Rightmove data shows a widening north-south divide, with Greater Manchester suburbs recording the strongest gains nationally
Manchester recorded the fastest house price growth of any UK city over the past decade, while London posted the slowest, Rightmove's latest long-term analysis has found.
The average asking price in Manchester now stands at £261,891, up 63% from £160,422 10 years ago. London, by contrast, saw its average asking price rise just 7% over the same period, from £639,593 to £687,080. Despite this modest growth, London remains the most expensive city in Great Britain.
Localised data reveals that the four fastest-growing areas nationally are all Greater Manchester suburbs: Levenshulme, Atherton, Droylsden, and Failsworth each recorded price increases of around 80% over the decade. Local agents attribute this performance to a combination of economic growth, investment, affordability, improved transport links, and shifting lifestyle preferences.
The analysis identifies a broad north-south split in price growth trends. No city in southern England appears in the top 10 for growth over the period. Conversely, half of the 10 slowest-growing cities are in the south, including London, Oxford, St Albans, and Winchester — several of which rank among the most expensive markets nationally.
| Cities with the fastest 10-year price growth | ||
|---|---|---|
| City | Average price 2026 | 10-year price change |
| Manchester | £261,891 | +63% |
| Wolverhampton | £229,094 | +63% |
| Newport | £235,275 | +57% |
| Nottingham | £210,238 | +53% |
| Wakefield | £231,581 | +52% |
| Salford | £226,559 | +52% |
| Bradford | £171,282 | +51% |
| Stoke-On-Trent | £174,850 | +49% |
| Doncaster | £186,378 | +49% |
| Swansea | £215,866 | +48% |
| Source: Rightmove | ||
Rightmove notes a possible spillover effect from major cities into adjacent, more affordable towns. Birmingham has driven growth in Wolverhampton, Leeds in Wakefield and Bradford, and Manchester in Salford — with prices in each of the secondary locations remaining lower than in the primary city.
Remote and hybrid working patterns continue to play a role, with Rightmove observing that greater flexibility over where people live is sustaining demand in cities offering stronger value and a different quality of life.
"Manchester is a big winner of the past decade, with strong price growth underlining its growing popularity among buyers," said Colleen Babcock (pictured right), property expert at Rightmove. "By contrast, London has seen much slower growth over the same period, reflecting how higher prices in the capital have limited how much further buyers can stretch.
"Looking at the bigger picture, affordability has been a central theme shaping these trends. Areas with lower starting price points have had more room for growth, which has contributed to a widening north-south divide in price growth trends over the last ten years.
"Some of the shifts behind this are continuing to play out, particularly changes in working patterns. Greater flexibility through hybrid and remote working is still influencing where people choose to live, supporting demand in cities that offer better value and a different lifestyle balance."
Mary-Lou Press (pictured right), NAEA Propertymark president, agreed that affordability had become one of the primary drivers of price growth. "Cities such as Manchester, Wolverhampton and Nottingham have benefited from lower starting price points, while higher-value markets like London have faced natural affordability constraints," she said.
"Manchester's success reflects more than affordability alone. Strong economic growth, regeneration, investment, transport improvements and changing working patterns have all helped boost demand, with growth increasingly spreading into surrounding suburbs.
"The data also reinforces a broader shift away from a London-centric market, with regional cities across the North and Midlands emerging as major growth centres. Looking ahead, areas that combine affordability with strong economic fundamentals are likely to remain attractive, though increasing housing supply will be essential to maintain accessibility."
Want to be regularly updated with mortgage news and features? Get exclusive interviews, breaking news, and industry events in your inbox – subscribe to our FREE daily newsletter. You can also follow us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and LinkedIn.
