Since Donald Trump's re-election in November 2024, there has been a 63% rise in Americans renting properties in Scotland, according to a survey from lettings platform Goodlord. Politics is one reason, but other motivations include the appeal of Scottish culture, lower living costs, and the pull of the TV series Outlander.
Why Scotland? Politics and Practical Perks
Tammi Gaw, a 50-year-old property adviser who moved from Washington DC to Glasgow four years ago, says friends and family who once laughed at her are now asking how to move there. She believes disenchantment with the current US administration doesn't fully explain Scotland's appeal. She also cites the feelgood factor from the more than 20,000 Scottish football fans who descended on Massachusetts for the World Cup this summer, winning over Bostonians with their pranks and bagpipe parades. “The Tartan Army put on a better marketing campaign for their country than any funded programme by the government,” she says.
Gaw, a member of Democrats Abroad, notes practical reasons too: some Americans want Scottish residency for free university tuition fees for their children. The NHS is another draw, with the annual immigration health surcharge of £1,035 seen as a bargain compared with US insurance premiums. Prescriptions are free for all in Scotland, which she says is a particular advantage for those with longstanding health conditions.
The Outlander Effect
Social media reveals a less obvious reason for the interest: the fantasy series Outlander, set in the Scottish Highlands. Hailey Beaupre, 28, who runs the tour company Sassenach Historian, became obsessed while a student in New Hampshire. After an Outlander tour, she said aloud: “I'm going to move to Scotland and I'm going to do tours like this for a living.” She broke up with her boyfriend, changed her degree from education to history, and eventually completed a master's at the University of Aberdeen. She now lives in Glasgow's Southside with her Scottish husband. “Scots are the kindest people on earth,” she says.
Challenges and Realities
Not everyone is delighted by the influx. One poster on Threads vents: “There is already a housing crisis in many of those longed-for areas due to second homes, holiday lets etc. People who pay over the odds for their dream homes push out younger folk from those areas, reducing services. Scotland is not a retirement village.”
However, the scale of the American inundation may be inflated. The increase in rental demand involves small numbers: from 265 properties in 2024 to 431 this year. Getting a visa is not easy without a British parent or an employer willing to sponsor you. Scotland needs skilled workers, and many coming are filling vital roles in remote areas with falling populations.
American photographer Corey Kinnan, 44, moved to the Black Isle with his wife and child after a holiday that included whisky porridge and a ceilidh. It took 10 years to relocate, only possible because his wife, an obstetrician, got a job in Inverness. He has had to adapt his photography business, offering portrait shoots to honeymooners, and found a social lifeline in Dingwall Camera Club. Melody Sandona, a 66-year-old corporate meeting planner, moved to the Highlands in August 2025 after a remote-working transfer. She finds the cost of living far cheaper than in the US: “I was spending $200 [£150] a month on cellphone service, $2,000 on health insurance and $1,000 a month on groceries. I'm never going back to the US – this is it for me.”
Ryan Forber, a 46-year-old firefighter from Nashville, moved with his family to Kirkcaldy in January. His wife, a vet, found a job within 48 hours to secure a skilled worker visa. Forber cites school shootings and gun violence as a concern: “I went to high school in Littleton, Colorado, at the time of the Columbine shooting, though I attended a different school. It was earth-shattering.” He finds Scotland safer for bringing up a child but has struggled to find work as a firefighter, having to apply from scratch. His advice to compatriots: “It's not all green pastures and golf courses. Keep an open mind.” He is considering buying a kilt for his first Burns Night in January, but adds, “I don't know if I'm really allowed to wear one.”
