This table shows the average House Price/Earnings ratio, which is an important indicator of housing affordability. Ratios are calculated by dividing house price by the median earnings of a borough. The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) is based on a 1 per cent sample of employee jobs. Information on earnings and hours is obtained in confidence from employers. It does not cover the self-employed nor does it cover employees not paid during the reference period. Information is as at April each year. The statistics used are workplace based full-time individual earnings. Pre-2013 Land Registry housing data are for the first half of the year only, so that they are comparable to the ASHE data which are as at April. This is no longer the case from 2013 onwards as this data uses house price data from the ONS House Price Statistics for Small Areas statistical release. Prior to 2006 data are not available for Inner and Outer London. The lowest 25 per cent of prices are below the lower quartile; the highest 75 per cent are above the lower quartile. The "lower quartile" property price/income is determined by ranking all property prices/incomes in ascending order. The 'median' property price/income is determined by ranking all property prices/incomes in ascending order. The point at which one half of the values are above and one half are below is the median. Regional data has not been published by DCLG since 2012. Data for regions has been calculated by the GLA. Data since 2014 has been calculated by the GLA using Land Registry house prices and ONS Earnings data. Link to DCLG Live Tables An interactive map showing the affordability ratios by local authority for 2013, 2014 and 2015 is also available.

Portugal, Canada, and the United States were the countries with the highest house price to income ratio in 2024. In all three countries, the index exceeded 130 index points, while the average for all OECD countries stood at 116.2 index points. The index measures the development of housing affordability and is calculated by dividing nominal house price by nominal disposable income per head, with 2015 set as a base year when the index amounted to 100. An index value of 120, for example, would mean that house price growth has outpaced income growth by 20 percent since 2015. How have house prices worldwide changed since the COVID-19 pandemic? House prices started to rise gradually after the global financial crisis (2007–2008), but this trend accelerated with the pandemic. The countries with advanced economies, which usually have mature housing markets, experienced stronger growth than countries with emerging economies. Real house price growth (accounting for inflation) peaked in 2022 and has since lost some of the gain. Although, many countries experienced a decline in house prices, the global house price index shows that property prices in 2023 were still substantially higher than before COVID-19. Renting vs. buying In the past, house prices have grown faster than rents. However, the home affordability has been declining notably, with a direct impact on rental prices. As people struggle to buy a property of their own, they often turn to rental accommodation. This has resulted in a growing demand for rental apartments and soaring rental prices.

This table shows the average House Price/Earnings ratio, which is an important indicator of housing affordability. Ratios are calculated by dividing house price by the median earnings of a borough.

The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) is based on a 1 per cent sample of employee jobs. Information on earnings and hours is obtained in confidence from employers. It does not cover the self-employed nor does it cover employees not paid during the reference period. Information is as at April each year. The statistics used are workplace based full-time individual earnings.

Pre-2013 Land Registry housing data are for the first half of the year only, so that they are comparable to the ASHE data which are as at April. This is no longer the case from 2013 onwards as this data uses house price data from the ONS House Price Statistics for Small Areas statistical release. Prior to 2006 data are not available for Inner and Outer London.

The lowest 25 per cent of prices are below the lower quartile; the highest 75 per cent are above the lower quartile.
The "lower quartile" property price/income is determined by ranking all property prices/incomes in ascending order.
The 'median' property price/income is determined by ranking all property prices/incomes in ascending order. The point at which one half of the values are above and one half are below is the median.

Regional data has not been published by DCLG since 2012. Data for regions has been calculated by the GLA. Data since 2014 has been calculated by the GLA using Land Registry house prices and ONS Earnings data.

Link to DCLG Live Tables

An interactive map showing the affordability ratios by local authority for 2013, 2014 and 2015 is also available.

The average bid price of new housing in Europe was the highest in Luxembourg, at 8,760 euros per square meter. Since there is no central body that collects and tracks transaction activity or house prices across the whole continent or the European Union, only bid prices were considered. House prices have been soaring, with Sweden topping the ranking Considering the RHPI of houses in Europe (the price index in real terms, which measures price changes of single-family properties adjusted for the impact of inflation), however, the picture changes. Sweden, Luxembourg and Norway top this ranking, meaning residential property prices have surged the most in these countries. Real values were calculated using the so-called Personal Consumption Expenditure Deflator (PCE), This PCE uses both consumer prices as well as consumer expenditures, like medical and health care expenses paid by employers. It is meant to show how expensive housing is compared to the way of living in a country. Home ownership highest in Eastern Europe The home ownership rate in Europe varied from country to country. In 2020, roughly half of all homes in Germany were owner-occupied whereas home ownership was at nearly ** percent in Romania or around ** percent in Slovakia and Lithuania. These numbers were considerably higher than in France or Italy, where homeowners made up ** percent and ** percent of their respective populations.For more information on the topic of property in Europe, visit the following pages as a starting point for your research: real estate investments in Europe and residential real estate in Europe.

Map, visualise, and truly understand your data at street level. The most detailed street-level open data vector mapping product available, OS Open Map – Local is a great backdrop over which to display and analyse your data. Quickly identify hotspots in data like crime location or property prices. The muted colours of this detailed backdrop map let your information really stand out. Get greater insights into land use for local planning. OS OpenMap - Local doesn't just pinpoint schools, hospital and other major facilities, it maps the grounds they occupy. Includes a raster image option, carefully styled in the light of customer feedback. This is easy to load in a GIS and lets you start analysing quicker. Easily get national coverage of Britain at 1:10:000 scale. Download the vector and raster versions of this data as single zip files. if you only need a smaller area, we’ll still offer the single-tile option.

The house price to income index in Europe declined in 13 of the 28 European countries in 2024, indicating that income grew faster than house prices. Portugal had the highest house price to income index ranking, with values exceeding ***** index points. Romania and Finland were on the other side of the spectrum, with less than 100 index points. The house price to income ratio is an indicator for the development of housing affordability across OECD countries and is calculated as the nominal house prices divided by nominal disposable income per head, with 2015 chosen as a base year. A ratio higher than 100 means that the nominal house price growth since 2015 has outpaced the nominal disposable income growth, and housing is therefore comparatively less affordable. In 2024, the OECD average stood at ***** index points.

Geneva stands out as Europe's most expensive city for apartment purchases in early 2025, with prices reaching a staggering 15,720 euros per square meter. This Swiss city's real estate market dwarfs even high-cost locations like Zurich and London, highlighting the extreme disparities in housing affordability across the continent. The stark contrast between Geneva and more affordable cities like Nantes, France, where the price was 3,700 euros per square meter, underscores the complex factors influencing urban property markets in Europe. Rental market dynamics and affordability challenges While purchase prices vary widely, rental markets across Europe also show significant differences. London maintained its position as the continent's priciest city for apartment rentals in 2023, with the average monthly costs for a rental apartment amounting to 36.1 euros per square meter. This figure is double the rent in Lisbon, Portugal or Madrid, Spain, and substantially higher than in other major capitals like Paris and Berlin. The disparity in rental costs reflects broader economic trends, housing policies, and the intricate balance of supply and demand in urban centers. Economic factors influencing housing costs The European housing market is influenced by various economic factors, including inflation and energy costs. As of April 2025, the European Union's inflation rate stood at 2.4 percent, with significant variations among member states. Romania experienced the highest inflation at 4.9 percent, while France and Cyprus maintained lower rates. These economic pressures, coupled with rising energy costs, contribute to the overall cost of living and housing affordability across Europe. The volatility in electricity prices, particularly in countries like Italy where rates are projected to reach 153.83 euros per megawatt hour by February 2025, further impacts housing-related expenses for both homeowners and renters.

FOCUSONLONDON2011: HOUSING:AGROWINGCITY

With the highest average incomes in the country but the least space to grow, demand for housing in London has long outstripped supply, resulting in higher housing costs and rising levels of overcrowding. The pressures of housing demand in London have grown in recent years, in part due to fewer people leaving London to buy homes in other regions. But while new supply during the recession held up better in London than in other regions, it needs to increase significantly in order to meet housing needs and reduce housing costs to more affordable levels.

This edition of Focus on London authored by James Gleeson in the Housing Unit looks at housing trends in London, from the demand/supply imbalance to the consequences for affordability and housing need.

REPORT:

Read the report in PDF format.

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PRESENTATION:

How much pressure is London’s popularity putting on housing provision in the capital? This interactive presentation looks at the effect on housing pressure of demographic changes, and recent new housing supply, shown by trends in overcrowding and house prices. Click on the start button at the bottom of the slide to access.

View Focus on London - Housing: A Growing City on Prezi

HISTOGRAM:

This histogram shows a selection of borough data and helps show areas that are similar to one another by each indicator.

Histogram

MOTION CHART:

This motion chart shows how the relationship, between key housing related indicators at borough level, changes over time.

Motion Chart

MAP:

These interactive borough maps help to geographically present a range of housing data within London, as well as presenting trend data where available.

MAP

DATA:

All the data contained within the Housing: A Growing City report as well as the data used to create the charts and maps can be accessed in this spreadsheet.

FACTS:

Some interesting facts from the data…

● Five boroughs with the highest proportion of households that have lived at their address for less than 12 months in 2009/10:

1. Westminster – 19 per cent
2. Wandsworth – 17 per cent
3. Camden – 16 per cent
4. Lambeth – 14 per cent
5. Southwark – 13 per cent

-31. Harrow – 6 per cent

-32. Havering – 5 per cent

● Five boroughs with the highest percentage point increase between 2004 and 2009 of households in the ‘private rented’ sector:

1. Newham – 17 per cent
2. Greenwich – 11 per cent
3. Enfield – 10 per cent
4. Camden – 9 per cent
5. Harrow – 8 per cent

-32. Islington – 1 per cent

-33. Bexley – 1 per cent

● Five boroughs with the highest percentage difference in median house prices between 2007 Q4 and 2010 Q4:

1. Kensington & Chelsea – 29 per cent
2. Westminster – 19 per cent
3. Camden – 15 per cent
4. Islington – 14 per cent
5. Southwark – 10 per cent

-31. Newham – down 9 per cent

-32. Barking & D’ham – down 9 per cent

Amsterdam is set to maintain its position as Europe's most expensive city for apartment rentals in 2025, with median costs reaching 2,500 euros per month for a furnished unit. This figure is double the rent in Prague and significantly higher than other major European capitals like Paris, Berlin, and Madrid. The stark difference in rental costs across European cities reflects broader economic trends, housing policies, and the complex interplay between supply and demand in urban centers. Factors driving rental costs across Europe The disparity in rental prices across European cities can be attributed to various factors. In countries like Switzerland, Germany, and Austria, a higher proportion of the population lives in rental housing. This trend contributes to increased demand and potentially higher living costs in these nations. Conversely, many Eastern and Southern European countries have homeownership rates exceeding 90 percent, which may help keep rental prices lower in those regions. Housing affordability and market dynamics The relationship between housing prices and rental rates varies significantly across Europe. As of 2024, countries like Turkey, Iceland, Portugal, and Hungary had the highest house price to rent ratio indices. This indicates a widening gap between property values and rental costs since 2015. The affordability of homeownership versus renting differs greatly among European nations, with some countries experiencing rapid increases in property values that outpace rental growth. These market dynamics influence rental costs and contribute to the diverse rental landscape observed across European cities.

London Heat Map --------------- The London Heat Map is a tool designed to help you identify areas of high heat demand, explore opportunities for new and expanding district heat networks and to draw potential heat networks and assess their financial feasibility. The new version of the London Heat Map was created for the Greater London Authority by the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) in July 2019. The London Heat Map is regularly updated with new network data and other datasets. Background datasets such as building heat demand was last updated on 26/06/2023. The London Heatmap is a map-based web application you can use to find and appraise opportunities for decentralised energy (DE) projects in London. The map covers the whole of Greater London, and provides very local information to help you identify and develop DE opportunities, including data such as: * Heat demand values for each building * Locations of potential heat supply sites * Locations of existing and proposed district heating networks * A spatial heat demand density map layer The map also includes a user-friendly visual tool for heat network design. This is intended to support preliminary techno-economic appraisal of potential district heat networks. The London Heat Map is used by a wide variety of people in numerous ways: * London Boroughs can use the new map to help develop their energy master plans. * Property developers can use the map to help them meet the decentralised energy policies in the London Plan. * Energy consultants can use the map to gather initial data to inform feasibility studies. More information is available here, and an interactive map is available here. Building-level estimated annual and peak heat demand data from the London Heat Map has been made available through the data extracts below. The data was last updated on 26/06/2023. The data contains Ordnance Survey mapping and the data is published under Ordnance Survey's 'presumption to publish'. © Crown copyright and database rights 2023. The Decentralised Energy Master planning programme (DEMaP) ---------------------------------------------------------- The Decentralised Energy Master planning programme (DEMaP), was completed in October 2010. It included a heat mapping support package for the London boroughs to enable them to carry out high resolution heat mapping for their area. To date, heat maps have been produced for 29 London boroughs with the remaining four boroughs carrying out their own data collection. All of the data collected through this process is provided below. ### Carbon Calculator Tool Arup have produced a Carbon Calculator Tool to assist projects in their early estimation of the carbon dioxide (CO2) savings which could be realised by a district heating scheme with different sources of heating. The calculator's estimates include the impact of a decarbonising the electrical grid over time, based on projections by the Department for Energy and Climate Change, as well as the Government's Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP). The Excel-based tool can be downloaded below. ### Borough Heat Maps Data and Reports (2012) In March 2012, all London boroughs did a heat mapping exercise. The data from this includes the following and can be downloaded below: * Heat Load for all boroughs * Heat Supplies for all boroughs * Heat Network * LDD 2010 database * Complete GIS London Heat Map Data The heat maps contain real heat consumption data for priority buildings such as hospitals, leisure centres and local authority buildings. As part of this work, each of the boroughs developed implementation plans to help them take the DE opportunities identified to the next stages. The implementation plans include barriers and opportunities, actions to be taken by the council, key dates, personnel responsible. These can be downloaded below. Other Useful Documents ---------------------- Other useful documents can be downloaded from the links below: Energy Masterplanning Manual Opportunities for Decentralised Energy in London - Vision Map London Heat Network Manual London Heat Network Manual II