Town comparison
Annan vs Fort William
Which is better to live in? 145.5 miles apart — compared on house prices, crime, schools, broadband and more.
The verdict
Annan is the more affordable option, with average house prices around 23% lower. Fort William has the lower crime rate of the two. For families, Annan edges ahead on school quality.
Avg House Price
Annan
£162,680
Fort William
£210,131
Crime Rate
Annan
2028.6
Fort William
1805.4
Top-Two School Inspection Bands
Annan
72.0%
Fort William
71.8%
Avg Download Speed
Annan
273.7
Fort William
110.5
EPC Rating
Annan
64.6
Fort William
59.4
Median Income
Annan
£28,015
Fort William
£35,599
House Prices (2025)
Most affordable in ScotlandProperty in Fort William commands an average of £210,131, compared with £162,680 in Annan – a difference of 23%. The most affordable entry point in Annan is a flat at £86,885, while in Fort William it is a flat at £122,118.
Average Price by Property Type (2025)
Biggest gap: flat homes are 29% pricier in Fort William (£122,118 vs £86,885).
Price Trend (23 Years)
Over the last 21 years, Fort William prices grew faster — 132% vs 92%.
Crime & Safety
Safest in ScotlandFort William has a crime rate of 1,805.4 per 1,000 residents, which is 12% lower than Annan at 2,028.6 per 1,000. The most common crime category in Annan is other-crime, while in Fort William 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 ScotlandFamilies may prefer Annan, where 72% of schools are in the top two inspection bands versus 71.8% in Fort William. There are 108 schools in Annan and 83 in Fort William.
Annan School Inspection Breakdown
72% of 108 schools (93 primary, 15 secondary) sit in the top two inspection bands.
Fort William School Inspection Breakdown
71.8% of 83 schools (73 primary, 10 secondary) sit in the top two inspection bands.
| Metric | Annan | Fort William |
|---|---|---|
| Total Schools | 108 | 83 |
| Primary | 93 | 73 |
| Secondary | 15 | 10 |
| % Top two bands | 72% | 71.8% |
Broadband & Connectivity
Average broadband speeds are 273.7 Mbps in Annan and 110.5 Mbps in Fort William. Superfast coverage (30 Mbps+) reaches 91.3% of premises in Annan and 93.8% in Fort William. Gigabit availability stands at 47.4% in Annan and 8.1% in Fort William.
Annan is the faster of the two by 148% on average download speed (274 vs 111 Mbps).
Energy Efficiency & Running Costs
Energy efficiency favours Annan, scoring 64.6 on average (band D) compared to 59.4 (band D) in Fort William. Estimated annual energy costs average £1,360 in Annan and £1,444 in Fort William. 41.8% of homes in Annan have an EPC rating of C or above, compared to 42.8% in Fort William.
Fort William has more energy-efficient housing — 42.8% reach band C or above, vs 41.8% in the other.
Demographics & Economy
Median household income is £35,599 in Fort William and £28,015 in Annan. The median age is 43.8 in Annan and 41.9 in Fort William. Employment rates stand at 73.3% in Annan and 76.3% in Fort William. Owner-occupancy is 63.5% in Annan versus 58.6% in Fort William. Annan has a population of 8,780 and Fort William has 10,340.
| Indicator | Annan | Fort William |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 8,780 | 10,340 |
| Median Age | 43.8 | 41.9 |
| Median Household Income | £28,015 | £35,599 |
| Employment Rate | 73.3% | 76.3% |
| Owner Occupied | 63.5% | 58.6% |
| Degree-Level Qualified | 28.2% | 32.8% |
Location
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
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