Bristol is one of the least affordable places to rent across England and Wales as residents are spending nearly half of their income on rent.
The typical private rent in Bristol cost 41.2 per cent of the average household income in the financial year ending March 2023, putting the city in the top ten for least affordable places to rent across England and Wales
Renters were charged an average of £1,178 a month, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics. That’s compared to an average household income of £3,448 a month for people who rent privately.
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This means the typical private rent in England cost 34.2% of the average household income in the financial year ending March 2023. Private rents in Wales are more affordable, with the median rent working out as 27.2% of the median household income (£667 rent compared with a £2,452 monthly income).
But in some parts of the country, renters have to spend a far larger proportion of their income on rent. The average private rent in Kensington and Chelsea works out as 52.2% of the average household income, which the largest proportion of any local authority in England and Wales.
Manchester is the next least affordable place to rent in the country. The average private rent in the city made up 45.6% of the average private-renting household income in the 2022/23 financial year.
That’s up from 37.1% as recently as 2019/20 and 35.3% in 2018/19, meaning that rents have become much less affordable in a short space of time. Westminster is the next least affordable place to rent, with rent making up 45.3% of average private-renting household income.
In Brighton and Hove the ratio is 44.7%, in Hackney it’s 44.2%, in Camden it’s 42.2% and in Bristol it’s 41.2%.
You can see how affordable renting is in your local area using our interactive map.
The 20 least affordable places to rent in England and Wales
Local authority: Percent of avg household income spent on rent
- Kensington and Chelsea: 52.2%
- Manchester: 45.6%
- Westminster: 45.3%
- Brighton and Hove: 44.7%
- Hackney: 44.2%
- Camden: 42.2%
- Bristol, City of: 41.2%
- Haringey: 41.1%
- Hammersmith and Fulham: 41%
- Trafford: 40.1%
- Newham: 39.5%
- Southwark: 39.2%
- Oxford: 38.9%
- Bath and North East Somerset: 38.7%
- Newcastle upon Tyne: 38.7%
- Islington: 38.7%
- Brent: 38.4%
- Tower Hamlets: 38.4%
- Sevenoaks: 38.2%
- Guildford: 37.8%