What it's like to live in Paisley

Paisley's housing is varied: red and blonde sandstone tenements near the centre, inter-war and post-war council estates further out, and newer builds mixed in. Flats are common in and around PA1, with more houses and gardens on the estates.

Social renting is a normal part of life here. In the wider Renfrewshire council area, 23.8% of homes are socially rented, in line with Scotland's 23.1%, with 66.2% owned and 9.7% privately rented. Renfrewshire Council is by far the biggest landlord with nearly 12,000 homes, followed by Williamsburgh Housing Association, Linstone Housing Association, Paisley Housing Association and Sanctuary Scotland. Several of those are Paisley-based, so a swap here could well put you with a local association.

The age mix across the council area is close to the Scottish average, with slightly more people aged 25 to 44 and a solid number of over-65s. That means a bit of everything: young families, long-settled households and older neighbours who have been on the same street for years.

There is plenty of school choice. Castlehead High School is about half a mile away, Paisley Grammar School under a mile, and St Andrew's Academy, Gleniffer High School and Renfrew High School are all within three miles. For younger children, St Mary's, West, St Catherine's, St James's and Mossvale primaries are all under a mile. Check catchments and places with Renfrewshire Council before you set your heart on one.

For days out without spending much, Fountain Gardens is the closest park and East End Park, Ferguslie Gardens, Brodie Park and St James' Park are all within a mile. Libraries are well spread too, with branches at Ferguslie Park, Glenburn and Foxbar as well as the two in the centre.

Across the wider Renfrewshire council area, 16.1% of people are under 16, a touch above the Scottish figure, so there are plenty of other families around. The Royal Alexandra Hospital, with its children's services, is under a mile from the town centre.

Paisley is unusually well connected for a town of its size. Paisley Gilmour Street is about a quarter of a mile from the centre and is one of the busiest stations in Scotland, with frequent trains towards Glasgow and down the Ayrshire and Inverclyde lines. Paisley Canal and Paisley St James are also close, with Hawkhead and Barshaw Central a little further out, so most parts of town have a station within a mile or so.

The airport bus terminal is just over a mile away, handy if you or a partner work at the airport or fly for family reasons. Local buses link the estates to the town centre and on into Glasgow.

If you drive, the M8 is close and gives you quick access to Glasgow, the airport and the routes west. Parking in the centre is the usual town-centre mix of car parks and controlled streets. And plenty of people here simply walk: the centre is compact, flat in parts, and schools, shops and parks are often a short stroll away.

The town centre is the main draw: two shopping centres, The Paisley Centre and The Piazza, sit a few minutes apart, with the usual high street names and independents around them. It is the sort of place you can do a full shop and meet someone for a coffee without needing the car.

For a night out, Paisley has a dense cluster of pubs and bars within a few hundred yards of the centre, from Cafuffals and Kilty Kilty to Paddy Malarky's and The Bull Inn, plus late venues including Viennas and NYT and the students' union. The Showcase Cinema is under two miles away.

If you want to keep active, there is a PureGym half a mile out, the university gym in the centre and JD Gyms a little further. The parks are the free option and get well used for walks, football and dog walking. Community centres across the town run local groups, so it is easy enough to find something going on.

Paisley's own economy leans on the town centre, the University of the West of Scotland and the Royal Alexandra Hospital, which is one of the bigger employers in the area. Glasgow Airport sits close by, with its bus terminal just over a mile from the centre, and a lot of local people work in and around it.

The biggest advantage for work, though, is the train. Gilmour Street puts central Glasgow within a short journey, which opens up a far wider jobs market than the town alone. Commuting by car on the M8 is straightforward outside rush hour.

Across the wider Renfrewshire council area, 69.1% of 16 to 64-year-olds are in work, below the Scottish rate of 74.6%, while unemployment sits at 3.8% against 4% for Scotland. Unemployment-related benefit claims run at 3% of working-age people, slightly under the national 3.2%. In short, work is there, but having the city within reach matters.