The phrase “north-south divide” is an old one that has been used to describe regional contrasts in economics, culture and even sport for as long as anyone can remember. However, such blunt terminology may just leave people in the Midlands feeling left out.
For the Midlands to be overlooked amid such binary distinctions is more than just an irritation; it ignores the fact that those living in the heart of England have their own interests to consider.
This is as true for the property market as anywhere else. Estate agents in Leicester will not be dealing with property prices up north or down south, but right here.
However, there are some points where it is worth house buyers noting that the Midlands is sometimes right in between the north and south in more than just geography. Right now, that certainly appears to be the case when it comes to house prices.
How Much Do Properties In The East Midlands Cost?
A table of regional house prices published by the Negotiator in mid-February produced a fascinating picture. Based on the combined surveys of institutions like Nationwide, Zoopla and Rightmove, it showed a very stark contrast.
On the one hand, the cheapest region by price was the north-east, then the north-west, followed by Yorkshire and the Humber. At the other end of the scale, London was the most expensive, the south-east next, followed by the East and then the south-west.
This left the Midlands right in the middle in more ways than one. The typical house price in the East Midlands was priced at £285,611 according to Rightmove, but lower than this, at £238,183, according to Nationwide.
Such prices do not represent a huge gap with the north-west or Yorkshire, although the north-east is well down, with only one survey putting the typical price there at over £200,000.
By stark contrast, the average in London is over half a million and, according to Rightmove, an eye-watering £679,000.
However, these contrasts are only part of the story:
- The lower prices are the more they have risen, with towns and counties in the north of England and also Scotland seeing the highest increases
- By contrast, London prices have either fallen or only risen modestly
- Reduced interest rates, thanks to recent Bank of England rate cuts (three since August 2024), have encouraged the markets more in less expensive areas by increasing affordability
What Are The Local Price Variations In Leicestershire?
The other element that is always important to consider when looking for a property in Leicestershire is local variations, as well as how the average is skewed by changes in different house types, both of which may change to different extents.
For example, according to the Office for National Statistics, the typical house price in Leicester was £226,000 in December 2025.
Not only was this less than the regional average, but the change in price differed too: It was down by 1.4 per cent year-on-year, whereas across the East Midlands as a whole the average was up by 2.4 per cent.
The difference in house type price trends was also notable, with the price of flats in Leicester down 5.3 per cent year-on-year, whereas semi-detached homes stayed static.
What all this shows is that when it comes to discovering property prices in Leicestershire, there is more to it than working out where the Midlands comes in a report on north-south divides.
