Residential property costs relative to wages are reported to have become more manageable across the nation in 2025, as house prices climbed at a more modest pace than salaries.
The Office for National Statistics indicated that in Wales, a typical dwelling cost six times the median annual income for full-time employees during 2025.
England showed a typical property priced at 7.6 times the average wage.
The statistical body noted that housing affordability in England and Wales continued its upward trajectory throughout 2025, following peak ratios in 2021; since that year, typical residential sale values rose by 5 percent while typical earnings grew by 25 percent.
Two-thirds of local authorities in England and Wales experienced better housing affordability compared to 2024, though conditions declined in 103 areas.
Hyndburn and Kingston upon Hull represented the most accessible housing markets in the UK during 2025, each registering an affordability ratio of 4.1, while Kensington and Chelsea ranked as the least affordable at 25.2.
The North East presented a typical property affordable at five times average earnings, whereas London required a typical home priced at 10.5 times the median income.
Capital residents would still face a shortfall of £279,000 to purchase a typical home even when earning five times the average London salary.
