Underrated Property Hotspots
Estimated reading time 7 minutes
With house prices still out of reach for many across the UK’s most popular cities, homebuyers are increasingly looking beyond the usual suspects in search of better value. Cities like London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, and Sheffield are in high demand, but many of their surrounding towns offer similar benefits without the hefty price tag.
Using data, Sell House Fast has identified some underrated property hotspots that stand out for their affordability, commuting convenience, local amenities, and quality of life. With low crime rates, strong school ratings, and an abundance of independent cafés and restaurants, these areas are ideal for families, first-time buyers, and young professionals.
We’ve also revealed where house prices are rising fastest, helping buyers identify up-and-coming areas before prices peak. Whether searching for a hidden gem to call home or simply wanting more for your money, these ‘property dupes’ could be the smartest buys on the market today.
The top commuter towns overall
We assessed six commuter towns for England’s five biggest cities (London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, and Sheffield), and ranked each on livability and commuting factors. Here’s a closer look at the top three overall.
| Rank | Commuter town | Hub city | Approximate commute time (mins) | Average house price | Crime risk score /1,000 | Good/Outstanding schools within five miles | Median annual pay | Coffee shops within five miles | Bars & pubs within five miles | Restaurants within five miles | Overall score /10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Car | Train | |||||||||||
| 1 | Horsforth | Leeds | 29 | 26 | £328,259 | 556 | 74% | £31,450 | 22 | 65 | 141 | 7.05 |
| 2 | Rowley Regis | Birmingham | 41.5 | 21 | £206,009 | 620 | 90% | £27,414 | 43 | 114 | 103 | 6.96 |
| 3 | Sutton Coldfield | Birmingham | 33.5 | 24 | £394,443 | 475 | 72% | £28,995 | 30 | 54 | 103 | 6.39 |
| 4 | Chesterfield | Sheffield | 40.5 | 12 | £212,576 | 626 | 64% | £28,669 | 22 | 107 | 74 | 6.29 |
| 5 | Dronfield | Sheffield | 29 | 10 | £273,863 | 394 | 66% | £30,934 | 8 | 34 | 16 | 6.19 |
| 6 | Kenilworth | Birmingham | 47.5 | 100 | £449,304 | 379 | 70% | £35,998 | 43 | 40 | 135 | 6.12 |
| 7 | Hitchin | London | 115 | 34 | £488,466 | 478 | 83% | £38,940 | 17 | 50 | 54 | 5.97 |
| 8 | Newton-le-Willows | Manchester | 55 | 20 | £217,662 | 622 | 72% | £30,282 | 14 | 44 | 44 | 5.73 |
| 9 | Ware | London | 110 | 48 | £418,336 | 501 | 73% | £39,344 | 16 | 56 | 59 | 5.50 |
| 10 | Mossley | Manchester | 55 | 17 | £200,244 | N/A | 62% | £29,158 | 9 | 38 | 41 | 5.39 |
1. Horsforth (Leeds) – 7.05/10
Horsforth, located five miles north-west of Leeds, claims the top spot thanks to fast commuting times, strong educational options, and a lively local scene. It takes just 26 minutes by train or 29 by car to reach Leeds city centre, making it an ideal base for professionals who want quick access to the city without compromising on space or amenities.
Families will be particularly drawn to the area’s educational options, with just under three-quarters (74%) of schools within five miles rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted. In terms of lifestyle, Horsforth also delivers. With 22 coffee shops, 65 bars and pubs, and 141 restaurants within five miles, the town offers plenty of options for leisure and dining.
With an average house price of £328,259, Horsforth is notably more affordable than some of Leeds’ trendiest neighbourhoods like Roundhay (£435,245) and Bramhope (£537,503). This makes it a compelling alternative for buyers who want the buzz of a vibrant local scene without paying a premium.
The wider local authority’s median annual pay is £31,450, and despite house prices and the crime risk score being slightly higher than those in other top-ranked towns, the town’s overall appeal keeps it at the top of the list, with a total score of 7.05 out of 10.
2. Rowley Regis (Birmingham) – 6.96/10
Located in the Sandwell borough just west of Birmingham, Rowley Regis ranks second, balancing affordability with excellent school access and short train commutes. A train journey to Birmingham takes 21 minutes, while driving takes 41.5 minutes.
The average house price here is a very accessible £206,009 — 23.2% cheaper than the national average. This is also over £130,000 cheaper than Harborne (£336,469) and nearly half the price of Edgbaston (£388,665), offering exceptional value for buyers priced out of Birmingham’s trendiest postcodes.
But what makes Rowley Regis stand out is the local amenities. Within five miles are 43 coffee shops, 114 bars and pubs, and 103 restaurants. Rowley Regis also benefits from excellent school provision. A remarkable 90% of primary and secondary schools within five miles are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted, ranking third highest among all towns analysed.
The median pay is slightly lower at £27,414, and the crime risk score is slightly higher at 620 out of 1,000. However, Rowley Regis presents an impressive package for those prioritising value for money and access to education, earning an overall score of 6.96.
3. Sutton Coldfield (Birmingham) – 6.39/10
In third place is Sutton Coldfield, a well-established commuter hub for Birmingham, with a solid score of 6.39. It offers a quick drive of just 33.5 minutes to the city centre and blends accessibility with a strong community vibe. Around 72% of schools within five miles are rated Good or Outstanding, and locals benefit from 30 coffee shops, 54 pubs, and 103 restaurants within the same radius. This makes it ideal for those seeking a social lifestyle close to green spaces like Sutton Park.
While the crime risk score is also slightly lower than other commuter towns at 475 out of 1,000, and median pay is a respectable £28,995, the town’s premium average house price (£394,443) keeps it just behind the top two.
Up-and-coming areas with the most significant house price increases
We’ve also examined every local authority across the UK to determine where house prices have risen the quickest in the last decade (between February 2015 and February 2025).
| Average house price | |||||
| Rank | Local authority | Region | February 2015 | February 2025 | Difference |
| 1 | Causeway Coast and Glens | Northern Ireland | £101,205 | £201,714 | 99.3% |
| 2 | Salford | North West | £113,010 | £221,910 | 96.4% |
| 3 | Rochdale | North West | £104,562 | £201,344 | 92.6% |
| 4 | Oldham | North West | £107,343 | £204,965 | 90.9% |
| 4 | Manchester | North West | £128,736 | £245,791 | 90.9% |
| 6 | Fermanagh and Omagh | Northern Ireland | £95,057 | £178,330 | 87.6% |
| 7 | Bolsover | East Midlands | £95,030 | £176,837 | 86.1% |
| 8 | Blaenau Gwent | Wales | £74,444 | £137,987 | 85.4% |
| 9 | Derry City and Strabane | Northern Ireland | £90,699 | £167,762 | 85.0% |
| 10 | Rossendale | North West | £104,111 | £191,941 | 84.4% |
1. Causeway Coast & Glens, Northern Ireland (99.3%)
Causeway Coast and Glens in Northern Ireland tops the list, with average house prices surging by a staggering 99.3% in the ten years from February 2015 to February 2025. Homes in the area have nearly doubled in value, rising from £101,205 to £201,714, making it the UK’s most notable hotspot for house price growth over the past decade.
This considerable increase could be caused by the lack of new housing supply in Northern Ireland. In recent years, restrictions have been placed due to an underfunded water system1.
2. Salford, North West (96.4%)
In second place is Salford, Greater Manchester, where prices have climbed 96.4%, increasing from £113,010 to £221,910. Driven by regeneration projects, a booming rental market, and the city’s ever-growing appeal to young professionals, Salford has firmly established itself as a northern property success story.
3. Rochdale, North West (92.6%)
Rochdale completes the top three with prices up 92.6%, jumping from £104,562 to £201,344. Once overlooked, Rochdale has seen significant investment and housing demand, partly due to its proximity to Manchester and improved transport links.
Methodology
First, we used Mumsnet and Reddit to select six ‘underrated’ commuter towns for England’s five most populated cities: London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, and Sheffield.
Each of the cities was then given a normalised score out of ten and ranked based on the following criteria:
- Average commute time (car): sourced from Google Maps, using a ‘depart at’ time of 8:00 am Monday and taking the midpoint of the estimated journey time in minutes.
- Average commute time (train): sourced from Google Maps, taking the most direct route available.
- Average house price: sourced from Zoopla.
- Crime risk score: sourced from CrimeRate, scored out of 1,000.
- Good/Outstanding schools within five miles: The percentage of primary and secondary schools within five miles of the town rated Good or Outstanding in their most recent Ofsted report. Any schools without a valid report were not included.
- Median annual pay: sourced from the Office for National Statistics’ earnings and hours worked, place of residence by local authority: ASHE Table 8. Note that this relates to the wider local authority.
- Coffee shops within five miles: sourced from Yelp, which may vary based on availability and user input.
- Bars and pubs within five miles: sourced from Yelp, which may vary based on availability and user input.
- Restaurants within five miles: sourced from Yelp, which may vary based on availability and user input.
We also took the average house price for each local authority in the UK from HM Land Registry’s UK House Price Index: data downloads February 2025, taking the average from February 2015 and February 2025 and calculating the areas with the biggest ten-year increase.
