Dunfermline
Ever since I was a kid, I have always enjoyed numbers and statistics, so I thought it would be interesting to share some facts that were recently brought to my attention.
Dunfermline is the newest city in Scotland and one of the fastest growing in the UK. Before gaining city status, Dunfermline had been one of the fastest-growing towns in Europe.
In 2021, Dunfermline had a population of 59,584, up from 50,508 in 2020. 63% comprises working-age adults, with 18% of older adults( over 65) and 18% children (under 16).
As well as being one of the fastest growing parts of Scotland, Dunfermline also has a relatively high employment rate of 80.4%, the highest rate in Fife, which compares with a Scottish average of 74.4%.
The city has a relatively high level of educational attainment amongst its residents, with 52.8% of the working-age population educated to NVQ4 or above, which is higher than the Fife and the Scottish rates. Furthermore, 93.1% of 16 to 19-year-olds are in education, training or employment.
Concerning local businesses, 89% of registered companies are micro-businesses, employing fewer than ten people, and 19% of units within the town centre are vacant, a figure that has remained stable over the past few years. However, the proportion of empty floor space has increased.
Visitor numbers continue to increase during the pandemic, with a 75% increase between 2020 and 2021, but remain below pre-pandemic levels.
Regarding health, 71% of adults living in Dunfermline regard themselves as having good or excellent health, similar to the national figure for Scotland of 72%. 18.5% of adults in the family provide an unpaid caring role, compared to the national figure of 17.3%, and 32% of adults have a long-term limiting physical or mental health condition compared with a national figure of 25%.
Thanks again for reading folks.