Shildon in County Durham has been named Britain's most affordable town for working families to buy a home in 2025, while Beaconsfield in Buckinghamshire ranks as the least affordable, according to new research by property portal Zoopla. The stark contrast highlights a widening geographical divide in UK housing affordability.
The study analyzed postal towns with 5,000 properties or more, calculating house price-to-earnings ratios based on typical property values and affordability for dual-income households earning full-time local wages. Shildon emerged as the clear winner with a median home value of £73,900 and an estimated annual household income of £60,300, resulting in a house price-to-earnings ratio of just 1.23. This means working families need barely more than one year's combined local pay to afford a home.
At the opposite end of the spectrum sits Beaconsfield, where the median home value exceeds £1.1 million against an estimated household income of £72,900. The resulting ratio of 15.25 means properties cost more than 15 times average household earnings. Other unaffordable locations include Gerrards Cross and Esher in the South East, areas popular with London commuters where a premium is paid for countryside proximity to the capital.
Across the UK, dual earners purchasing property can expect to pay 4.4 times their combined yearly income, marginally down from 4.5 times in 2024. Scotland and the North East dominate the affordability rankings, with seven of the top 10 most affordable towns located in Scotland, including Cumnock in East Ayrshire and several North Ayrshire towns like Saltcoats, Ardrossan, Irvine and Kilwinning.
Regional Divide Deepens
Richard Donnell, executive director at Zoopla, said: «Our latest affordable towns research clearly highlights the wide gulf in the affordability of housing for home buyers across the UK and within regions.» He emphasized the challenges facing buyers: «To have the most affordable town, Shildon in the North East, requiring barely more than one year's local pay, contrasted against Beaconsfield where the cost is over 15 times average earnings, shows the challenges facing those looking to move home.»
Donnell noted that while homes are most affordable across Scotland and the North East, pockets of unaffordability exist even within these regions. For buyers in the South, reasonably priced homes exist compared to local incomes, but large areas remain accessible only to those on higher incomes or with larger deposits.
Buyers Looking Further Afield
The research reveals a shift in buyer behavior as affordability pressures mount. «The affordability of home ownership and the cost of moving are big considerations for those planning their next move,» Donnell said. «The days of most people moving within five miles of where they live are over. We can see that a growing number of buyers are having to look further afield to find better value for money and they need the tools to make informed buying decisions.»
The findings underscore what Zoopla describes as a significant geographical divide in housing value for home buyers, with regional disparities showing no signs of narrowing despite the marginal improvement in the national affordability ratio.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
