6%) whilst large urban areas have the highest rate of unemployment (7%).
Figure 2.3: Economic Activity by Urban Rural Classification, 2001
Source: General Register Office for Scotland, 2001 Census.
Based on all people aged 16 to 74 who are economically active.
2.6 Occupational status
Table 2.4 shows the occupations of all people aged 16 to 74 in employment living in Scotland by geographic area.
Large urban areas have the highest percentage of population working in professional occupations (13%) and administrative and secretarial occupations (14%) relative to other areas.
Rural areas have higher percentages of people aged 16 to 74 who are managers (14% in accessible rural and 13% in remote rural) than the Scottish average (12%). Rural areas have higher percentages of people aged 16 to 74 in skilled trades (16% in accessible rural and 21% in remote rural) than the Scottish average (12%).
Table 2.4: Occupational Status by Urban Rural Classification, 2001
Geographic area | Managers and senior officials | Associate professional and technical occupations | Professional occupations | Administrative and secretarial occupations | Skilled trades occupations | Personal service occupations | Sales and customer service occupations | Process, plant and machine operatives | Elementary occupations |
Large Urban Areas | 12% | 13% | 15% | 14% | 9% | 7% | 9% | 8% | 12% |
Other Urban Areas | 11% | 9% | 14% | 13% | 12% | 7% | 10% | 11% | 13% |
Accessible Small Towns | 12% | 9% | 14% | 12% | 13% | 8% | 9% | 11% | 13% |
Remote Small Towns | 11% | 8% | 11% | 10% | 15% | 9% | 9% | 11% | 15% |
Accessible Rural | 14% | 11% | 14% | 11% | 16% | 7% | 6% | 9% | 12% |
Remote Rural | 13% | 9% | 11% | 9% | 21% | 8% | 5% | 9% | 14% |
Scotland | 12% | 11% | 14% | 13% | 12% | 7% | 9% | 10% | 13% |
Source: General Register Office for Scotland, 2001 Census.
Based on all people in employment.
2.7 Car or van ownership
Figure 2.4 shows the rates of car or van ownership by geographic area. In Scotland as a whole, 34% of the households do not have a car or van. The geographic area with the highest percentage of households without a car/van is large urban areas (44%). Rural areas as a whole have the lowest percentages of households without a car or van with accessible rural slightly lower than remote rural (17% of households compared to 19%).
Multiple car or van ownership is more common in rural areas than in Scotland as a whole. For example, 31% of households in accessible rural areas and 27% of households in remote rural areas have two cars or more, compared the Scottish average of 19%.
Figure 2.4: Car or Van ownership by Urban Rural classification, 2001
Source: General Register Office for Scotland, 2001 Census.
Based on all households.
2.8 Working from Home and Mode of Travel to Work
Table 2.5 shows the mode of travel to work by geographic area. It also shows the percentage of the population who do not travel to work, that is, those who work or study mainly from home. Rural areas have the higher percentages of population working or studying from home (9% and 13% in accessible rural and remote rural areas respectively) than the Scottish average (6%).
Of those travelling to work, driving to work by car or van is the most popular mode of travel for all geographic areas. Walking to work is highest in remote small towns (33%) and lowest in rural areas (14% to 16%), compared to the Scottish average of 22%.
Table 2.5: Mode of travel to place of work or study by Urban Rural Classification, 2001
Geographic area | Works or studies mainly at or from home | Train, under-ground, tube, metro, or light rail | Bus, minicab or coach | Driving a car or van | Passenger in a car or van | Bicycle | On foot | Other* |
Large Urban Areas | 5.1% | 4.4% | 19.5% | 33.2% | 10.5% | 1.3% | 24.0% | 2.0% |
Other Urban Areas | 4.5% | 3.1% | 12.7% | 40.8% | 12.7% | 1.3% | 23.0% | 1.9% |
Accessible Small Towns | 4.8% | 2.2% | 12.4% | 42.9% | 11.7% | 1.2% | 22.9% | 2.0% |
Remote Small Towns | 5.7% | 1.5% | 7.5% | 35.1% | 12.3% | 1.8% | 33.2% | 2.9% |
Accessible Rural | 8.6% | 1.7% | 14.6% | 46.1% | 11.3% | 0.9% | 14.2% | 2.6% |
Remote Rural | 13.0% | 0.7% | 15.2% | 40.3% | 10.4% | 1.2% | 16.0% | 3.1% |
Scotland | 5.8% | 3.1% | 15.6% | 38.7% | 11.4% | 1.3% | 22.0% | 2.1% |
Source: General Register Office for Scotland, 2001 Census.
Based on all people resident in area.
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