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Halifax reveals the top 10 locations where house prices have risen the most


14 November 2023

  • Average UK house prices have fallen by -3.9% over the last year
  • But more than 70 local areas have bucked the national trend with rising property prices
  • Powys in Wales has seen the strongest growth over the last 12 months (+17.4%)
  • East Lindsey, in East Midlands, tops the list for England (+13.3%)
  • Moray has seen the highest property price inflation in Scotland (+10.7%)

 

More than 70 local authority areas have seen average house prices rise over the last year, bucking the national trend, according to new research released by Halifax.

The analysis – based on data from the Halifax House Price Index – looked at typical house prices in more than 300 Local Authority Areas across Britian in the three months up to September this year, and compared them to the equivalent figures from 2022.

At a UK level, house prices are down by -3.9% over the last year, with higher interest rates impacting on mortgage affordability, which has fed through to lower demand among would-be buyers.

However, that national picture masks some big variations in house price performance at a local level across the country, with a number of locations posting strong growth in property prices during 2023.

Top of the list is Powys, with annual house price growth of +17.4%. The largest but least densely populated county in Wales, it’s known for its villages and market towns, and features a stunning landscape of valleys and mountains, including most of Brecon Beacons National Park. Newtown, also known as 'Y Drenewydd' in Welsh, is the largest town in Powys.

Next is East Lindsey, which is also the area of England with the strongest property price inflation over the last year (+13.3%). Flanking the east coast of Lincolnshire, it’s home to the Lincolnshire Wolds, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). It also features the award-winning Blue Flag beaches of Skegness, Mablethorpe and Sutton-on-Sea.

Making up the top three is Moray, which has seen the biggest increase in house prices in Scotland over the last year (+10.7%). Another largely rural area, it features an array of top golf courses and many of Scotland’s whisky distilleries. Also taking in part of the Cairngorms National Park, it’s equally famous for its colony of bottle-nose dolphins living in the Moray Firth.

These are the 10 local areas of Britain with the strongest house price growth over the last year:

Local authority

Nation/region

House price Q3 2022

House price Q3 2023

Annual % change

Annual £ change
Powys Wales £216,307 £253,958 +17.4% £37,651
East Lindsey East Midlands £194,533 £220,421 +13.3% £25,888
Moray Scotland £162,258 £179,606 +10.7% £17,347
BaberLondongh Eastern England £317,383 £349,965 +10.3% £32,583
Sunderland North East £138,579 £150,862 +8.9% £12,283
Ealing London £494,100 £531,127 +7.5% £37,027
Westminster / City of London London £714,242 £767,350 +7.4% £53,108
Bolsover East Midlands £167,398 £179,453 +7.2% £12,054
Cumberland North West £165,346 £176,470 +6.7% £11,124
Rossendale North West £185,658 £198,102 +6.7% £12,444

 

Kim Kinnaird, Director, Halifax Mortgages, said: “There are multiple factors which can impact house prices in your local area, ranging from the mix of properties available and the extent of any new housing, to the quality of schools and abundance of job opportunities.

“What’s clear is that the UK housing market is not a single-entity that performs in a uniform way across the country, there are differences. While at a national level the current squeeze on mortgage affordability has seen property prices fall over the last year, in many regions there remain pockets of house price growth. While a limited supply of properties for sale could be a factor, this also suggests in some areas, local market activity – and demand among buyers – remains strong.

Many of the places highlighted in our research also benefit from more remote or rural surroundings and incorporate areas of outstanding natural beauty. These are traits which continue to be desirable for prospective homeowners, bucking the trend of the wider performance of the housing market.”
 

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