House price boom reveals north-south divide

The average price tag on a home has doubled in parts of southern England over the past decade, while further north some percentage increases have been in single digits, analysis has found. Margate was identified as the top house price hotspot, with the typical asking price there having increased by 102.5% from £145,311 in January 2012 to £294,209 in January 2022, Rightmove analysis found. Across Britain, the average asking price for a home has risen by more than £100,000 over the past 10 years, up by 53% to £341,019. Southeast England dominates the top of the list; by contrast, many northern towns have missed out on the boom. In Middlesbrough house prices have risen only 6% to £132,792 compared with £125,000 in 2012.

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