Thirty-one of Britain’s 36 most affordable towns are located in Scotland or the North East, where property prices remain under twice the combined yearly earnings of two local workers, based on recent housing market figures.
The study of 929 towns reveals that a typical UK home costs £299,100, roughly 4.3 times the average household income of £69,600. However, in the most affordable areas, that multiple shrinks to as little as 1.15 times earnings. Scotland leads with 23 of the 36 spots, followed by the North East (8), the North West (4), and Wales (1). The North East offers the best value, with homes priced at 2.64 times local earnings, while London remains the least affordable at 6.11 times.
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Three towns in County Durham, Shildon, Ferryhill, and Peterlee, rank highest. Shildon’s average home costs £73,600, just 1.15 times the local income of £64,000. These three are the only towns in the dataset where prices stay below £100,000. Scotland’s coastal communities also stand out, with six of the remaining seven top-ten spots. Fraserburgh, a fishing port, holds the fourth position nationally, with homes priced at £116,000 (1.59 times earnings). Workington in Cumbria is the sole non-coastal or non-Scottish entry in the top ten, at £114,900.
Southern England presents a sharp contrast. In the South East, the average home costs £395,700, 5.33 times local earnings, second only to London, where prices reach £524,100 (6.11 times earnings). This gap highlights broader economic differences, with northern and Scottish markets providing lower entry points for buyers.