As 2026 begins, the dream of homeownership in London remains out of reach for many, with new data painting a stark picture of the earnings required to get a foot on the capital's property ladder.
Fresh analysis from property portal Zoopla, reported by Metro, has calculated the average salary a household would need to earn to afford a typical home in each of London's boroughs. The figures assume a buyer has saved a 20% deposit and can secure a mortgage of 4.5 times their annual income.
The Priciest Postcodes: A Six-Figure Salary Floor
Topping the list, as expected, is the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. With an average house price soaring to £1.12 million, aspiring homeowners here would need a staggering annual salary of at least £199,300.
Westminster follows closely behind, where the average property costs £936,900, demanding an income of £166,600. In Camden, the required salary is £135,900 to cover an average house price of £764,600.
The Capital's Average and the Most Affordable Borough
Across London as a whole, the average house price stands at £559,161. This means the typical London household would need to earn £99,406 to make a purchase, a figure that dwarfs the UK's national average salary of £37,430.
The most affordable area for buyers is Barking and Dagenham. Here, the average property price is a comparatively modest £335,500, requiring a salary of £59,600. While this is the lowest threshold in London, it is still significantly higher than the national earnings average.
The Full Borough-by-Borough Breakdown
The comprehensive data from Zoopla provides a clear snapshot of the financial hurdle facing buyers across the capital. Below is the full list of the salary needed alongside the average house price for each borough.
- Kensington and Chelsea – £199,300 (average house price: £1,120,900)
- Westminster – £166,600 (£936,900)
- Camden – £135,900 (£764,600)
- Richmond upon Thames – £135,200 (£760,700)
- City of London – £130,800 (£735,700)
- Hammersmith and Fulham – £128,700 (£723,900)
- Islington – £117,100 (£658,700)
- Wandsworth – £116,900 (£657,700)
- Hackney – £105,900 (£595,700)
- Haringey – £101,800 (£572,600)
- Kingston upon Thames – £101,700 (£572,000)
- Barnet – £101,000 (£567,900)
- Merton – £100,300 (£564,400)
- Lambeth – £98,900 (£556,500)
- Bromley – £92,000 (£517,300)
- Southwark – £91,800 (£516,300)
- Brent – £91,700 (£516,000)
- Ealing – £91,600 (£515,500)
- Harrow – £90,800 (£510,600)
- Waltham Forest – £90,100 (£507,000)
- Redbridge – £84,500 (£475,300)
- Tower Hamlets – £84,200 (£473,600)
- Hounslow – £82,400 (£463,400)
- Hillingdon – £80,700 (£454,000)
- Lewisham – £80,100 (£450,600)
- Sutton – £79,200 (£445,200)
- Enfield – £78,300 (£440,300)
- Greenwich – £75,300 (£423,800)
- Havering – £75,200 (£422,700)
- Newham – £71,600 (£403,000)
- Bexley – £71,200 (£400,800)
- Croydon – £69,900 (£393,300)
- Barking and Dagenham – £59,600 (£335,500)
The data underscores the profound affordability challenge in the UK's capital. For the vast majority of Londoners, the path to homeownership requires an income far exceeding typical earnings, cementing the need for substantial savings, financial support, or a shift in housing expectations as we move through 2026.
