The most affordable locations to buy a home revealed

March 29, 2019

The latest data from the Office of National Statistics has revealed where the most affordable places to buy a home are in England and Wales based on the ratio of the average salary and the average property price.

The data shows that across England and Wales the affordability ratio has shown little change year on year with the average property costing 7.8 times the available wage in 2008.

However, while housing affordability remains a big issue, the diversity of the UK property market means that there are a whole host of areas where the gap is much smaller.

Copeland is currently the best place in England and Wales to get a foot on the ladder and with an affordability ratio of 2.5, it is just over three times cheaper than the national average and over 17 times more affordable than the worst area Kensington and Chelsea.

Barrow-in-Furness, Blaenau Gwent, Neath Port Talbot, Pendle, Merthyr Tydfil and Burnley are all also home to an affordability ratio where house prices are less than four times the average wage.

Knowsley, Derby and Hyndburn complete the top 10 more affordable areas in the UK where getting a foot on the ladder is concerned.

Founder and CEO of Springbok Properties, Shepherd Ncube, commented:

“Housing affordability is a very hot topic and, the consistent escalation of house prices coupled with the slower rate of wage growth, means that for many the aspirations of owning their own home continues to move further out of reach.

However, our property market is a diverse one and amongst the many layers that form it there are 140 pockets of affordability offering a below average house price to wage ratio.

Of course,  wider economic factors such as job availability have a part to play but this aside, these areas offer hope to those wishing to shed the shackles of the rental sector. By doing your homework, you can uncover hidden gems of property affordability dotted all over England and Wales.”

Most affordable areas to buy in England & Wales
Area
House price/wage affordability ratio
Copeland
2.5
Barrow-in-Furness
3.53
Blaenau Gwent
3.59
Neath Port Talbot
3.6
Pendle
3.65
Merthyr Tydfil
3.78
Burnley
3.99
Knowsley
4.11
Derby
4.26
Hyndburn
4.35
England and Wales
7.8

 

Properganda PR

National and local media coverage for property businesses. Journo quotes delivered in minutes.

You May Also Enjoy

Damaged timber from Dry Rot
Estate Agent Talk

Mould and damp – what you need to know ahead of winter

With the winter months just round the corner, problems with damp and mould can become far more prominent. Autumntime is when many people turn on central heating systems and choose to close windows, preventing fresh air ventilation needed to allow damp air to leave a property. Unfortunately, the combination of warm and damp air can…
Read More →
Breaking News

Rental price and average salary tracker – September 2025

London and South East see biggest dips in required rental salary year-on-year London and the South East saw the sharpest dips year-on-year in the average salary needed in order to rent the average home in that area. London saw a 4.2% drop, whilst the South East saw a decline of 2.9%. Yorkshire and Humberside saw…
Read More →
buying at auction uk
Breaking News

The cities where buying beats renting – with just a 5% deposit

British first-time buyer mortgage payments are typically 17% cheaper than renting, even with a low 5% deposit The average 5% deposit is £11,412 based on a typical first-time buyer property price of £228,233 Among major cities outside London, the biggest gap between owning and renting is in Glasgow, where buyers could save more than £4,750…
Read More →
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Rightmove’s Weekly Mortgage Rates Tracker

Average rates for 2-year and 5-year fixed-rate mortgages   Term Average rate Weekly change Yearly change 2-year fixed 4.51% +0.00% -0.37% 5-year fixed 4.55% +0.01% +0.01%   Lowest rates for 2-year and 5-year fixed-rate mortgages   Term Lowest rate Weekly change Yearly change 2-year fixed 3.77% +0.05% -0.07% 5-year fixed 3.97% +0.10% +0.29%   Average…
Read More →
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Data and commentary from Rightmove on stamp duty reforms

Colleen Babcock, Rightmove’s property expert said: “We’ve been calling for stamp duty reform for some time now, as it’s a significant barrier for many people moving home. Abolishing it completely would remove one of the biggest barriers to moving, unlocking more moves at all stages of the property ladder. “Our data shows that only 5%…
Read More →
Breaking News

Second-time buyers dominate demand for longer term fixed mortgage deals

Second-time buyers are dominating demand for longer term fixed mortgage deals, fresh data from Moneyfacts Analyser can reveal. Of those looking for fixed term deals on moneyfactscompare.co.uk: Almost two-thirds (58%) of second-time buyers who compared mortgage deals using the moneyfactscompare.co.uk website were considering terms of three years or longer in the 30 days to 1…
Read More →