Motherwell, #1 on this list · Photo: Ross Watson · CC BY-SA 2.0

North Lanarkshire rankings · Walkability

Most walkable towns in North Lanarkshire

Motherwell ranks first on walkability among North Lanarkshire’s 24 towns of 2,500+; 3 of the 24 grade A− or better against UK towns.

The Walkability Grade: the share of commuters who walked, cycled or took public transport to work at the 2021 Census (taken in lockdown). The rank across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland sits beside each letter. How grades work

Motherwell

33,021 people

A⁻

Better than 79% of UK towns·#693 of 2,515 in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Bellshill

19,488 people

A⁻

Better than 78% of UK towns·#754 of 2,515 in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Wishaw

30,190 people

A⁻

Better than 76% of UK towns·#821 of 2,515 in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

All 24 towns, ranked

Walkability grade, best first; ranks are the county ranks on each town’s page (T = tied). Military garrison towns and university campuses keep their grades but aren’t ranked. Each rank across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland links to the national list.

Every town in North Lanarkshire →

Find a town

24 towns.

#TownGrade · UK rankCompared with UK towns

1Motherwell33,021 peopleA⁻#693 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 79% of UK towns

2Bellshill19,488 peopleA⁻#754 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 78% of UK towns

3Wishaw30,190 peopleA⁻#821 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 76% of UK towns

4Cumbernauld50,557 peopleB⁺#862 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 74% of UK towns

5Coatbridge42,256 peopleB⁺#1,055 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 68% of UK towns

6Moodiesburn6,706 peopleB#1,180 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 65% of UK towns

7Viewpark15,832 peopleB#1,226 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 63% of UK towns

8Stepps7,643 peopleB#1,250 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 63% of UK towns

9Kilsyth10,958 peopleB#1,290 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 61% of UK towns

10Newmains5,364 peopleB#1,313 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 61% of UK towns

11Airdrie35,847 peopleB#1,321 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 60% of UK towns

12Shotts8,794 peopleB⁻#1,507 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 54% of UK towns

13Plains3,122 peopleB⁻#1,550 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 52% of UK towns

14Chryston3,257 peopleB⁻#1,588 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 51% of UK towns

15Holytown5,121 peopleB⁻#1,647 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 49% of UK towns

16Harthill2,613 peopleB⁻#1,656 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 48% of UK towns

17Newarthill6,956 peopleB⁻#1,698 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 47% of UK towns

18Glenboig3,035 peopleC⁺#1,781 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 44% of UK towns

19Bargeddie3,567 peopleC⁺#1,848 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 41% of UK towns

20New Stevenston6,298 peopleC⁺#1,938 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 38% of UK towns

21Cleland3,043 peopleC#2,029 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 34% of UK towns

22Carfin4,427 peopleC#2,055 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 33% of UK towns

23Gartcosh3,252 peopleC#2,184 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 26% of UK towns

24Chapelhall7,061 peopleD#2,442 of 2,515 nationallybetter than 9% of UK towns

Quick answers

Questions people ask

What is the most walkable town in North Lanarkshire?

Motherwell ranks first on walkability among 24 towns, with an A−: better than 79% of UK towns. Bellshill and Wishaw follow.

How are these towns ranked?

The Walkability Grade: the share of commuters who walked, cycled or took public transport to work at the 2021 Census (taken in lockdown). The letter and rank are the same as on each town’s page. How grades work.

Why isn’t my town on this list?

Garrison towns and university campuses aren’t ranked, and towns without the figures this grade needs are counted above. The list covers North Lanarkshire’s towns of 2,500+ with the figure. Smaller places show it on their own pages; every town in North Lanarkshire is on the county page.

Go deeper

More North Lanarkshire lists

Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.

All North Lanarkshire rankings →

Most affordable towns24 towns · #1 Bellshill and 2 more Towns with the best schools24 towns · #1 Harthill Healthiest towns24 towns · #1 Gartcosh Towns with the lowest flood risk24 towns · #1 Carfin and 6 more Towns with the lowest council tax24 towns · #1 Airdrie and 23 moreDescribed, no letters Towns with the mildest winters24 towns · #1 ViewparkDescribed, no letters Towns with the warmest summers24 towns · #1 ViewparkDescribed, no letters Towns with the coolest summers24 towns · #1 ShottsDescribed, no letters Towns with the fewest frosts24 towns · #1 SteppsDescribed, no letters Driest towns24 towns · #1 Bargeddie and ViewparkDescribed, no letters Wettest towns24 towns · #1 KilsythDescribed, no letters

Sources: ONS Census 2021, output areas summed to the ONS 2022 built-up area · TownRatings grades: our own summary of the data, ranked against UK towns only. All under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (ONS boundaries). Northern Ireland: Source: NISRA; contains Land & Property Services data and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland information, © Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Scotland: contains National Records of Scotland data, Registers of Scotland data and SEPA data, © Crown copyright / © SEPA 2025, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.