New research has identified seven towns in England where a home can be bought on a single salary, despite the national average house price standing at £272,622.
Property firm Sell House Fast compared median pay, average house prices, required deposits, mortgage amounts and maximum home budgets across English towns and cities, using the House Price Index and Forbes figures. The result was an "affordability headroom" figure for each location.
Burnley leads the list
Burnley came out on top with the largest affordability buffer, showing a maximum home budget of £13,388 above the average property price. Three North East locations followed: Middlesbrough, County Durham and Hartlepool, then Hyndburn and Blackpool in Lancashire, with Kingston upon Hull taking the final spot.
Jack Malnick, Managing Director at Sell House Fast, said: "Buying a home on a single salary can feel like a major financial challenge, but it remains achievable for many buyers with the right location and a realistic budget. For those looking to get onto the property ladder alone, understanding where their income goes furthest can make all the difference."
Local views on the towns
Residents of some of the towns highlighted their benefits, though not all were keen to publicise them. One Reddit user commenting on Burnley said: "I've lived in/near Burnley all my life. If you like your countryside, lots of good walks, nice parks and friendly people (yes, honestly) then I say go for it. The central town areas can be a bit iffy, but if you live on the outskirts where there's nice pubs, restaurants, you're set."
Another added: "My mum lives in Ightenhill it's a nice area. There are obviously some really high levels of deprivation in Burnley and the town centre isn't the best but there's a really good life to be had here. There are lots of nice parks and walks in the country. It's easy driving distance to Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool, as well as the Lakes and Dales."
Keeping it quiet
A Hartlepool resident agreed that keeping the benefits quiet isn't a bad thing. She said: "I live five minutes walk from a beautiful beach at Seaton Carew, 20 minutes drive from the moors and gorgeous countryside and am on a major road and public transport routes if I want to go elsewhere. I lived in London for years and today my old tiny flat near Wimbledon costs more than a big four-bedroom house in Hartlepool. The quality of life here is our best kept secret - its so much better and you can actually afford to do things unlike when I was in London and broke all the time."
With the national average annual salary at £39,312, mortgage payments can seem impossible without help, but these seven locations offer a more manageable route onto the property ladder for single-income households.
