Northern Ireland has been revealed as the UK region with the most widespread house price growth over the last five years, according to new analysis by property website Zoopla. The analysis found that 37.9% of homes in Northern Ireland increased in value year-on-year from June 2022 to June 2026.
The North West of England came second with 29.7%, followed by Scotland (22.6%), Yorkshire and the Humber (22.0%), and the North East of England (20.5%). London saw only 4.6% of homes increase in value annually.
National trends
Zoopla estimated that just 14% of UK homes – equating to just over four million properties – had increased in value annually each June from June 2022 to June 2026. The firm analysed valuations of individual homes, starting in June 2021 and ending in June 2026, comparing June valuations year-on-year.
Despite the low proportion of homes with consistent annual gains, Zoopla's house price index indicates the average UK home value increased by 15.3% over the past five years, equating to an average of £36,100 per home. The company noted that rises in mortgage rates affecting borrowers' costs had an impact over the period.
Regional breakdown
The full ranking of regions by percentage of homes increasing in value year-on-year is as follows: Northern Ireland (37.9%), North West (29.7%), Scotland (22.6%), Yorkshire and the Humber (22.0%), North East (20.5%), West Midlands (19.6%), Wales (19.1%), East Midlands (9.8%), London (4.6%), South West (4.1%), South East (3.2%), and East of England (2.6%).
Local hotspots
Zoopla also identified top-performing locations within each region where property values were particularly likely to have risen each year. In Northern Ireland, Antrim saw 60.5% of homes increase annually. Other notable areas include Bonnybridge in Scotland (60.8%), Castleford in Yorkshire and the Humber (53.6%), Dukinfield in the North West (51.1%), and Wednesbury in the West Midlands (51.3%).
Richard Donnell, executive director at Zoopla, said: “Housing markets across Northern Ireland, the North and Scotland have seen homeowners keep building equity in their home because the local housing market was less exposed to the affordability pressures that higher mortgage rates bring.” He added: “For homeowners, this analysis highlights why you cannot rely on national or regional averages when assessing what your home is worth.”
Aneisha Beveridge, research director at Connells Group, commented: “The UK’s housing market has become increasingly fragmented over the last five years. The strongest performance has generally come from more affordable markets across the north of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, where lower price points have helped insulate buyers from higher mortgage rates and supported continued demand.”
