Town comparison
Alness vs Laurencekirk
Which is better to live in? 89.6 miles apart — compared on house prices, crime, schools, broadband and more.
The verdict
Overall, Laurencekirk offers lower property prices by roughly 5%. Alness has the lower crime rate of the two. For families, Laurencekirk edges ahead on school quality.
Avg House Price
Alness
£210,131
Laurencekirk
£200,159
Crime Rate
Alness
3218.6
Laurencekirk
4463.2
Top-Two School Inspection Bands
Alness
66.0%
Laurencekirk
73.6%
Avg Download Speed
Alness
411.7
Laurencekirk
227.7
EPC Rating
Alness
53.7
Laurencekirk
54
Median Income
Alness
£33,184
Laurencekirk
£33,879
House Prices (2025)
Most affordable in ScotlandBuyers will find Laurencekirk more wallet-friendly, where the average price is £200,159 versus £210,131 in Alness. The most affordable entry point in Alness is a flat at £122,118, while in Laurencekirk it is a flat at £102,989.
Average Price by Property Type (2025)
Biggest gap: flat homes are 19% pricier in Alness (£122,118 vs £102,989).
Price Trend (23 Years)
Over the last 21 years, Alness prices grew faster — 132% vs 112%.
Crime & Safety
Safest in ScotlandWith 3,218.6 offences per 1,000 people, Alness is the safer of the two – 39% lower than Laurencekirk's 4,463.2 per 1,000. The most common crime category in Alness is other-crime, while in Laurencekirk it is other-crime.
Crime Rate by Category (per 1,000 residents)
Both towns share the same top crime category: other crime.
Schools & Education
Best for schools in ScotlandSchool quality favours Laurencekirk: 73.6% of its schools are in the top two inspection bands, compared with 66% in Alness.
Alness School Inspection Breakdown
66% of 52 schools (44 primary, 8 secondary) sit in the top two inspection bands.
Laurencekirk School Inspection Breakdown
73.6% of 165 schools (149 primary, 16 secondary) sit in the top two inspection bands.
| Metric | Alness | Laurencekirk |
|---|---|---|
| Total Schools | 52 | 165 |
| Primary | 44 | 149 |
| Secondary | 8 | 16 |
| % Top two bands | 66% | 73.6% |
Broadband & Connectivity
Internet users in Alness enjoy 411.7 Mbps on average, while Laurencekirk lags behind at 227.7 Mbps. Superfast coverage (30 Mbps+) reaches 86.5% of premises in Alness and 68.5% in Laurencekirk. Gigabit availability stands at 81.2% in Alness and 40.3% in Laurencekirk.
Alness is the faster of the two by 81% on average download speed (412 vs 228 Mbps).
Energy Efficiency & Running Costs
The average EPC rating in Laurencekirk is band E (score 54), ahead of Alness's band E (score 53.7). Estimated annual energy costs average £1,663 in Alness and £1,749 in Laurencekirk. 50% of homes in Alness have an EPC rating of C or above, compared to 53.4% in Laurencekirk.
Laurencekirk has more energy-efficient housing — 53.4% reach band C or above, vs 50% in the other.
Demographics & Economy
Alness has a population of 5,800 while Laurencekirk has 3,040. Median household income is £33,879 in Laurencekirk and £33,184 in Alness. The median age is 39.8 in Alness and 39.9 in Laurencekirk. Employment rates stand at 70.2% in Alness and 70.9% in Laurencekirk.
| Indicator | Alness | Laurencekirk |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 5,800 | 3,040 |
| Median Age | 39.8 | 39.9 |
| Median Household Income | £33,184 | £33,879 |
| Employment Rate | 70.2% | 70.9% |
| Owner Occupied | 70% | 60.7% |
| Degree-Level Qualified | 23.9% | 34.3% |
Location
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
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