Buying a house in the country is a dream for many homeowners, attracted by the idea of a peaceful rural idyll where they can get away from it all.
But the cost of doing so can be prohibitive. Prices were driven up during the pandemic when outdoor space rocketed to the top of many buyers’ wish list and led to a flight away from major towns and cities.
For those who are still seeking their perfect country pile, exclusive research from estate agent Jackson Stops has revealed the areas of England where rural homes still offer a bargain compared to those in urban centres.
City or country? Research by Jackson Stops shows the locations where it is cheaper to buy a detached home in a rural area than an urban one
Topping the list is the East of England, including Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex.
There, a detached home in the country costs an average of £487,483, which is 37 per cent cheaper than the £772,396 they would typically pay for a similar property in a larger town or city.
The price difference has increased from 34 per cent before the pandemic, and has been driven by a spike in house values in sought-after cosmopolitan areas such as Cambridge.
Demand from detached home buyers looking for rural locations in the East of England has also fallen by 2 percentage points in the last decade, now at 54 per cent today compared to 56 per cent in 2013 – meaning it could be easier to drive a bargain.
The rural location in the East of England that proved the most popular with buyers in 2023 was Whittlesey, according to Jackson Stops.
Six miles east of Peterborough in the Fenland district of Cambridgeshire, Whittlesey has a population of close to 18,000 and has two historic churches as well as access to several local nature reserves.
It is also famous for hosting an annual ‘straw bear festival’ each January.
Also popular was Dersingham in Norfolk. The village lies just to the north of the Sandringham, the favoured royal residence of Queen Elizabeth II.
It is also close to the Dersingham Bog National Nature Reserve which is home to several rare plants and birds.
Nick Leeming, chairman of Jackson-Stops, says, ‘The East of England has grown in popularity over the last two years, home to the Cambridge-Oxford Arc as a melting pot for innovation and urban expansion.
‘Whilst rural hubs around Suffolk and Norfolk have increased in demand thanks to the rise in flexible working and lifestyle trends, there remains plenty of opportunities here for buyers looking for the best of both worlds.’
Bear-y nice: Whittlesey in Cambridgeshire, home to the straw bear festival, is the most popular rural location for home buyers in the East of England according to Jackson Stops
Daryl Parr, director of Jackson-Stops Colchester, adds: ‘Essex continues to be one of the most affordable home counties for those moving out of London. This means families can get a large, detached house in a green location, within an hour of the capital.
‘There are houses that will tick all the boxes and sell quickly – these are set in the real diamonds of villages, in the heart of Constable country, usually right behind an old church.
‘Hidden gem villages in the golden triangle between Ipswich, Chelmsford and Colchester are becoming more popular with buyers, where picture-postcard country views are a plenty.’
It is one of four areas where the price of a detached home in the countryside is cheaper than that of an urban one, along with the West Midlands, the North West and Yorkshire and the Humber.
The area where owners pay the biggest premium for a rural detached home is the South West, where it costs an average of £563,786 – 11 per cent higher than an urban detached property at £508,006. The gap has increased from 8 per cent in 2022.
There, the most popular locations with country home buyers included Bishops Cleeve, Amesbury and Bovey Tracey.
Bishop’s Cleeve in Gloucestershire has a population of around 14,000 and is located at the foot of Cleeve Hill, the highest point of the Cotswolds.
It is home to The Grange, a business complex which contains offices for large firms including Zurich and Capita.
Amesbury in Wiltshire is possibly the oldest occupied settlement in Britain, having been first settled around 8820 BC. It is also home to Stonehenge.
Meanwhile, Devon’s Bovey Tracey is a market town on the edge of the Dartmoor national park.
Scenic views: Bishop’s Cleeve lies at the foot of Cleeve Hill in the Cotswolds
Rural homes usually outprice urban ones
Looking at house prices in real terms, the price of a rural home – across all property types, not just detached, has risen faster than an urban one.
Jackson Stops’ research shows that buyers consistently pay more for rural homes – and the price premium has expanded in the last decade.
In 2013, a buyer would need to buy on average 15 per cent more for a rural home compared to an urban home in the same region, whilst in 2023 this premium had jumped to 18 per cent.
The typical rural home now costs £347,278 compared to £295,526.
Historic: Bovey Tracey in Devon is home to these traditional Dartmoor stone cottages
Jackson-Stops say this indicates rising demand for country life across the decade.
The cheapest region in which to buy a rural home is the North East, where it costs an average of £182,014, while the most expensive was the South East at £500,271.
The South West has seen the biggest spike in rural house prices, increasing 28 per cent in the last five years to £383,767.
That has been driven by the huge popularity of Cornwall, which topped Jackson Stops’ list of the most popular locations for rural home seekers for the third time in three years.
In each of those years it was followed by Wiltshire and the East Riding of Yorkshire.
| Region | Rural house price 2018(all property types) | Rural house price today | % change |
|---|---|---|---|
| East of England | £305,393 | £355,144 | +16% |
| East Midlands | £247,925 | £286,645 | +16% |
| North East | £162,883 | £182,014 | +12% |
| North West | £211,767 | £246,567 | +16% |
| South East | £402,544 | £500,271 | +24% |
| South West | £298,695 | £383,767 | +28% |
| West Midlands | £258,111 | £312,432 | +21% |
| Yorkshire & Humber | £226,228 | £253,899 | +12% |
| Whole of England | £287,293 | £347,278 | +21% |
| Source: Jackson Stops/Land Registry | |||
Richard Holder, director at Jackson-Stops Cornwall, said: ‘The West Country has a long legacy of drawing in all types of home buyers from across the country, lured in by rolling landscapes and blissful beaches.
‘But Cornwall in particular is the kind of place that puts a spell on you – the romanticism of Poldark is more than just on-screen. It’s laid-back nature, warm sense of community, and close affiliation with nature, make Cornwall the ultimate countryside lovers retreat.
‘Name any hamlet here and no doubt you’ll find a cobbled street lined with pretty cottages, surrounded by wildlife and heritage. It’s a magnet for downsizers and entrepreneurs, offering the good life in spades.’
The research excluded London as it does not have any rural homes.
Prices are also falling faster in towns and cities than in the countryside. In the last year, England’s rural house prices dropped in value by on average 1 per cent or £3,615, however, urban homes decreased by nearly twice this amount by 2 per cent or £6,705.
However, rural homes have not been immune to price falls and most areas have still seen a reduction.
The South West was the only area where prices increased in the last year, going up by 2 per cent. They also stayed the same in the South East.
The area that saw the biggest drop was Yorkshire and the Humber, where prices have dropped 7 per cent in a year to £253,899 according to Jackson Stops.
However, rural house prices are still 15 per cent higher than urban ones.
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