Inverclyde in Scotland has been named the most affordable area to buy a home in the UK, with average house prices of £115,000 over the last year—just three times the local average earnings of £37,819. This is the lowest house-price-to-earnings ratio in the country.
New data reveals where salaries stretch furthest when buying a home, as the average UK property now costs £273,000, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics. This is up 0.9 per cent from a year earlier.
House price growth slows while wages rise
Annual house price growth is slowing, with increases down from 1.2 per cent in July, 1.5 per cent in June, 3.1 per cent in May, and 4.2 per cent in April. Meanwhile, wages have been growing faster than house prices, making buying a home slightly more affordable.
Average annual earnings for full-time workers in the UK are now £40,911 before tax, an increase of 4.5 per cent compared to 2025. This means average house prices are now 6.7 times higher than average earnings, the lowest ratio since 2015.
Other affordable areas across the UK
Aberdeen is the next most affordable place to buy, with average house prices there working out at 3.1 times average earnings in the area. Burnley is the most affordable place to buy a home in England, with average prices of £137,000 in the last year, equating to 3.7 times the local average earnings of £36,821.
The list of areas where salaries go furthest includes North Ayrshire (3.3), West Dunbartonshire (3.3), East Ayrshire (3.5), Renfrewshire (3.7), South Ayrshire (3.8), Hartlepool (3.8), and North Lanarkshire (3.9), among others.
Full list of affordable areas
Other areas with low house-price-to-earnings ratios include City of Dundee (3.9), Na h-Eileanan Siar (3.9), Hyndburn (3.9), Cumberland (4.0), Blaenau Gwent (4.0), Middlesbrough (4.0), County Durham (4.0), Darlington (4.1), Blackpool (4.1), City of Kingston upon Hull (4.1), Clackmannanshire (4.2), Merthyr Tydfil (4.2), and Redcar and Cleveland (4.2).
