Rankings

Most affordable places to live in the UK

Affordability compares local property prices with local earnings, so a cheap area with low wages does not automatically win.

In short

The most affordable places to live in the UK are ranked here by comparing average house prices against local earnings, not by price alone. The current top three are Accrington (100), Bishop Auckland (100) and Burnley (100).

Affordability category: Land Registry average price against ONS local earnings.
Ranked from 539 indexed UK areas, rebuilt daily from the latest published figures.
Every area links to a full report with the source behind each figure.

Compiled by the TrackPostcode.UK data team Data last updated 2 November 2026 How we score every area Data sources

Most affordable places to live in the UK: the top ten, drawn from the same figures as the table below.

Top ten compared across the categories that most often change the answer
#	Area	Nation	Score	Cost of living	Safety	Weather	Broadband
=1	Accrington	England	100	92	45	64	95
=1	Bishop Auckland	England	100	92	55	78	88
=1	Burnley	England	100	93	41	64	96
=1	Chester-le-Street	England	100	92	53	78	88
=1	Consett	England	100	92	52	78	88
=1	Hartlepool	England	100	97	39	78	97
=1	Nelson	England	100	91	49	64	93
=1	Peterlee	England	100	92	47	78	88
=1	Seaham	England	100	92	55	78	88
=1	Stornoway	Scotland	100	87	83	34	14

Category scores are 0 to 100 and a dash means that dataset has not loaded for the area yet, in which case it is excluded from the overall score rather than guessed at. Open any area for the full report and its sources.

Most affordable places to live in the UK: the full ranking

Showing only areas measured on all twelve categories. 385 otherwise-eligible areas are hidden because at least one category has no data - most often crime, which Greater Manchester Police do not publish at street level. Show all areas.

Best in Scotland

1StornowayNa h-Eileanan Siar, Scotland100 2DumfriesDumfries and Galloway, Scotland97 =3ArbroathAngus, Scotland94 =3ForfarAngus, Scotland94 =3KirkcaldyFife, Scotland94 6LerwickShetland Islands, Scotland91 7HawickScottish Borders, Scotland90 8ThursoHighland, Scotland81 9PerthPerth and Kinross, Scotland80

Best in England

=1AccringtonHyndburn, North West, England100 =1Bishop AucklandCounty Durham, North East, England100 =1BurnleyBurnley, North West, England100 =1Chester-le-StreetCounty Durham, North East, England100 =1ConsettCounty Durham, North East, England100 =1HartlepoolHartlepool, North East, England100 =1NelsonPendle, North West, England100 =1PeterleeCounty Durham, North East, England100 =1SeahamCounty Durham, North East, England100 =1SunderlandSunderland, North East, England100

Best in Wales

1TredegarBlaenau Gwent, Wales100 2AberdareRhondda Cynon Taf, Wales97 =3CaerphillyCaerphilly, Wales88 =3CarmarthenCarmarthenshire, Wales88 =3PontypoolTorfaen, Wales88 =6CaernarfonGwynedd, Wales86 =6MaestegBridgend, Wales86 =6PorthcawlBridgend, Wales86 9HolyheadIsle of Anglesey, Wales77 10CardiffCardiff, Wales68

Ranked from 539 indexed areas by TrackPostcode.UK scores. Coverage grows as more areas are indexed.

About this ranking

What makes a place affordable on TrackPostcode.UK?

Affordability compares average house prices from HM Land Registry against typical earnings, so it reflects how easily local incomes stretch to local property, not just the sticker price. Right now the highest are Accrington (100/100), Bishop Auckland (100/100), Burnley (100/100).

Is a cheap area always an affordable one?

Not necessarily. An area with low prices but very low wages can be less affordable than a pricier area with higher earnings. That is why affordability and raw cost are scored separately.

Where does the house price data come from?

The HM Land Registry UK House Price Index, published monthly under the Open Government Licence, at local authority level.

Every ranking

Best places to live Best places for remote workers Best places for families Best places for students Best places for retirement Best places under £200,000 Cheapest places to live Safest places Sunniest places Best weather Fastest broadband Cleanest air Best places for jobs Best transport links Most to do Best healthcare access

The same index ordered by a different measurement each time, from the same twelve category scores and rebuilt daily. Each one states on its own page what it measures and what it does not.

What this ranking measures: Affordability category: Land Registry average price against ONS local earnings. Read the full methodology before quoting a figure.

Primary source: HM Land Registry. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.