Town comparison
Alness vs Scone
Which is better to live in? 93.9 miles apart — compared on house prices, crime, schools, broadband and more.
The verdict
Overall, Alness offers lower property prices by roughly 6%. Scone has the lower crime rate of the two. For families, Scone edges ahead on school quality.
Avg House Price
Alness
£210,131
Scone
£223,039
Crime Rate
Alness
3218.6
Scone
2055.4
Top-Two School Inspection Bands
Alness
66.0%
Scone
84.9%
Avg Download Speed
Alness
411.7
Scone
249.9
EPC Rating
Alness
53.7
Scone
59.3
Median Income
Alness
£33,184
Scone
£28,781
House Prices (2025)
Most affordable in ScotlandBuyers will find Alness more wallet-friendly, where the average price is £210,131 versus £223,039 in Scone. The most affordable entry point in Alness is a flat at £122,118, while in Scone it is a flat at £124,493.
Average Price by Property Type (2025)
Biggest gap: detached homes are 14% pricier in Scone (£375,276 vs £322,105).
Price Trend (23 Years)
Over the last 21 years, Alness prices grew faster — 132% vs 128%.
Crime & Safety
Safest in ScotlandCrime is lower in Scone (2,055.4 per 1,000) compared to Alness (3,218.6 per 1,000), a 57% difference. The most common crime category in Alness is other-crime, while in Scone 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 Scone: 84.9% 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.
Scone School Inspection Breakdown
84.9% of 77 schools (67 primary, 10 secondary) sit in the top two inspection bands.
| Metric | Alness | Scone |
|---|---|---|
| Total Schools | 52 | 77 |
| Primary | 44 | 67 |
| Secondary | 8 | 10 |
| % Top two bands | 66% | 84.9% |
Broadband & Connectivity
Internet users in Alness enjoy 411.7 Mbps on average, while Scone lags behind at 249.9 Mbps. Superfast coverage (30 Mbps+) reaches 86.5% of premises in Alness and 78.7% in Scone. Gigabit availability stands at 81.2% in Alness and 42.4% in Scone.
Alness is the faster of the two by 65% on average download speed (412 vs 250 Mbps).
Energy Efficiency & Running Costs
The average EPC rating in Scone is band D (score 59.3), ahead of Alness's band E (score 53.7). Estimated annual energy costs average £1,663 in Alness and £1,475 in Scone. 50% of homes in Alness have an EPC rating of C or above, compared to 42.6% in Scone.
Alness has more energy-efficient housing — 50% reach band C or above, vs 42.6% in the other.
Demographics & Economy
Alness has a population of 5,800 while Scone has 5,050. Median household income is £33,184 in Alness and £28,781 in Scone. The median age is 39.8 in Alness and 41.9 in Scone. Employment rates stand at 70.2% in Alness and 73.5% in Scone.
| Indicator | Alness | Scone |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 5,800 | 5,050 |
| Median Age | 39.8 | 41.9 |
| Median Household Income | £33,184 | £28,781 |
| Employment Rate | 70.2% | 73.5% |
| Owner Occupied | 70% | 59.2% |
| Degree-Level Qualified | 23.9% | 22.6% |
Location
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
How far apart are Alness and Scone?
Which is cheaper to buy a house in, Alness or Scone?
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