How many hair salons and barbers are there in Edinburgh's busiest areas?
We counted 183 hair salons and barbers within 1 km of the centres of 8 Edinburgh areas. Leith Walk is the most crowded at 14.3 per km²; Portobello is the least, at 3.2.
Mapped
183
in 8 areas
Busiest area
14.3/km²
Leith Walk
Average rating
4.8★
places with 10+ reviews
Last scanned
13 October
2026
Hair salons and barbers by area, most crowded first
Measured within 1 km of the centre: LOW under 5, MODERATE 5–15, HIGH 15–40, INTENSE over 40 places per km².
| Area | Within 1 km | Per km² | Avg rating | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leith Walk4.8★ average | 4514.3/km² | 14.3 | 4.8★ | MODERATE |
| Stockbridge4.8★ average | 299.2/km² | 9.2 | 4.8★ | MODERATE |
| Bruntsfield4.8★ average | 288.9/km² | 8.9 | 4.8★ | MODERATE |
| Leith4.8★ average | 268.3/km² | 8.3 | 4.8★ | MODERATE |
| Old Town4.7★ average | 185.7/km² | 5.7 | 4.7★ | MODERATE |
| Newington4.8★ average | 154.8/km² | 4.8 | 4.8★ | LOW |
| Morningside4.8★ average | 123.8/km² | 3.8 | 4.8★ | LOW |
| Portobello4.7★ average | 103.2/km² | 3.2 | 4.7★ | LOW |
Where is it least crowded?
- PortobelloLOW
10 hair salons and barbers within 1 km (3.2 per km²), averaging 4.7★.
- MorningsideLOW
12 hair salons and barbers within 1 km (3.8 per km²), averaging 4.8★.
- NewingtonLOW
15 hair salons and barbers within 1 km (4.8 per km²), averaging 4.8★.
Fewer hair salons and barbers is not the same as more demand. Look at foot traffic and rents before you read a quiet area as an opening.
How they are rated
All 183 hair salons and barbers in the 8 areas, by rating. Places with fewer than 10 reviews are counted apart.
- 4.5 and up160 (87%)
- 4.0 to 4.416 (9%)
- 3.5 to 3.90 (0%)
- Below 3.50 (0%)
- Under 10 reviews7 (4%)
Chains seen most
Brands with two or more outlets inside one area circle.
- Medusa Hair Salon5 outlets · 2 areas
- Closecut Barbers2 outlets · 1 area
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Questions
Is Edinburgh saturated with hair salons and barbers?
It depends on the street. Within 1 km of the 8 area centres we mapped, density runs from 3.2 per km² in Portobello to 14.3 per km² in Leith Walk. 0 of the 8 areas count as high or intense competition (over 15 per km²). Check the exact address you have in mind before you commit.
Which Edinburgh area has the most hair salons and barbers?
Leith Walk, with 45 within 1 km of its centre (14.3 per km²). Next come Stockbridge (29) and Bruntsfield (28).
What is the average rating of hair salons and barbers in Edinburgh?
4.8 out of 5, across the 176 hair salons and barbers with at least 10 reviews in the areas we mapped. The highest area average is Leith (4.8), the lowest Old Town (4.7).
Which hair salon chains are most common in Edinburgh?
In the areas we mapped: Medusa Hair Salon (5 outlets in 2 areas), Closecut Barbers (2 outlets in 1 area).
How was this counted?
We scanned a 1 km circle around the centre of each area on 13 October 2026 and counted every hair salon on the map inside it. Places missing from the map or opened since are not counted, so treat the numbers as a floor. Circles of neighbouring areas can overlap, so a place near two centres is counted in both, and the figures are not a total for the whole of Edinburgh.