Britain’s property market has been through a seismic change over the past decade. In a reverse of the usual pattern, northern cities are dramatically outpacing London and the South East in terms of house price growth, according to analysis of Land Registry data.
And it’s Manchester and its neighbouring cities that now dominate the house price growth charts. Salford, though, has emerged as the UK’s strongest-performing property market, with average house prices surging by nearly 100% over the past ten years—from £112,914 in May 2015 to £225,790 in May 2025. Manchester is in second place with a 95.69% increase, and Oldham finishes off the top three at 92.25% growth.
North West is top performer
Of the UK’s 12 regions, it is the North West that has experienced the highest increase in average house prices, with a 61.19% rise over the decade—climbing from £129,973 in 2015 to £209,498 in 2025.
And Manchester’s average property price has risen from £131,114 to £256,579 over the same period, whilst Liverpool’s prices increased by 72.6%, up from £104,082 to £179,642, whilst Stockport experienced a 71.84% surge, with average prices hitting £307,005.
Attractive investment opportunities
The data suggests that accessibility, infrastructure investment, and relative affordability have all combined to create some very attractive investment opportunities in those northern hubs. Leeds is another Northern city with robust growth at 63.05%. Average house prices there climbed from £147,908 to £241,163 between 2015 and 2025, making it one of Yorkshire’s top economic powerhouses.
At the same time, in the West Midlands, Britain’s second city, Birmingham, recorded a 65.93% increase, with average prices rising from £141,224 to £234,328. Its growth is the result of the city’s ongoing regeneration and its developing role as a key commercial and cultural hub.
In the East Midlands, Nottingham is the standout performer, with the average house price jumping by 78.56%, up from £108,516 to £193,763. Demand there has been underpinned by the city’s two major universities, its diverse economy and strong transport links.
Stark contrast with London
That’s in stark contrast to London, which recorded the smallest regional increase at just 27.07%, with prices rising from £445,154 to £565,637 over the last ten years. That’s less than half the North West’s growth rate. Several inner London boroughs have posted even lower growth, with Kensington and Chelsea managing just a 0.15% rise.
Across all 359 of the UK’s local authorities, 356 saw house prices increase between May 2015 and May 2025, with only three experiencing declines. The most significant fall occurred in Aberdeen, where prices dropped 31.81% from £209,602 to £142,938, which is the direct result of the difficulties experienced by the oil industry over the period.
UK-wide, average house prices have risen from £179,917 to £268,652, which is an increase of 49.32%.
Exceptional growth in Northern cities
Northern cities have not only delivered exceptional growth over the past decade, they also still offer significantly lower entry points than London and the South East. In Manchester, for example, the average property costs £256,579, which is a fraction of the capital outlay required for investing in the capital (avge. £558,139), whilst also offering superior rental yields and capital appreciation.
In addition, as businesses embrace flexible working arrangements and seek cost efficiencies, northern cities with strong transport links, cultural amenities, and educational institutions have become increasingly attractive to both residents and employers.
Substantial returns
Sam Hodgson, finance expert at independent bridging loan and business finance brokerage, Clifton Private Finance, which compiled the analysis, says the North West has clearly now surpassed traditionally expensive southern areas and investors. It means portfolios that are concentrated in Manchester, Liverpool, Stockport, Birmingham, Nottingham, and Leeds have delivered substantial returns over the last decade.
Whether these growth rates will continue at the same level remains to be seen, but the structural factors underpinning northern England’s resurgence—infrastructure investment, urban regeneration, and relative affordability—suggest the property renaissance in those areas may continue for some time to come.
