Key Points
- The Borough of Trafford has been ranked as the least affordable of the Greater Manchester boroughs in which to purchase property, with property prices standing at £394,000.
- According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), there was a 6.4% increase in the average house price in Trafford Borough in August 2026, from £370,000 in August 2025.
- The average annual earnings for full-time workers in Trafford Borough are £46,055, resulting in an affordability ratio of 8.6.
- Trafford Borough has been cited as the least affordable area in which to purchase property in northern England.
- The second least affordable Greater Manchester Borough is Stockport, with prices of £319,000 and an affordability ratio of 7.7.
- Manchester has an average house price of £257,000 and an affordability ratio of 7.0, whereas Wigan is the most affordable Borough, with a ratio of 5.1 times earnings.
- At the national level, the average price of houses is £273,000 and average annual earnings are £40,911, yielding a ratio of 6.7.
- In accordance with the Housing Strategy for Trafford Council, buyers require an annual household income of about £80,000 to purchase a median-priced property.
Trafford (Manchester Mirror) October 24, 2026 – Trafford has been named among the least affordable places in the United Kingdom to buy a home after official figures showed the borough’s average property price reached £394,000, while local earnings remained substantially lower.
- Key Points
- How Does Trafford Compare With the UK Average?
- Which Greater Manchester Boroughs Are Least Affordable?
- Is Trafford the Least Affordable Area in Northern England?
- What Do the Latest ONS Figures Show?
- What Does Trafford Council Say About Affordability?
- How Does Trafford’s Market Affect First-Time Buyers?
- Background of the Development
- Prediction: What Could This Mean for Trafford Residents?
As reported by the Manchester Evening News, data from the Office for National Statistics shows that the average house price in Trafford rose by 6.4% over the year to August 2026, making it the most expensive borough in Greater Manchester. The ONS separately confirms that Trafford’s provisional average house price in August 2026 was £394,000, compared with a revised £370,000 in August 2025.
The affordability pressure arises because the borough’s average full-time earnings are estimated at £46,055 a year. As reported by the Manchester Evening News, this means the average Trafford home costs 8.6 times average local income, making it the least affordable borough for buyers in Greater Manchester.
How Does Trafford Compare With the UK Average?
The figures place Trafford well above the national affordability benchmark. According to the Manchester Evening News, the UK average house price over the past year was £273,000, while average annual earnings were £40,911, resulting in a national house-price-to-income ratio of 6.7.
Trafford’s ratio of 8.6 therefore exceeds the UK average by 1.9 times earnings. The report states that Trafford is one of three Greater Manchester boroughs where the ratio of house prices to income is higher than the national average.
The ONS also found that Trafford had the highest average house price in the North West in August 2026. The regional average was £220,000, meaning Trafford’s typical property price was £174,000 higher than the North West average.
Which Greater Manchester Boroughs Are Least Affordable?
Trafford leads the Greater Manchester affordability table, followed by Stockport and Manchester. According to the Manchester Evening News, Stockport recorded an average house price of £319,000 in the past year, against estimated average earnings of £41,289 in 2026, producing a ratio of 7.7.
Manchester recorded an average property price of £257,000 and average earnings of £36,860, giving an affordability ratio of 7.0. By contrast, Wigan was identified as the most affordable borough in Greater Manchester, where average house prices equate to 5.1 times average earnings.
| Borough | Average house price | Annual price change | Affordability ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trafford | £394,000 | 6.4% | 8.6 |
| Stockport | £319,000 | 3.9% | 7.7 |
| Manchester | £257,000 | 2.1% | 7.0 |
| Other Greater Manchester boroughs | £211,000–£243,000 | -1.7% to 4.8% | Not stated in report |
Is Trafford the Least Affordable Area in Northern England?
Yes, according to reporting based on the latest affordability analysis. As reported by AOL, Trafford was “the least affordable place to buy in the North of England,” with average house prices of £394,000 in the year to August and local earnings of £46,055.
The same finding was reported by CambridgeshireLive, which stated that Trafford’s average house price was 8.6 times higher than the area’s average local earnings. These reports align with the Manchester Evening News’s finding that Trafford has the highest house-price-to-income ratio in Greater Manchester.
What Do the Latest ONS Figures Show?
The ONS housing price data for Trafford shows that the borough’s average property price increased from £370,000 in August 2025 to £394,000 in August 2026. This represents a 6.4% annual increase, higher than the 2.2% rise recorded across the North West during the same period.
The ONS describes the August 2026 Trafford figure as provisional. Its data also shows that the North West average house price rose from £216,000 to £220,000 over the same 12-month period.
What Does Trafford Council Say About Affordability?
Trafford Council has previously acknowledged the scale of the affordability challenge in its Housing Strategy 2025–2030. The council states that house prices in Trafford are “regularly up to nine times the average salary of residents”.
The strategy adds that, because many lenders will lend up to 4.5 times a household’s annual income, buyers would require an annual household income of around £80,000 to purchase a median-priced property with a mortgage in Trafford. It also states that a household would need an income of at least £46,000 to rent comfortably in the borough, based on current average rents.
The council’s strategy cites its Housing Needs Assessment 2023, which found that Trafford’s gross median household income was £35,000. It further states that property prices in Altrincham, Old Trafford, and Partington & Carrington were more than 10 times median household incomes.
How Does Trafford’s Market Affect First-Time Buyers?
For prospective buyers in Trafford, the figures indicate that saving for a deposit and qualifying for a mortgage may require substantially higher incomes than in many nearby boroughs. The Manchester Evening News reports that Trafford’s average home costs 8.6 times average earnings, compared with 5.1 times earnings in Wigan.
Trafford Council’s own assessment suggests that a buyer using a typical mortgage multiple could need a household income of about £80,000 for a median-priced property. The council also notes that property prices in several parts of the borough exceed 10 times median household incomes.
Background of the Development
Trafford has consistently ranked as one of the more expensive parts of Greater Manchester. The ONS reports that Trafford had the highest average house price in the North West in August 2026, at £394,000, compared with a regional average of £220,000.
The borough’s affordability pressures are not new. Trafford Council’s Housing Strategy 2025–2030 states that local house prices are regularly up to nine times residents’ average salaries and identifies affordability as a central issue for the borough. Earlier council-commissioned research also found that Trafford was the least affordable local authority area among nine neighbouring areas based on both lower-quartile and median house-price-to-income measures in 2018.
The latest reporting follows the publication of ONS housing price data for August 2026 and wider coverage of UK housing affordability by regional news outlets, including the Manchester Evening News, AOL and CambridgeshireLive.
Prediction: What Could This Mean for Trafford Residents?
For Trafford residents, particularly first-time buyers and younger households, the development is likely to keep homeownership difficult without higher incomes, larger deposits, family support, or a move to less expensive boroughs. The 8.6 price-to-earnings ratio is above the UK average of 6.7, indicating that local wages are not rising in line with property costs.
Renters may also face continued pressure. Trafford Council estimates that a household needs at least £46,000 a year to rent comfortably in the borough, while its cited median household income was £35,000. If prices continue to rise faster than earnings, more residents may remain in rented accommodation for longer, look to neighbouring areas such as Wigan, or rely on shared ownership and affordable housing schemes.
For landlords, investors and homeowners, sustained demand in Trafford could support property values, but for local workers and families the figures point to a widening gap between wages and housing costs. The ONS figures show Trafford’s prices rose 6.4% annually, compared with 2.2% across the North West.
