Living In Scotland: An Urban-Rural Analysis Of The Scottish Household Survey
ADULTS OVER 50
Age and Sex Structures
Limiting long standing illness among the over 50s is slightly more common in both urban area types, and less common in the rural and remote areas. This to some extent reflects the slightly higher proportion of over 60 and over 75 respondents in the large and other urban areas.
Table A2.3.1 Age/sex structure by Area (Adults 50 and over)
Adults Over 50 | Large urban areas | Other urban areas | Accessible small towns | Remote small towns | Accessible rural areas | Remote rural areas | All |
% | % | % | % | % | % | % |
< | < | < | < | < | < | |
Male | 44 | 45 | 46 | 44 | 47 | 46 | 45 |
Female | 56 | 55 | 54 | 56 | 53 | 54 | 55 |
| < | < | < | < | < | * | |
Aged 45-59 | 34 | 38 | 39 | 36 | 41 | 37 | 37 |
Aged 60-74 | 45 | 44 | 44 | 47 | 43 | 44 | 44 |
Aged 75 and over | 21 | 18 | 16 | 18 | 16 | 20 | 19 |
| < | < | < | < | < | < | |
Limiting long standing illness or disability | 39 | 40 | 37 | 33 | 30 | 32 | 37 |
Unweighted base | 4,443 | 4,216 | 1,338 | 680 | 1,823 | 1,306 | 13,806 |
Marital Status
The pattern of marital status among the over 50 sample (Table A2.2.3) reflects that of the full sample, reported in Chapter 2.
Table A2.3.2 Marital Status by Area (Adults 50 and over)
Adults Over 50 | Large urban areas | Other urban areas | Accessible small towns | Remote small towns* | Accessible rural areas | Remote rural areas* | All |
% | % | % | % | % | % | % |
* | < | < | < | # | < | |
Married | 58 | 65 | 67 | 64 | 71 | 69 | 74 |
Cohabiting | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Single | 9 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 7 |
Widowed | 24 | 21 | 19 | 20 | 16 | 17 | 21 |
Divorced/ separated | 8 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 7 |
Unweighted base | 4,443 | 4,216 | 1,338 | 680 | 1,823 | 1,306 | 13,806 |
Educational Qualifications
Table A2.3.3 largely reflects the patterns described in Chapter 2, one interesting deviation being the slightly higher proportion of graduates in the rural areas, perhaps reflecting the ability of graduates with professional careers to relocate to the country on retirement.
Table A2.3.3 Educational Qualifications by Area (Adults 50 and over)
Adults Over 50 | Large urban areas | Other urban areas | Accessible small towns | Remote small towns* | Accessible rural areas | Remote rural areas* | All |
% | % | % | % | % | % | % |
< | * | < | < | < | < | |
No educational qualifications | 50 | 48 | 47 | 49 | 44 | 49 | 48 |
O grades highest qualification | 32 | 36 | 35 | 33 | 32 | 31 | 34 |
Highers highest qualification | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 9 |
Professional qualifications but not degree | 5 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 5 |
Degree | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 5 |
Unweighted base | 4,443 | 4,216 | 1,338 | 680 | 1,823 | 1,306 | 13,806 |
Occupation/Social Class
A similar pattern is evident in the occupation/social class data (Table A2.3.4)
Table A2.3.4 Occupation/Social Class by Area (Adults 50 and over)
Adults Over 50 | Large urban areas | Other urban areas | Accessible small towns* | Remote small towns* | Accessible rural areas | Remote rural areas* | All |
% | % | % | % | % | % | % |
< | * | < | < | * | < | |
Professional | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
Managerial | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 16 | 16 | 11 |
Skilled non-manual | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 8 |
Skilled manual | 8 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 10 | 8 | 9 |
Partly skilled | 6 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 6 |
Unskilled | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
Missing | 64 | 62 | 59 | 57 | 54 | 55 | 61 |
Unweighted base | 4,443 | 4,216 | 1,338 | 680 | 1,823 | 1,306 | 13,806 |
L ength of Residence
Retirement migration may also account for the relatively higher proportions of over fifty year old respondents in rural and remote areas who had resided in their house for less than 15 years (Table A2.3.5).
Table A2.3.5 Length of Residency in Present House (Adults 50 and over)
Adults Over 50 | Large urban areas | Other urban areas | Accessible small towns | Remote small towns* | Accessible rural areas | Remote rural areas | All |
% | % | % | % | % | % | % |
< | < | < | * | < | < | |
Under 1 year | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
1-2 years | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 6 |
3-4 years | 7 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 7 |
5-10 years | 18 | 16 | 19 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 17 |
11-15 years | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 13 |
16-20 years | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 11 | 13 |
21-30 years | 21 | 24 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 21 |
31 years or more | 20 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 20 |
Unweighted base | 4,443 | 4,216 | 1,338 | 680 | 1,823 | 1,306 | 13,806 |
Housing Tenure
Patterns of housing tenure among the over 50s (Table A2.3.6) reflect those found in the full sample (Chapter 2), with owner occupation (especially where the property is owned outright) being much more common in the rural and remote areas, and renting being more common in the cities.
Table A2.3.6 Housing Tenure by Area (Adults 50 and over)
Adults Over 50 | Large urban areas | Other urban areas | Accessible small towns | Remote small towns* | Accessible rural areas | Remote rural areas* | All |
% | % | % | % | % | % | % |
* | * | < | * | * | * | |
Owned outright | 38 | 38 | 43 | 50 | 48 | 58 | 42 |
Buying with help of mortgage loan | 24 | 27 | 25 | 18 | 25 | 15 | 24 |
Renting - LA/ SH | 28 | 29 | 26 | 25 | 17 | 14 | 26 |
Renting - Housing Association, Co-op | 7 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
Renting - private landlord | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 2 |
Other | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 2 |
Unweighted base | 4,443 | 4,216 | 1,338 | 680 | 1,823 | 1,306 | 13,806 |
Car Ownership
Patterns of car ownership among the over 50s (Table A2.3.7) are very similar to those in the population as a whole (reported in Chapter 2).
Table A2.3.7 Car Ownership by Area (Adults 50 and over)
Adults Over 50 | Large urban areas | Other urban areas | Accessible small towns | Remote small towns | Accessible rural areas | Remote rural areas* | All |
% | % | % | % | % | % | % |
* | < | * | * | * | * | |
None | 48 | 37 | 31 | 33 | 22 | 21 | 37 |
One | 39 | 47 | 52 | 53 | 49 | 57 | 46 |
Two | 11 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 23 | 17 | 14 |
Three or more | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 3 |
Unweighted base | 4,443 | 4,216 | 1,338 | 680 | 1,823 | 1,306 | 13,806 |
LONE PARENTS
Age and Sex Structure
Male single parents are for some reason more common in rural areas and small towns than in the cities (Table A2.4.1). This seems to be associated with a slightly older age structure in rural and remote areas, although the samples are rather small, and not too much significance should be attached to this.
Table A2.4.1 Age/sex structure by Area (Lone parents)
All lone parents | Large urban areas | Other urban areas | Accessible small towns | Remote small towns | Accessible rural areas | Remote rural areas | All |
% | % | % | % | % | % | % |
# | # | # | # | # | # | |
Male | 6 | 5 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 13 | 6 |
Female | 94 | 95 | 91 | 91 | 91 | 87 | 94 |
| # | # | # | # | # | # | |
Aged 16-24 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 13 | 9 | 13 | 14 |
Aged 25-34 | 48 | 44 | 50 | 59 | 40 | 29 | 46 |
Aged 35-44 | 31 | 33 | 25 | 22 | 40 | 48 | 32 |
Aged 45-59 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 10 | 8 |
Aged 60-74 | 1 | 0 | 1 | - | 2 | - | 1 |
Unweighted base | 632 | 577 | 153 | 86 | 128 | 79 | 1,655 |
Marital Status
Table A2.4.2 reveals a greater likelihood for urban lone parents to be single, and for those in rural and remote areas to be divorced or separated.
Table A2.4.2 Marital Status by Area (Lone parents)
All lone parents | Large urban areas | Other urban areas | Accessible small towns | Remote small towns | Accessible rural areas | Remote rural areas | All |
% | % | % | % | % | % | % |
# | # | # | # | # | # | |
Married | 2 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 2 |
Cohabiting | 0 | 1 | 3 | - | 1 | - | 1 |
Single | 57 | 44 | 40 | 42 | 41 | 28 | 49 |
Widowed | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 5 |
Divorced/ separated | 38 | 49 | 51 | 46 | 48 | 63 | 44 |
Unweighted base | 632 | 577 | 153 | 86 | 128 | 79 | 1,655 |
Educational Qualifications
The pattern of marital status noted above is associated with a tendency for lone parents in urban areas to have more limited educational qualifications than those in rural areas (Table A2.4.3).
Table A2.4.3 Educational Qualifications by Area (Lone parents)
All lone parents | Large urban areas | Other urban areas | Accessible small towns | Remote small towns | Accessible rural areas | Remote rural areas | All |
% | % | % | % | % | % | % |
# | # | # | # | # | # | |
No educational qualifications | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 3 |
O grades highest qualification | 70 | 67 | 63 | 58 | 58 | 50 | 66 |
Highers highest qualification | 18 | 22 | 25 | 30 | 21 | 34 | 21 |
Professional qualifications but not degree | 3 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 6 | 5 |
Degree | 7 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 5 |
Unweighted base | 632 | 577 | 153 | 86 | 128 | 79 | 1,655 |
Occupation/Social Class
The rural-urban contrasts noted above are partly reinforced in Table A2.4.4, which shows that lone parents in rural and remote areas are slightly more likely to have managerial occupations. However, on the other hand, they are also more likely to have partly skilled occupations.
Table A2.4.4 Occupation/Social Class by Area (Lone parents)
| All lone parents | Large urban areas | Other urban areas | Accessible small towns | Remote small towns | Accessible rural areas | Remote rural areas | All |
| % | % | % | % | % | % | % |
| # | # | # | # | # | # | |
Professional | 1 | 0 | 1 | - | - | - | 1 |
Managerial | 11 | 10 | 9 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 11 |
Skilled non-manual | 17 | 20 | 17 | 24 | 12 | 9 | 18 |
Skilled manual | 5 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 7 |
Partly skilled | 12 | 17 | 17 | 12 | 13 | 22 | 14 |
Unskilled | 6 | 7 | 6 | 14 | 7 | | 7 |
Missing | 48 | 38 | 40 | 27 | 44 | 38 | 43 |
Unweighted base | 632 | 577 | 153 | 86 | 128 | 79 | 1,655 |
Length of Residency
Length of residency patterns among lone parents (Table A2.4.5) broadly parallel those of the full sample, although there is of course (overall) a higher degree of mobility among this subgroup.
Table A2.4.5 Length of Residency in Present House (Lone Parents)
All lone parents | Large urban areas | Other urban areas | Accessible small towns | Remote small towns | Accessible rural areas | Remote rural areas | All |
% | % | % | % | % | % | % |
# | # | # | # | # | # | |
Under 1 year | 14 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 18 | 9 | 15 |
1-2 years | 25 | 23 | 31 | 27 | 25 | 21 | 25 |
3-4 years | 22 | 19 | 16 | 21 | 16 | 18 | 20 |
5-10 years | 28 | 28 | 22 | 27 | 25 | 33 | 27 |
11-15 years | 7 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 10 | 9 | 8 |
16-20 years | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 3 |
21-30 years | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 1 |
31 years or more | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 1 |
Unweighted base | 632 | 577 | 153 | 86 | 128 | 79 | 1,655 |
Housing Tenure
Patterns of housing tenure among the lone parent subgroup (Table A2.4.6) also parallel those described for the full sample (chapter 2).
Table A2.4.6 Housing Tenure by Area (Lone Parents)
All lone parents | Large urban areas | Other urban areas | Accessible small towns | Remote small towns | Accessible rural areas | Remote rural areas | All |
% | % | % | % | % | % | % |
# | # | # | # | # | # | |
Owned outright | 3 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 9 | 15 | 4 |
Buying with help of mortgage loan | 19 | 18 | 21 | 24 | 22 | 18 | 19 |
Renting - LA/ SH | 52 | 63 | 57 | 52 | 46 | 52 | 56 |
Renting - Housing Association, Co-op | 18 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 3 | 13 |
Renting - private landlord | 6 | 6 | 10 | 9 | 15 | 12 | 7 |
Other | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
Unweighted base | 632 | 577 | 153 | 86 | 128 | 79 | 1,655 |
Car Ownership
Patterns of car ownership among the lone parent subgroup (Table A2.4.7) also parallel those described for the full sample (chapter 2).
Table A2.4.7 Car Ownership by Area (Lone parents)
All lone parents | Large urban areas | Other urban areas | Accessible small towns | Remote small towns | Accessible rural areas | Remote rural areas | All |
% | % | % | % | % | % | % |
< | < | < | < | < | < | |
None | 76 | 67 | 56 | 61 | 51 | 46 | 68 |
One | 24 | 33 | 43 | 36 | 46 | 46 | 31 |
Two | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
Three or more | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Unweighted base | 632 | 577 | 153 | 86 | 128 | 79 | 1,655 |
Adults with Long Standing Illness or Disability
Age and Sex Structure
Table A2.5.1 Age/sex structure by Area (Limiting Longstanding Illness/Disability)
Adults with longstanding illness/disability | Large urban areas | Other urban areas | Accessible small towns | Remote small towns | Accessible rural areas | Remote rural areas | All |
% | % | % | % | % | % | % |
< | < | < | < | < | < | |
Male | 44 | 42 | 46 | 43 | 44 | 43 | 43 |
Female | 56 | 59 | 54 | 57 | 56 | 57 | 57 |
| * | < | < | < | < | < | |
Aged 16-24 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
Aged 25-34 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 8 |
Aged 35-44 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 12 |
Aged 45-59 | 26 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 30 | 25 | 27 |
Aged 60-74 | 33 | 32 | 34 | 31 | 33 | 29 | 33 |
Aged 75 and over | 18 | 17 | 16 | 20 | 14 | 26 | 17 |
Unweighted base | 1,350 | 1,290 | 363 | 173 | 433 | 254 | 3,863 |
Table A2.5.1 shows that the age structure of those suffering long term illness or disability does not vary substantially between rural and urban areas.
Marital Status
Table A2.5.2 Marital Status by Area (Limiting Longstanding Illness/Disability)
Adults with longstanding illness/disability | Large urban areas | Other urban areas | Accessible small towns | Remote small towns | Accessible rural areas | Remote rural areas | All |
% | % | % | % | % | % | % |
* | * | * | < | * | < | |
Married | 44 | 54 | 58 | 51 | 63 | 56 | 52 |
Cohabiting | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 3 |
Single | 19 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 12 | 15 | 15 |
Widowed | 22 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 18 | 19 |
Divorced/ separated | 13 | 11 | 8 | 11 | 8 | 7 | 11 |
Unweighted base | 1,350 | 1,290 | 363 | 173 | 433 | 254 | 3,863 |
A higher proportion of those with long term illnesses in accessible towns and rural areas are married, while in the large cities they are more likely to be single or widowed (Table A2.5.2).
Educational Qualifications
The pattern of educational qualifications among those with limiting long standing illness (Table A2.5.3), with slightly more high level qualifications in remote and rural areas may be a result of selective migration to these areas of professional retirees.
Table A2.5.3 Educational Qualifications by Area (Limiting Longstanding Illness/Disability)
Adults with longstanding illness/disability | Large urban areas | Other urban areas | Accessible small towns | Remote small towns | Accessible rural areas | Remote rural areas | All |
% | % | % | % | % | % | % |
* | * | < | < | * | * | |
No educational qualifications | 41 | 40 | 41 | 40 | 37 | 50 | 40 |
O grades highest qualification | 42 | 44 | 38 | 40 | 38 | 30 | 41 |
Highers highest qualification | 11 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 12 |
Professional qualifications but not degree | 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 4 |
Degree | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 4 |
Unweighted base | 1,350 | 1,290 | 363 | 173 | 433 | 254 | 3,863 |
Occupation/Social Class
This hypothesis is corroborated by the pattern of occupations/social class shown in Table A2.5.4.
Table A2.5.4 Occupation/Social Class by Area (Limiting Longstanding Illness/Disability)
Adults with longstanding illness/disability | Large urban areas | Other urban areas | Accessible small towns | Remote small towns* | Accessible rural areas | Remote rural areas* | All |
% | % | % | % | % | % | % |
* | * | < | < | * | * | |
Professional | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Managerial | 7 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 10 | 9 | 7 |
Skilled non-manual | 6 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 3 | 6 |
Skilled manual | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 7 |
Partly skilled | 5 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 5 |
Unskilled | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Missing | 74 | 72 | 68 | 71 | 64 | 70 | 71 |
Unweighted base | 1,350 | 1,290 | 363 | 173 | 433 | 254 | 3,863 |
Length of Residency
The length of residency data for the limiting longstanding illness/disability group (Table A2.5.5) shows a similar geographical pattern to that of the full sample (Chapter 2).
Table A2.5.5 Length of Residency in Present House (Limiting Longstanding Illness/Disability)
Adults with longstanding illness/disability | Large urban areas | Other urban areas | Accessible small towns | Remote small towns | Accessible rural areas | Remote rural areas | All |
% | % | % | % | % | % | % |
< | < | < | < | < | < | |
Under 1 year | 6 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 5 |
1-2 years | 10 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 9 |
3-4 years | 10 | 8 | 10 | 15 | 9 | 11 | 10 |
5-10 years | 21 | 22 | 22 | 19 | 23 | 19 | 22 |
11-15 years | 13 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 |
16-20 years | 12 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 15 | 12 | 12 |
21-30 years | 14 | 16 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 15 |
31 years or more | 14 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 15 |
Unweighted base | 1,350 | 1,290 | 363 | 173 | 433 | 254 | 3,863 |
Housing Tenure
Patterns of housing tenure among the limiting long term illness/disability subgroup (Table A2.5.6) also parallel those described for the full sample (chapter 2).
Table A2.5.6 Housing Tenure by Area (Limiting Longstanding Illness/Disability)
Adults with longstanding illness/disability | Large urban areas | Other urban areas | Accessible small towns | Remote small towns* | Accessible rural areas | Remote rural areas | All |
% | % | % | % | % | % | % |
* | * | < | < | * | * | |
Owned outright | 24 | 24 | 29 | 32 | 33 | 48 | 27 |
Buying with help of mortgage loan | 21 | 26 | 26 | 20 | 30 | 15 | 24 |
Renting - LA/ SH | 40 | 41 | 36 | 37 | 26 | 20 | 37 |
Renting - Housing Association, Co-op | 11 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 7 |
Renting - private landlord | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 3 |
Other | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 |
Unweighted base | 1,350 | 1,290 | 363 | 173 | 433 | 254 | 3,863 |
Car Ownership
Patterns of car ownership among the limiting long term illness/disability subgroup (Table A2.5.7) also parallel those described for the full sample (chapter 2).
Table A2.5.7 Car Ownership by Area (Limiting Longstanding Illness/Disability)
Adults with longstanding illness/disability | Large urban areas | Other urban areas | Accessible small towns | Remote small towns | Accessible rural areas | Remote rural areas | All |
% | % | % | % | % | % | % |
* | * | * | < | * | * | |
None | 58 | 45 | 35 | 41 | 28 | 27 | 46 |
One | 34 | 43 | 49 | 49 | 50 | 54 | 41 |
Two | 7 | 11 | 13 | 10 | 20 | 16 | 11 |
Three or more | 1 | 2 | 3 | - | 3 | 4 | 2 |
Unweighted base | 1,350 | 1,290 | 363 | 173 | 433 | 254 | 3,863 |