Copeland in Cumbria is the area with the most affordable rent if you’re renting privately. Here, the average person earns £2,716 a month, but the average rental prices are just £500. The area is home to the Sellafield nuclear site, which attracts highly skilled and paid workers, yet it is still one of the most affordable areas for a property.
The neighbouring area of Allerdale has the second most affordable rent, with rental prices making up around a fifth of monthly income. While rental prices are slightly lower here, so are the average earnings. Allerdale contains much of the Lake District, including the town of Keswick and the lakes of Derwentwater and Bassenthwaite.
Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria is the third most affordable area to rent, with rental prices making up 23.17% of average earnings. Rental prices here are a fair bit higher than in the other 2 areas (£550). A port town known for its shipbuilding, Barrow is home to the UK’s largest shipyard by workforce, which accounts for much of the employment.
The least affordable areas for renters
Kensington and Chelsea is the least affordable area in the UK to rent, with rent costing 67% of a monthly salary on average.
While Kensington and Chelsea has the highest monthly earnings in the country (£3,297.17), it also has the highest average rent (£2,716). This means that people renting here pay around two-thirds of their income on rent.
In second place is Hackney, where rent makes up 65.77% of the average monthly income. Hackney has undergone significant gentrification in recent years, attracting many young workers to the area.
Like many other parts of the capital, it also benefited from hosting the 2012 London Olympics, with many of the venues in the borough.
Unsurprisingly, another London borough completes the top three least affordable areas for renting.
Average rent prices in Brent are £1,450, which makes up 63.2% of the average monthly income.
Brent has both inner-city and suburban areas and its best-known landmark is Wembley, the country’s largest stadium.
The least affordable areas for renters outside of London
The least affordable area for renters outside of London isn’t too far from the capital.
Hertsmere is located in Hertfordshire, which is just outside of London itself. Average rents here are £1,250 a month, 57.02% of earnings.
The second-least affordable area for renters outside the capital is the area surrounding the two Surrey towns of Epsom and Ewell.
Unsurprisingly, like Hertsmere, the area is located right outside of London, with rent making up 52.87% of the average monthly income.
In joint second place is Harlow, another town that borders London. Harlow was founded as a ‘new town’ after World War II to help ease overcrowding in the capital.
Today it's an important part of the London commuter belt, and has undergone lots of redevelopment.