Portsmouth ranked among UK’s least affordable cities for solo buyers
For single buyers trying to step onto the property ladder, location can make all the difference. While some cities still offer relatively affordable routes into homeownership, others remain far beyond the reach of average earners, particularly for those buying alone.
A new Mortgage Lane study analysed cities across the UK using data on annual median income and average prices for one- to two-bedroom homes. By comparing local earnings against property values, the research reveals where solo buyers are most likely to find affordable homes, and where soaring house prices continue to put ownership out of reach.
Portsmouth ranks 45th overall, with the average one- to two-bedroom home priced at £405,177. Against a median annual income of £30,962, this gives a house price-to-income ratio of 13.09. That places Portsmouth well into the less affordable bracket, with prices more than 13 times local earnings.
What pushes Portsmouth higher up the cost scale is its strong housing demand, driven by coastal location appeal and limited space for expansion. While wages are fairly typical for a UK city of its size, they have not kept pace with rising property prices, tightening the gap for single buyers.
It sits in that “getting difficult fast” category, where buying alone is still technically possible, but requires a far higher income commitment than in more affordable northern and Scottish cities.
At the other end of the ranking, cities such as Belfast, Carlisle and Aberdeen remain far more accessible, underlining just how wide the affordability gap has become across the UK.
Joseph Lane, spokesperson at Mortgage Lane, said:
“Getting onto the property ladder on a single income is still one of the biggest financial hurdles in the UK right now. Even where wages have improved, house prices in many areas have moved a long way ahead of what one salary can realistically cover.”
“For a lot of first-time buyers, the challenge is no longer just saving a deposit. It’s the ongoing gap between what people earn and what even a modest one- or two-bedroom home now costs in many towns and cities.”
“Interest rates and living costs have added another layer of pressure too. Even buyers who can technically stretch to a mortgage are having to think much more carefully about monthly repayments and long-term affordability.”
“There’s still a strong appetite to buy, especially among younger buyers, but the reality is that the goalposts have moved. People are having to be more flexible on location, property size, and timing just to make the numbers work.”
List of the cheapest UK cities for single homebuyers:
Belfast – Median income: £30,515 | Avg 1-2 bed home: £89,950 | Ratio: 2.95
Carlisle – £36,648 | £150,083 | 4.10
Aberdeen – £32,399 | £142,208 | 4.39
Stirling – £33,832 | £152,499 | 4.51
Dundee – £30,523 | £147,826 | 4.84
Perth – £31,851 | £160,253 | 5.03
Wrexham – £29,752 | £159,535 | 5.36
Swansea – £32,091 | £209,374 | 6.52
Preston – £30,038 | £196,919 | 6.56
Lancaster – £29,651 | £197,619 | 6.66