Revealed: the most lucrative shared living postcodes

New research from COHO, the HMO management platform, reveals that the shared living market in England & Wales generates an estimated monthly rental income of £1.4bn. But which postcode areas are creating the most income from shared living?

How much are HMOs making in your postcode? Find out here

COHO has analysed the estimated number of licensed HMO properties in England & Wales*, and the average monthly HMO rental income per room* to calculate the overall value of the shared living market based on an average property having five bedrooms.

The average monthly rent price of a room in a shared living property in England & Wales sits at an estimated £711. For a property with five bedrooms, this equates to a total estimated monthly income of £3,557 per property.

Further analysis shows that there are 394,945 licenced HMOs in England & Wales, which means the sector’s total monthly rental income surpasses £1.4bn.

London’s HMO market alone generates monthly income of £918.4m, followed by the South East (£140.5m), the South West (£106.8m), North West (£60), and Yorkshire & Humber (£56.4).

Where are the most lucrative HMO postcode areas?

With by far the nation’s largest and most lucrative shared living market, it’s no surprise that London dominates when it comes to the list of most valuable postcodes.

At the top of the list is NW1, where 9,681 shared living properties charge an average monthly rent of £1,220 per room, creating a total monthly income of more than £59m.

East London’s E5 postcode is the busiest house share postcode in the country, with an estimated total of more than 12,061 licenced HMOs. At an average monthly rent of £949 per room, E5’s total shared living income sits at more than £57.2m per month.

Other leading London postcodes include SE1 (£42.7m), N15 (£37.3m), IG1 (£36.1m), EN3 (£30m), N17 (£28.5m), and IG3 (£27.6m).

Outside the capital, the most lucrative HMO market is found in Bristol, where the BS16 postcode area houses 6,908 shared living properties combining for a total monthly income of over £25m.

Other leading non-London postcodes include York’s YO10 (£10.6m), Brighton’s BN2 (£8.7m), Bath’s BA2 (£8.5m), Cardiff’s CF24 (£8.2m), Oxford’s OX4 (£6.8m), Leeds’ LS6 (£6.4m), and Manchester’s M14 (£5.7m).

COHO Founder and CEO, Vann Vogstad, commented:

“The numbers speak for themselves: over £1.4bn in monthly rental income from nearly 400,000 licenced HMOs across England and Wales the shared living sector is a housing market heavyweight. What was once seen as the preserve of students and transient renters has evolved into one of the most lucrative and dynamic sectors of the UK market.

This evolution is being driven by a new generation of renters, most notably young professionals at the beginning of their careers who are showing a great appetite for the social and community benefits provided by shared living, while also craving a high quality, sophisticated home.

As the shared living demographic broadens and becomes more discerning, the sector’s revenue potential goes through the roof. Our own previous research has already proven that tenants will pay more to live in good quality homes with well-matched housemates, and the future scope for further value is limited only by the landlord’s creativity and ability to provide a rental experience above and beyond the rest of the market.”

EAN Breaking News

Breaking News from the team at Estate Agent Networking. Have a new story to share with us? Then please get in contact today! When and where we can we will refer to third party websites with a 'live link back' where news was released first.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Strong rental supply continues amid seasonal slowdown in demand

Rental supply remained resilient in October, continuing the strong trend seen throughout 2025. Overall, year-to-date figures show new listings up 10% compared with last year, highlighting a sustained improvement in market supply. Average rents edged down by 3% in October 2025 compared with September 2025, settling at £575 per week. This slight dip aligns with…
Read More
Home and Living

Why Choose Wooden Blinds for Your Home?

When it comes to selecting the right window treatments for your home, wooden blinds have long been a popular choice for many homeowners. They not only offer a classic and timeless aesthetic but also provide practical benefits such as durability, versatility, and eco-friendliness. If you’re looking for window coverings that combine style with functionality, wooden…
Read More
Breaking News

Falling rates and rising wages ease first-time buyer challenge

Typical first-time buyer home now costs 5.9 times average earnings – the lowest ratio since 2015 Average monthly mortgage payment is now £1,087 – around £259 less than renting Inverclyde in Scotland is the most affordable location in Britain, Kensington and Chelsea in London the least affordable Amanda Bryden, Head of Mortgages, Lloyds: “Lower mortgage…
Read More
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Mansion Tax on Homes over £2 million

Comment on Mansion Tax being introduced for homes over £2 million and £5 million from April 2028 Colleen Babcock, Rightmove’s property expert says: “The property market needs less taxation not more, to encourage and enable movement. Today’s announcement of a Mansion Tax could lead to some distortion at the top end of the market, particularly…
Read More
Breaking News

Autumn Budget 2025: Property Industry Reacts

The Autumn Budget has confirmed a series of major housing and property tax reforms that will reshape the market over the coming years. The measures place particular emphasis on higher value homes, revised council tax structures and long term planning reform. Below is a breakdown of the announcements that directly affect the property market, together…
Read More
Breaking News

Solutions to fix construction skills

The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) has released a report titled, ‘Skills to Build: Fixing Britain’s construction workforce crisis.’ After speaking to several organizations and having roundtables to garner a wide understanding of the sectors’ perspectives and needs, they have proposed twenty six recommendations that will fix the issues underpinning the skills crisis. Richard Beresford,…
Read More