House prices and affordability, by region
Last reviewed: 30 June 2026
The official measure of UK house prices is the UK House Price Index from the ONS and HM Land Registry, based on completed sales. To judge how stretched buyers are, the ONS affordability ratio compares house prices to earnings by area: a ratio of ten means homes cost about ten times annual earnings. Affordability varies sharply by region, with London and the South typically far less affordable. We point to the live sources rather than quote figures that date quickly.
Latest official figures
The average UK house price is £270,080, up 3.8% over the year, per the HM Land Registry UK House Price Index for 2026-04.
| Region | Average price | Annual change |
|---|---|---|
| London | £552,655 | -2.1% |
| South East | £376,819 | +0.3% |
| East of England | £336,300 | +3.8% |
| South West | £302,618 | +3.5% |
| England | £291,445 | +3.9% |
| United Kingdom | £270,080 | +3.8% |
| East Midlands | £241,620 | +5.5% |
| West Midlands | £234,635 | +2% |
| North West | £216,138 | +7.2% |
| Wales | £212,489 | +3.5% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | £207,974 | +7.2% |
| Northern Ireland | £198,015 | +7.4% |
| Scotland | £191,927 | +2.8% |
| North East | £163,190 | +9.9% |
Source: HM Land Registry UK House Price Index, data for 2026-04. This page updates automatically from the official feed. Last fetched 2026-07-21. Figures are for completed sales and lag the market by a couple of months.
Price is only half the story
A high price is not the same as poor affordability if earnings are high too. That is why the affordability ratio matters: it sets local prices against local earnings. A region with lower headline prices but much lower wages can be just as stretched as a pricier one. Reading prices and the affordability ratio together gives the honest picture of how hard it is to buy in a given area.
How to read the regional picture (indicative)
- UK House Price Index: average prices by nation, region and local authority, from registered sales.
- Affordability ratio: price relative to earnings, the best cross-region comparison.
- Pattern: London and much of the South typically show the highest ratios; much of the North, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are usually more affordable.
- Granularity: the data goes down to local authority, so check your specific area rather than a national average.
Regional patterns described qualitatively. We do not quote specific prices or ratios, which change each release; read them from the source.
Why this matters for your mortgage
Affordability shapes how big a deposit and income you need, and how far a given salary stretches in your area. If prices are high relative to earnings where you are buying, family help or schemes like shared ownership become more relevant. See also how much can I borrow.
Common questions
Where does official house price data come from?
The UK House Price Index, produced jointly by the Office for National Statistics and HM Land Registry, is the official measure. It is based on actual completed sales registered with the Land Registry, which makes it comprehensive, though it lags the market by a couple of months.
What is the affordability ratio?
The ONS housing affordability ratio compares average house prices to average earnings, by area. A ratio of, say, ten means homes cost about ten times annual earnings. It is the cleanest way to compare how stretched buyers are in different regions, rather than just comparing raw prices.
Why do regions differ so much?
Prices and affordability vary enormously across the UK, with London and parts of the South typically far less affordable than much of the North, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The affordability ratio captures this better than price alone, because earnings differ by region too.
Do you publish current prices?
Yes, for the headline UK and regional average prices: this page pulls them automatically from the official UK House Price Index each time it is published, with the data month and source shown. For local-authority detail and the affordability ratio we point you to the live ONS and Land Registry data, which goes deeper than we reproduce here.
Founder, MortgageExplained, MortgageExplained
Adam spent nearly a decade as a mortgage adviser at Just Mortgages, with further experience in commercial finance. He is CeMAP and CF qualified. He built MortgageExplained to do one thing well: explain mortgages in plain English, then introduce you to a regulated broker when you are ready. Every page is written and reviewed by Adam.
Last reviewed: 30 June 2026