The UK’s most affordable towns: North East’s Shildon and Scotland’s Cumnock lead the way, as South East’s Beaconsfield tops the list as least affordable
Shildon, in County Durham, is Britain’s most affordable town to buy in 2025 with median property values of £73,900, barely one year’s joint household earnings.
Scotland and the North East of England dominate the most affordable towns list, highlighting a significant geographical divide in housing value for home buyers.
Beaconsfield, in Buckinghamshire, is the least affordable town with a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.25 and an average house price of over £1m.
Tower Hamlets leads the way as the most affordable borough of London, with above average local earnings contributing to a price-to-earnings ratio of 4.97.
UNDER EMBARGO UNTIL 00.01, THURSDAY 20th NOVEMBER 2025, London. Latest research from Zoopla, one of Britain’s leading property websites has revealed the most affordable towns to buy a home across the UK. On average, two earners looking to buy a home can still expect to pay 4.4 times their average combined annual earnings - slightly lower than 4.5 times in 2024 - but areas like Scotland and the North East of England offer much better value.
Zoopla has uncovered the most affordable towns and cities within Britain to help those who plan to buy a home in the coming months. To calculate which areas are the most affordable, Zoopla analysed house price-to-earnings ratios, based on a two-earner household on average earnings for the local area and compared this to the average house price in the same area.
A clear North-South divide
The most affordable town to buy a home in all of Great Britain is Shildon in the North East. An average home in the town in County Durham costs just over a year’s combined pay for two household earners, with median home value standing at just £73,900.
Table 1: Ten most affordable towns in the UK
Town | Region | Median home value | Estimated annual household income | House price-to-earnings ratio |
1: Shildon | North East | £73,800 | £60,300 | 1.23 |
2: Cumnock | Scotland | £83,700 | £67,200 | 1.5 |
3: Saltcoats | Scotland | £96,500 | £70,400 | 1.37 |
4: Ardrossan | Scotland | £100,050 | £70,400 | 1.42 |
5: Peterlee | North East | £85,900 | £60,300 | 1.42 |
6: Irvine | Scotland | £101,100 | £70,400 | 1.44 |
7: Kilwinning | Scotland | £102,600 | £70,400 | 1.46 |
8: Ferryhill | North East | £92,500 | £60,300 | 1.53 |
9: Girvan | Scotland | £107,300 | £69,000 | 1.56 |
10: Clydebank | Scotland | £105,800 | £64,900 | 1.63 |
Source: Zoopla
The findings reveal a striking geographic polarisation in UK housing affordability. Scotland dominates the list of the UK’s most affordable towns, claiming a remarkable seven of the ten spots whilst the remaining three positions are secured by the North East of England. Conversely, the market’s disparity is underscored by the bottom of the list, with eight of the ten least affordable towns located in the South East of England.
At the other end of the affordability spectrum, Beaconsfield, in Buckinghamshire, tops the list as the least affordable UK town with a house price-to-earnings ratio of 15.25 - meaning a median priced home costs more than 15 times the estimated average household income, at £1,112,000. Other towns that are least affordable to average earners include Gerrards Cross and Esher, both located in the South East and within commutable distance to London. With house price-to-earnings ratios in these areas topping even the most expensive London boroughs, homebuyers are paying a premium for quiet countryside locations, a stone’s throw from the capital.
Table 2: Most affordable town in each region
Region | Town | Median home value | Estimated annual household income | House price-to-earnings ratio |
North East | Shildon | £73,900 | £60,300 | 1.23 |
Scotland | Cumnock | £83,700 | £67,200 | 1.25 |
Wales | Ferndale | £105,300 | £60,500 | 1.74 |
North West | Workington | £123,300 | £68,700 | 1.8 |
Yorkshire and the Humber | Mexborough | £152,000 | £63,200 | 2.41 |
East Midlands | Gainsborough | £171,600 | £62,400 | 2.75 |
West Midlands | Newcastle- Under-Lyme | £182,200 | £63,300 | 2.88 |
South West | Cinderford | £253,800 | £74,300 | 3.42 |
South East | Dover | £242,500 | £68,400 | 3.55 |
East of England | Great Yarmouth | £210,300 | £58,500 | 3.6 |
London | Tower Hamlets | £455,400 | £91,700 | 4.97 |
Source: Zoopla
Furthermore, the list of most affordable towns in each region of the UK highlights the scale of the affordability pressures on potential homeowners in the South of England. For instance, even in the most affordable towns in the South East and South West - Dover and Cinderford - a median-priced home still demands that prospective buyers can afford more than three and a half times their annual combined salary. This ratio underscores the affordability challenge for those on single earner incomes in even the most competitively priced areas of Southern England. The cost of home ownership is also a key factor behind the rapid rise in rents across the country.
Most affordable options for Londoners
In London, there is a huge range in house price-to-earnings ratios. Tower Hamlets tops the list for affordability in the capital, with a price-to-earnings ratio of 4.97 reflecting higher incomes of those who live locally and a large supply of apartments in the local area. However, the affordability of homes in Tower Hamlets is still four times worse than the most affordable areas of the UK like Shildon in the North East.
In line with general trends, the majority of the affordable boroughs in London are found in Outer London. However, three Inner London boroughs - Tower Hamlets, Southwark and Lambeth - are exceptions to this. Whilst property prices in these areas are still relatively high, the area boasts above-average local earnings and a greater quantity of homes - largely dominated by flats. These factors combine to lower the house price-to-earnings ratio, bringing it more in line with Outer London boroughs.
Table 3: Most affordable London boroughs
Borough | Median home value | Estimated annual household income | House price-to-earnings ratio |
Tower Hamlets | £455,400 | £91,700 | 4.97 |
Croydon | £423,400 | £77,300 | 5.48 |
Greenwich | £448,800 | £81,200 | 5.53 |
Lewisham | £448,100 | £80,200 | 5.59 |
Southwark | £491,500 | £87,300 | 5.63 |
Havering | £467,900 | £82,700 | 5.66 |
Barking and Dagenham | £391,100 | £66,800 | 5.86 |
Lambeth | £522,400 | £88,600 | 5.89 |
Merton | £530,600 | £88,300 | 6.12 |
Bromley | 546,100 | 89,300 | 6.12 |
Source: Zoopla
Richard Donnell, Executive Director at Zoopla comments:
“Our latest Affordable Towns research clearly highlights the wide gulf in the affordability of housing for home buyers across the UK and within regions. 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.
“Homes are most affordable across Scotland and the North East, but within these regions are pockets where affordability is a challenge. For those looking to buy in the South, there are areas which offer reasonably priced homes compared to local incomes, but there are large areas where homes are only affordable to those on higher incomes or with larger deposits.
“The affordability of home ownership and the cost of moving are big considerations for those planning their next move. The days of most people moving within 5 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.”
For those looking to buy in Shildon, County Durham, here are some properties available to buy now: