Overview

• First-time buyer prices in England and Wales market towns average £280,582, a 26 percent rise since 2020 and 2 percent increase over the past year.
• Leek in Staffordshire is the most affordable market town at £191,359, while Hitchin in Hertfordshire tops the list at £410,366.
• Six of the ten cheapest market towns for new buyers are located in the Midlands, highlighting stark regional price divides.
• Homes in market towns cost an average £363,456 for all buyers, marking a 5 percent jump in the last year and 24 percent growth since 2020.
• Lloyds’s expanded First-Time Buyer Boost now offers up to 5.5 times loan-to-income ratios as average deposit requirements exceed £60,000.