These days, buying a house in Britain is not an easy process. And it certainly isn’t cheap. The average cost of a house in the UK right now is £267,500. According to property portal, Zoopla, that’s almost four times average household incomes. But there are still pockets of the country where a house isn’t going to cost you an arm and a leg.
Researchers at Zoopla set out to discover the most affordable area in the UK and crunched data around house value-to-earnings ratios, based on a two-earner household on an average salary for the local area.
The study’s findings revealed that Cumnock in Scotland is the UK’s most affordable town to buy a house. Properties there cost an average of £80,300, which is just over its estimated household income of £75,800 a year.
In England, Shildon and Peterlee in County Durham and Ashington in Northumberland are the most affordable areas to buy your own home, with properties valued at less than 1.4 times local household incomes. In Wales, houses in the town Ferndale will give you the most bang for your buck, with an average price of £101,600.
The data also revealed that house prices have fallen over the last year in two-thirds of southern England. The largest improvements in affordability are apparently in the south east, south west and east of England.
Over in the capital, the most affordable area had a much higher average house price of (cue eye roll) £417,800. You can read more about London house prices in Zoopl’s study here.
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If you’re looking to up sticks but not quite sure yet, we’ve got you covered. Why not try Saltcoats in Scotland, which is officially the cheapest seaside town to move to? If you prefer to roam at night, Manchester has some of the best nightlife in the world, or if neither of those take your fancy, why not just buy yourself a castle and move off the grid? And if you’re a first time buyer, this northern city is currently a first-time hotspot.
ICYMI: This southern English region has been named one of the best places to visit in the world in 2025.
Plus: This UK Christmas market is one of the best in Europe.
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