Plymouth, Stafford, and Wigan have been identified as the UK’s leading “housing hotspots” for 2025, following a surge in property values over the past year.
Analysis from Lloyds, based on its mortgage data, reveals that the port city of Plymouth in Devon experienced the steepest rise, with home values climbing by an average of 12.6 per cent.
Stafford and Wigan also recorded double-digit growth, seeing property prices increase by 12.0 per cent and 10.5 per cent respectively.
Other cities making the top 10 list of hotspots include Wakefield, Mansfield, Woking, Liverpool, Rugby, Falkirk, and Hull.
Amanda Bryden, head of mortgages at Lloyds, said: “Our customers’ dream homes are found in pockets around the UK and we’ve supported thousands of people to take their next home-buying step this year.
“While property prices play a role, choosing where to live is also about finding a place that feels right – a community you connect with, a commute that works for you, and a lifestyle that fits you.”
Meanwhile, the South East dominated the areas where home values either fell or saw the slowest growth. Crawley and High Wycombe experienced the sharpest declines, with property values dropping by 8.9 per cent and 7.4 per cent respectively.
Despite overall growth of 3.7 per cent in the North West of England, Chester recorded a 6.4 per cent fall in average property values. Similarly, Cardiff saw a 5.2 per cent decline, even as Wales generally experienced a 2.3 per cent rise in home values.
Ms Bryden added: “If you’ve got your heart set on a particular location, it’s worth taking time out to do some research and see what’s happening with prices there, as swings in value at a local level can make a big difference to how much you may need for a deposit, stamp duty or wider moving costs.
“If you’re open to exploring, you might find places where your money goes further. Northern regions and Scotland are still generally more affordable than the south of England, with a huge amount to offer in terms of culture and history, alongside some of the most beautiful parts of the UK countryside.”
Lloyds compared the 12 months to October 2025 with the same months running to October 2024 for its research. Locations were only included where Lloyds Banking Group had made a minimum of 150 mortgage offers during the period, excluding buy-to-let and shared ownership.
On a less localised level, Lloyds said that most parts of the UK recorded growth in the value of homes in 2025.
Northern Ireland led the way with growth of 5.8 per cent, although property values fell in London by 0.1 per cent on average.
Here are the top 10 locations with the biggest percentage increases in average home values recorded by Lloyds, with the average home value in 2025 and the cash and percentage increase compared with the previous year:
1. Plymouth, South West, £278,808, £31,229, 12.6 per cent
2. Stafford, West Midlands, £321,248, £34,516, 12.0 per cent
3. Wigan, North West, £249,562, £23,740, 10.5 per cent
=4. Wakefield, Yorkshire and the Humber, £286,268, £22,887, 8.7 per cent
=4. Mansfield, East Midlands, £243,251, £19,444, 8.7 per cent
6. Woking, South East, £560,499, £42,046, 8.1 per cent
7. Liverpool, North West, £254,550, £17,686, 7.5 per cent
8. Rugby, West Midlands, £374,653, £25,450, 7.3 per cent
9. Falkirk, Scotland, £238,512, £15,794, 7.1 per cent
10. Hull, Yorkshire and the Humber, £199,348, £12,206, 6.5 per cent
And here are the top 10 locations with the biggest percentage falls in average home values recorded by Lloyds, with the with the average home value in 2025 and the cash and percentage change compared with the previous year:
1. Crawley, South East, £372,202, minus £36,317, minus 8.9 per cent
2. High Wycombe, South East, £436,379, minus £34,994, minus 7.4 per cent
3. Chester, North West, £340,415, minus £23,114, minus 6.4 per cent
4. Solihull, West Midlands, £390,292, minus £25,976, minus 6.2 per cent
5. Worcester, West Midlands, £331,977, minus £21,724, minus 6.1 per cent
6. Cardiff, Wales, £310,577, minus £17,079, minus 5.2 per cent
7. Cheltenham, South West, £411,593, minus £21,616, minus 5.0 per cent
8. Brighton, South East, £404,874, minus £20,254, minus 4.8 per cent
=9. Barnsley, Yorkshire and the Humber, £215,552, minus £10,624, minus 4.7 per cent
=9. Stockport, North West, 330,654, minus 16,289, minus 4.7 per cent