House prices across the UK have increased by an average of 74% over the last 20 years, from £113,900 to £268,200.
Meanwhile house price to earnings ratios have remained broadly in line at 6.42.
Whilst London has seen significant house price increases (119%) over the last twenty years, house prices in the South East and Eastern England have also registered a significant jump, increasing by 87 per cent in both regions.
House price to earnings ratios have also increased in both regions, from 7.8 to 8.6 in the South East and 7.1 to 7.7 in Eastern England.
Percentage increase in house prices over 20 years
| Region | Avg house price in 2025 | Avg house price in 2005 | Percentage increase |
| London | £534,400 | £244,200 | 119% |
| South East | £385,400 | £206,100 | 87% |
| Eastern England | £337,500 | £180,600 | 87% |
| South West | £312,000 | £179,300 | 74% |
| East Midlands | £231,000 | £136,100 | 70% |
| West Midlands | £233,700 | £139,800 | 67% |
| Wales | £206,500 | £125,600 | 64% |
| Scotland | £168,000 | £103,100 | 63% |
| North West | £200,800 | £126,300 | 59% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | £190,400 | £121,200 | 57% |
| North East | £146,400 | £115,800 | 26% |
| UK | £268,200 | £154,300 | 74% |
Within the South East, the town of Elmbridge in Surrey has seen the biggest average increase in house prices over the last two decades, up from £338,800 to £712,700 (a 110% increase).
Despite its high property prices, the area’s excellent transport links to London and picturesque countryside lifestyle make it a highly attractive location for families in the region.
However, there are also more affordable areas in the South East, with Southampton in Hampshire registering the lowest average price increases in the region over the last 20 years, up 63 per cent from £138,500 to £225,500.
In Eastern England, average house prices in St Albans have seen the most significant increase in the region since 2005, up from £298,600 to £622,100 (108%).
However, like the South East, there are more affordable pockets in Eastern England, with the popular coastal town Great Yarmouth seeing the lowest growth in average house price increases in the region over the last 20 years, up 77%from £105.900 to £187,700.
Local authority with largest price increase per region over 20 years
| Region | Local authority4 | Current price | Price in 2005 | % increase | £ increase |
| London | Kensington and Chelsea | £1,130,400 | £504,000 | 124% | £626,400 |
| South East | Elmbridge | £712,700 | £338,800 | 110% | £373,900 |
| Eastern England | St. Albans | £622,100 | £298,600 | 108% | £323,500 |
| South West | Cotswold | £458,800 | £255,700 | 79% | £203,100 |
| North West | Trafford | £349,300 | £196,100 | 78% | £153,200 |
| East Midlands | South Northamptonshire | £381,600 | £214,300 | 78% | £167,300 |
| Scotland | Edinburgh | £276,800 | £160,100 | 73% | £116,700 |
| Wales | Monmouthshire | £335,800 | £197,500 | 70% | £138,300 |
| West Midlands | Stratford-on-Avon | £382,000 | £225,800 | 69% | £156,200 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | Harrogate | £349,300 | £216,000 | 62% | £133,300 |
| North East | Northumberland | £189,800 | £136,900 | 39% | £52,900 |
Those born and raised in the North East who have since moved away but would like to return, might find this dream more attainable than those in other parts of the UK.
Average house prices have increased by 39%, the smallest increase across all regions, while the house price to earnings ratios have improved the most in the region compared to the rest of the UK, falling from 5.7 to 4 over the last twenty years.
Sunderlandhas registered the lowest average house price increases in the region from £101,600 to £124,000 (22%).
Elsewhere, affordability has also improved in the North West and Yorkshire, with house price to earnings ratios falling from 6 to 5.1 in the North West and 5.7 to 5 in Yorkshire. In Blackpool, a popular seaside resort on the North West coast, average house prices have increased by just 26%, with homes costing £124.300, up from £98,400 in 2005.
In Hull, the fourth largest city in Yorkshire, average house prices have increased by 49 per cent, or £38,100 over the last 20 years.
Local authority with lowest price increase per region over 20 years
| Region | Local authority | Current price | Price in 2025 | % increase | £ increase |
| London | Barking and Dagenham | £338,000 | £165,000 | 105% | £173,000 |
| Eastern England | Great Yarmouth | £187,700 | £105,900 | 77% | £81,800 |
| Wales | Blaenau Gwent | £133,700 | £80,100 | 67% | £53,600 |
| South East | Southampton | £225,500 | £138,500 | 63% | £87,000 |
| West Midlands | Stoke-on-Trent | £136,400 | £86,800 | 57% | £49,600 |
| South West | Plymouth | £207,200 | £133,000 | 56% | £74,200 |
| East Midlands | Lincoln | £175,200 | £113,000 | 55% | £62,200 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | Hull | £115,100 | £77,000 | 49% | £38,100 |
| Scotland | East Ayrshire | £109,500 | £79,500 | 38% | £30,000 |
| North West | Blackpool | £124,300 | £98,400 | 26% | £25,900 |
| North East | Sunderland | £124,000 | £101,600 | 22% | £22,400 |
This article is taken from Landlord Today