New research from the Bank of Scotland shows that residents of the Shetland Islands have the best quality of life in Scotland in 2008.

Residents of the Shetland Islands tend to have higher than average earnings in Scotland as well as a high employment rate; they also have good health, the best education results and suffer low burglary
rates.

The Shetland Islands also offer the best value for money property due to a combination of the best
quality of life and relatively low property prices; house prices trade at a discount to the Scottish average of £39,290 (24%).

Martin Ellis, chief economist at Bank of Scotland, commented: “People living in the Shetland Islands have the best quality of life in Scotland. Residents of the Shetland Islands tend to have higher than average earnings in Scotland as well as a high employment rate; they also have good health, the best education results in Scotland and suffer low burglary rates.

“The Shetland Islands not only have the best quality of life, but lower than average house prices means that householders have good value for money housing.”