Old Trafford leads double-digit surge as neighbourhoods across England and Wales see fastest house-price growth

Prices have risen fastest in 12 suburbs across England and Wales over the last seven years, according to an analysis by Daily Mail and This is Money using Land Registry data. Old Trafford in Manchester recorded the steepest climb, with prices leaping about 162% from an average of £114,000 in July 2019 to roughly £300,000 in July 2025. The analysis tracked sales across 7,000 middle layer super output areas, or MSOAs, small districts that typically host about 10,000 residents, using Land Registry figures and an interactive map for street-level insight.

Using Land Registry sales figures across 7,000 MSOAs, the analysis found that the pace of price growth was fastest in the Manchester area, but other pockets also posted double-digit gains. Behind Trafford, the Highfield and Lowfield pocket of Sheffield rose about 145%, from £75,000 to just over £185,000, followed by Pendleton in Salford at roughly 135%, Ravenscliffe in Bradford at about 123%, and Elswick South in Newcastle-upon-Tyne at about 118%. The results reflect a broader pattern in which more affordable areas have seen sharper price increases as buyers chase value, narrowing gaps with more expensive regions.

Tom Bill, head of residential research at Knight Frank, said affordability has been the main driver of recent price growth. “The biggest factor that has influenced house price growth in recent years is affordability. Relatively more affordable parts of the country have seen house prices increase to a greater extent, which means the regions are narrowing the gap with London,” he said. He added that this gap is unlikely to close quickly, given persistent differences between neighbouring areas and ongoing structural factors such as transport access and open spaces. These dynamics, he said, are likely to keep regional markets outperforming London over the next several years as the economy diversifies and commuters adapt to post-pandemic life.

Trafford, in particular, has been labeled an “investment hotspot” by industry observers. CityRise, a UK-based property investment agency, attributed rapid growth to a influx of working professionals attracted by a mix of amenities, transport links, regeneration projects and an appealing location on a metro line offering easy access to Manchester city centre, the Trafford Centre and Manchester Airport. It argued that regeneration and rising demand make Trafford a prudent target for capital growth for investors seeking long-term gains. Manchester’s economy has drawn attention beyond the housing market. EY’s forecasting team named Greater Manchester as having the fastest-growing economy in the UK this summer, a development city leaders said pointed to a potential decade of strong growth. Andy Burnham, mayor of Greater Manchester, described the momentum as placing the city “on the cusp of what I believe could be our best decade since the Victorian era.”

Across the UK, the housing market remained mixed even as the regional surge persisted. The Office for National Statistics showed average UK house prices rose 2.8% to £270,000 in the 12 months through July 2025. Within London, however, the picture varied by borough. Camden logged the largest annual increase in value, up 6% to just over £920,000, while Bromley rose 8% to £538,904. Yet the trend was not uniform: 20 of the 32 London boroughs and the City of London posted gains, while 13 fell. Kensington & Chelsea, one of the capital’s most expensive areas, saw values slip by about 3%, to just over £1.3 million on average, and Westminster declined around 5%, to about £976,519.

Market dynamics also reflect shifting policy and tax regimes. Analysts pointed to the implication of recent tax changes, including a stamp-duty surcharge for second homes announced by the new government, which has drawn scrutiny from buyers and sellers. James Stuart-Mogg, head of sales at John D Wood & Co. in Kensington, suggested that stamp-duty changes may contribute to near-term price softness in some higher-end markets. He noted that such policy moves can influence buyer behavior, particularly among second-home purchases.

Across MSOAs, monthly price movements can be volatile, so the analysis aggregates figures annually to July of this year to provide a clearer view of longer-run trends. The work also follows broader market coverage, including mortgage rates, which have risen substantially in recent years. This is Money partners with L&C to help readers compare mortgage offers across a wide range of lenders, from two-year fixes to ten-year deals, underscoring how financing costs shape buyers’ ability to capitalize on regional price growth. Mortgage affordability remains a central concern for prospective buyers, landlords, and homeowners alike as rates fluctuate and lending criteria tighten in some cases.

In summary, the latest round of analysis highlights a bifurcated market: regional centers and more affordable areas have seen the strongest price acceleration, while London remains a mix of pockets of resilience and pockets of softening. The data emphasize the importance of local factors—transport links, schools, regeneration activity, and accessibility to open spaces—in shaping price trajectories. The study relies on Land Registry sales data and MSOA-level granularity to map the changing landscape of property values across England and Wales, providing readers with a street-level perspective on a market that continues to evolve amid economic and policy shifts.