At a Glance
Average Property Price - ME5
£327,490
51
National percentile
Average Monthly Rent - ME
£1,248
66
National percentile
Average Net Household Income - ME5
£40,234
59
National percentile
Flat / Maisonette Yield - ME
6.2%
84
National percentile
10-Year Annualised Price Growth - ME5
4.7%
83
National percentile
10-Year Annualised Rent Growth - ME
4.8%
89
National percentile
Property Price & Volume Trends
The current average property price in ME5 is £327,490, which sits at the national median—neither notably expensive nor affordable by UK standards. Over the past decade, prices have grown at 4.7% annually, placing the area among the fastest-growing districts nationally. Transaction activity has slowed compared to its 10-year trend, with 624 sales in the latest year against an average of 759, suggesting a moderately softening market.
Rent & Yield Trends
Average monthly rent in the broader ME postcode area is £1,248, which is above the national mid-point and reflects stronger rental demand than most regions. Rents have grown at 4.8% per year over the past decade—among the fastest growth rates nationally. The flat yield now stands at 6.2%, meaningfully above its 10-year average of 4.9%, indicating that rental returns have improved substantially and now offer stronger value for buy-to-let investors.
Income & Affordability Trends
Average household income in ME5 is £40,234, close to the national average. The price-to-income ratio has risen from 6.7x in 2016 to 7.8x today, reflecting a notable deterioration in purchase affordability over the past eight years. Rental affordability has also worsened: the rent-to-income ratio has increased from 26.7% to 29.8%, meaning tenants now spend a larger share of their income on housing costs.
Resident Demographic Profile
The population skews slightly younger than the UK average, with notably more children under 15 (20.3% vs 17.5% nationally) and fewer older residents aged 65+ (16% vs 19.6%). Owner-occupation is strong at 65.8% of households, with mortgage holders significantly above the national average at 35.8%; conversely, private rental and social rented tenures are both below their national norms. The employment profile is characterised by a larger proportion of trades workers (12.6% vs 10.5% nationally) and plant/machine operators (8.2% vs 6.6%), reflecting a more blue-collar workforce mix, whilst professional occupations are notably underrepresented at 16.3% against the national 20.5%.