"Each and every county has its own pockets and corners where house prices are considerably higher than the norm, but, with the exception of London, the very biggest premiums tend to be found just beyond the suburbs of major cities"
- Steve Anderson - Yopa
New analysis by estate agency Yopa has identified the English postcodes with the largest house price premiums relative to their surrounding county averages. While central London remains home to the most expensive market in absolute terms, the data highlights substantial localised premiums in areas across Northumberland, the West Midlands, and County Durham.
The research, based on the latest sold price data, compared average prices at the postcode level to wider county averages to determine where buyers are paying the highest relative premiums.
Unsurprisingly, London’s W1 postcode—covering parts of Soho and Fitzrovia—recorded the country’s highest premium. Average property prices in this central district stand at over £2m, which is 260% higher than the Greater London average of £555,625.
However, the next largest premium was found outside the capital. In Northumberland, the NE20 postcode recorded an average sold price of £613,536. This represents a 202% increase on the county’s overall average of £203,230. The postcode includes a number of sought-after towns and villages on the edge of Northumberland National Park.
In the West Midlands, the B94 postcode—south of Birmingham—showed a 187% premium. Properties in the area averaged £662,586, significantly higher than the regional average of £231,094. The location is characterised by green landscapes, lakes, and country homes.
Further north, County Durham’s TS22 postcode had an average price of £381,136, or 180% above the county average of £136,182.
Other areas with notably high postcode premiums include:
CH60 (Merseyside), where average prices are 178% above the regional norm
SO42 (Hampshire), 171% higher than the county average
S17 (South Yorkshire), with a 164% premium
WA15 (Greater Manchester), 161% above average
GU25 (Surrey) and WA16 (Cheshire), both with 155% premiums
“Each and every county has its own pockets and corners where house prices are considerably higher than the norm, but, with the exception of London, the very biggest premiums tend to be found just beyond the suburbs of major cities," comments Yopa's national franchise director Steve Anderson. "Here you find sprawling areas of countryside that offer large properties that are surrounded by quietude and tranquillity while still maintaining convenient access to major hubs for work, leisure, and transport connections.”
He added, “These are real housing market sweet spots that people will pay a hefty premium to be part of, made more expensive still by the common presence of top-quality schools. More often than not, the demographic of these high-end postcodes is made up of second-steppers and young families who have made a move away from urban living but aren’t yet ready to live in a truly rural area.
"Demand is always high in these areas, so when homes come to market, hopeful buyers often face stiff competition which only acts to push the prices up even further."
