House price growth has been heavily concentrated outside southern England over the last decade, with Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland and northern England significantly outperforming London and the South East.
New analysis from Yopa examined average sold house prices between June 2016, when the UK voted to leave the European Union, and April 2026.
It found that while average UK house prices have risen by £73,974, or 37.7%, over the period, growth has varied dramatically between regions.
Northern Ireland recorded the strongest performance of any UK nation, with average house prices increasing by 69.8% over the last decade. Wales ranked second with growth of 53.2%, followed by Scotland at 42.2%.
REGIONAL PERFORMANCE
Within England, the North West delivered the strongest regional performance, with average house prices climbing by 56.7%.
The West Midlands followed with growth of 48.1%, ahead of the East Midlands at 47.5% and Yorkshire and the Humber at 47%.
By contrast, southern England lagged well behind. House prices in the South East increased by 22.6%, while the East of England recorded growth of 27.2%.
London saw the weakest performance of any UK region, with average house prices rising by just 10.3% over the decade.
MARKET SHIFT
The research highlights a significant shift in housing market dynamics, with affordability, lifestyle changes and demand for better value helping to drive stronger growth in historically lower-priced markets.
At a local authority level, Scotland’s Orkney Islands emerged as the strongest-performing area in Great Britain, with average house prices increasing by 133.3% since 2016.
Derry City and Strabane ranked second across the UK with growth of 88.5%, while Oldham was England’s strongest performer, recording growth of 86.2%.
Other top-performing areas included Newry, Mourne and Down, Salford, Causeway Coast and Glens, Rochdale, Blaenau Gwent, Fermanagh and Omagh, and Burnley.
Not all markets recorded gains over the period.
Aberdeen saw the largest decline, with average house prices falling by 33.7%.
Several London boroughs also experienced price falls, including the City of London (-31.7%), Westminster (-24.7%), Hammersmith and Fulham (-8%), Kensington and Chelsea (-5.6%), Tower Hamlets (-5.2%), Wandsworth (-4.1%) and Southwark (-1.6%).
LIFESTYLE OPTIONS
Verona Frankish (main picture), Chief Executive Officer of Yopa, says: “What stands out most from this analysis is how much of the strongest growth has come from areas outside the traditional southern hotspots.
“Many buyers have looked beyond London and the South East in search of greater affordability, more space and better value for money, helping drive stronger price growth across Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland and large parts of northern and central England.”
She adds: “While some areas have seen house prices more than double over the last decade, others have experienced far more modest growth or even declines. It’s a reminder that national trends only ever tell part of the story.”
