House prices in Stoke-on-Trent surged 17.2% during the year to September 2024, making it the best performing area for the UK market, according to the Halifax.
Slough experienced a rise of 14.9% in house prices, and, in Oldham, the cost of a home increased by 14.6%. Research from Halifax earlier this year found that 73% of house purchases in Slough were made by first-time buyers.
Top ten UK towns and cities with greatest house price growth 2023 to 2024
| Town / LA | Region | Average Price 2023 | Average Price 2024 | £ Growth in Price | % Growth in Price |
| Stoke-On-Trent | West Midlands | £193,662 | £227,002 | £33,339 | 17.2% |
| Slough | South East | £433,194 | £497,704 | £64,510 | 14.9% |
| Oldham | North West | £218,595 | £250,546 | £31,951 | 14.6% |
| Bradford | Yorkshire and The Humber | £200,093 | £226,261 | £26,168 | 13.1% |
| Bolton | North West | £223,231 | £252,070 | £28,839 | 12.9% |
| Barnsley | Yorkshire and The Humber | £199,725 | £224,886 | £25,161 | 12.6% |
| Wolverhampton | West Midlands | £247,403 | £278,083 | £30,680 | 12.4% |
| Doncaster | Yorkshire and The Humber | £204,371 | £228,040 | £23,669 | 11.6% |
| Dunfermline | Scotland | £208,013 | £230,379 | £22,365 | 10.8% |
| Hamilton | Scotland | £208,360 | £229,835 | £21,474 | 10.3% |
The 10 towns and cities with the smallest house price growth are led by Huddersfield, which saw a decline of 6.6% over the 12 months to September of this year, equivalent to a fall of £18,514.
Several London boroughs also experienced some of the lowest house price growth over the period, including Ealing, Southwark and Harrow.
Top ten UK towns and cities with lowest house price growth 2023 to 2024
| Town / LA | Region | Average Price 2023 | Average Price 2024 | £ Growth in Price | % Growth in Price |
| Huddersfield | Yorkshire and The Humber | £279,012 | £260,498 | -£18,514 | -6.6% |
| Wirral | North West | £311,003 | £294,250 | -£16,753 | -5.4% |
| Ealing | London | £588,383 | £559,788 | -£28,596 | -4.9% |
| Southwark | London | £583,203 | £555,325 | -£27,878 | -4.8% |
| Kingston Upon Thames | London | £607,522 | £582,282 | -£25,240 | -4.2% |
| Enfield | London | £527,807 | £506,667 | -£21,140 | -4.0% |
| Harrow | London | £572,921 | £552,203 | -£20,718 | -3.6% |
| Westminster | London | £757,083 | £730,859 | -£26,224 | -3.5% |
| Bromley | London | £558,980 | £541,131 | -£17,848 | -3.2% |
| Aylesbury | South East | £435,416 | £423,252 | -£12,164 | -2.8% |
Amanda Bryden, Halifax’s head of mortgages, says: “Some areas of the UK – including Stoke-on-Trent, Wolverhampton and Dunfermline – have seen remarkable house price growth this year, as buyers perhaps seek out more affordable areas where house prices, despite increases, are still coming in under the national average.
“This trend is causing house prices in some areas to flip from slowing, to growing, such as Stoke-on-Trent, which was the biggest faller last year but showed the highest rate of growth, regionally, this year.
“That story doesn’t play out nationally. The high asking price for London properties means house prices have fallen in several boroughs – perhaps a reflection that the relatively high cost of properties is stretching affordability for buyers, or perhaps what they are willing to pay.
“Overall, London has a house price to earnings ratio of 8.22, making it one of the least affordable places to live in the country, against a national ratio of 6.55.
“Regionally, while the South East has seen some robust growth – in places like Basingstoke and Maidstone, overall, it is lagging behind the rest of the UK, with movement of just +1.8%, compared to 6.3% for the UK overall.
“Much like London, first-time buyers won’t find a bargain here, as the slow growth is likely a consequence of the already-high property prices, relative to the national average.
