A new report has ranked the most and least affordable neighbourhoods in England and Wales based on average house prices.
The report from Online Marketing Surgery and Cardinal Steels used property data from the Office for National Statistics to look at the median house prices for every MSOA (middle layer super output areas) in all local authorities.
An artist’s impression of what McCarthy Stone’s proposed development of retirement homes in Hexham could look like (Image: McCarthy Stone) The top 10 most expensive neighbourhoods in Northumberland included Hexham and Acomb, which had a median house price of £238,000 in the year ending March 2024.
Other areas included Haydon Bridge and Allendale with average prices at £295,000.
Top 10 neighbourhoods in Northumberland with the most expensive property prices
Area
Median House Price (year ending March 2024)
Darras Hall, Stamfordham & Heddon
£510,000
Stocksfield, Riding Mill & Corbridge
£387,975
Longhoughton & Alnmouth
£370,000
Ponteland
£360,000
Longhorsley, Hepscott & Capheaton
£339,995
Morpeth South & West
£296,000
Haydon Bridge & Allendale
£295,000
Rothbury & Longframlington
£267,475
Seahouses, Belford & Wooler
£256,750
Hexham & Acomb
£238,000
Top 10 neighbourhoods in Northumberland with the cheapest property prices
Area
Median House Price (year ending March 2024)
Ashington Hirst
£64,250
Blyth Cowpen
£95,500
Bedlington Station & Sleekburn
£105,000
Blyth Town
£115,000
Blyth Isabella
£115,000
Newbiggin
£120,500
Ashington West & South
£130,000
Berwick-upon-Tweed Town
£135,000
Cramlington South
£142,250
Seaton Delaval & Seghill
£149,750
The news comes as Hexham was rated the happiest place to live in the North East in December.
READ MORE: Town recognised as happiest place to live in North East
A spokesperson from Online Marketing Surgery said: “Seeing the area of Hexham having one of the highest house price averages in Northumberland is concerning. This will only draw more people away from the area, which is just sad for the community.”
Head of residential agency at estate and letting agent youngsRPS in Hexham, William Thornton, said it was ‘slightly surprising’ to see Haydon Bridge and Allendale scoring higher than Hexham on the price list.
He explained: “It is slightly surprising to see those significantly reversed by nearly £60,000, but that said, Allendale will bring in a lot of the rural stock, so the median on the stock that’s available probably would reflect in and around Haydon Bridge and Allendale having stronger asking prices because they’re bringing in larger stock, rather than having more town centre stock like Hexham, which is slightly more affordable.”
William Thornton, head of residential agency at youngsRPS (Image: YoungsRPS) Mr Thornton said people have a ‘conceived idea’ on the North-South divide that prices in the North are always lower than those in the South.
“It’s nice to push back on that trend and suggest we have got quite a lot of pockets in Northumberland from the data where we do buck the trend and we do support higher pricing,” he said.
He added the general election and the budget had an effect on purchasing property in the area in the latter half of last year.
READ MORE: Luxury dog hotel opens on 250 acres of Northumberland farmland
“For our area in particular, I think a lot of people wanted to wait and see what was going to come over the hill, what kind of outcome was going to come from the election followed by the budget. Our last six months of the year when we tend to see a lot of activity and momentum to see people in for Christmas, I think we found that was not quite as fluid as many a year before.
“I do expect 2024 figures will be slightly down on what they were before in year-on-year sales and I think that will be reflected in a little bit of an influx of more property and a lot more stock for 2025, because people will have waited to see what would happen with the election and budget, then Christmas and now to move on.”
Mayor of Hexham Derek Kennedy felt the data was concerning for the ‘sustainability’ of the town (Image: Supplied) READ MORE: Possible approval for retirement flat complex in Hexham
Mr Thornton said the data shows house prices in town centres are at more extremes, with more affordable homes and more valuable stock in the outskirts of commuter centres.
He also said he was ‘particularly pleased’ to see that various Tynedale towns appeared in Northumberland’s top 10 most expensive list.
However, mayor of Hexham, Derek Kennedy, said he felt the data was concerning for the ‘sustainability’ of the town.
“While house price may demonstrate desirability, it also has the negative effects of potentially pricing local people out of the market due to price. This is something that is very worrying for the sustainability of Hexham and the surrounding villages. All that glitters is not gold. Hexham is very attractive and one of the happiest places to live in Great Britain. The need for social and affordable housing in Hexham is a priority.”