Which town is best to settle in West Lothian areas

[Rocy]

Hello, hope you all well. I am new to Scotland. I have two secondary school age kids. I work entirely at and remotely from home so I am free from communting to workplace. I am considering to move into West Lothian district but don't know which town is best for me.

I am considering:

1. LIVINGSTON
2. BATHGATE
3. BROXBURN
4. LINLITHGOW
5. ARMADALE
6. WHITBURN
7. EAST CALDER
8. WEST CALDER
9. BLACKBURN

My cretieria are:

1. Buget for home: GBP 300-350 K with at least 3 bedrooms
2. In good proximity of good secondary school
3. Low crime rate
4. No ex-mining field
5. Prefer greener places

If you are in West Lothian, can you share your recommendation of your choice (or choices) or towns to avoid preferable with reason please? Many thanks.

Linlithgow is significantly nicer (in my opinion) than any of the others. Has good green spaces (loch/canal), a good secondary school and great local history. Easy access to motorways and main train line for commuting too. Possibly more expensive than the others although I’m a bit out of touch with house prices. It’s a great town.

Linlithgow would be top pick every time. Lovely market town, individual shops, lots kids activities, train station, best performing high school in WL. But is pretty expensive so your budget will be tight for 3 bed house.

East, mid and west calder all nice villages with some local shops and very easy striking distance of Livingston. They're all popular family choices. West calder has train station and the secondary school (fairly newly built) which I've not heard anything bad about.

Livingston is large town, was originally a "new town" and is built for driving around. Town centre is really a shopping centre (one of best in Scotland). The town is basically a collection of housing estates with few local amenities in each. 2 train stations. I like Livingston but it definitely lacks character and charm. Secondary schools fine, st Margaret's (catholic) particularly good.

Bathgate has nice town centre and good community feel about it. Train station and loads of kids activities. School is ok but not great.

Broxburn is small town, Uphall is the nicer end. Good bus service. Has supermarkets but the local shops are pretty poor/tacky. School is ok but not great.

Personally I'd avoid Armadale, Whitburn, Blackburn. They all have ex-mining feel to them and seem to have more poverty.

I'd go for Linlithgow purely because it's on the fast train line between Edinburgh and Glasgow but I think you'll struggle to get 3 bedrooms on that budget there. A lot of people are moving to the new builds in Winchburgh where you could probably get 4 beds for that budget but there's no train line. I think Winchburgh is currently zoned for Linlithgow high school but there's a new school being built in the village.

Look at Murieston and Bellsquarry in the south of Livingston - my friend lives in BQ, it’s v nice.

Both within walking distance of Livingston South train station

. I think Winchburgh is currently zoned for Linlithgow high school but there's a new school being built in the village.

Winchburgh has a new high school just opened, it's only S1 in at moment.

It's a village with masses of new housing and no amenities though.

By reputation - Linlithgow. All our friends have done the research and when priced out of Edinburgh have all gone for Linlithgow.
We also have friends in Bathgate and they spend most of their time not in it.

There’s a 4 bed in linlithgow fixed price £343.

Thank you so much. All your suggestion are ver helpful. Really appreciated.