Eryri has lowest house prices of any national park in the UK

Mark Mansfield

Eryri has the lowest average house prices of any national park in the UK, according to new research.

Homes in the north Wales park have an average price of £203,000 – more than £100,000 below those in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, which is the most expensive of Wales’ three protected areas.

Nationwide’s analysis puts the average price in Pembrokeshire Coast at £310,000, with Bannau Brycheiniog between the two at £292,000.

The contrast is even greater with some national parks elsewhere in Britain.

The New Forest is the most expensive included in the research, with an average house price of £563,000, followed by the South Downs at £485,000 and the Peak District at £450,000.

Average prices stand at £348,000 in Dartmoor, £330,000 in Loch Lomond and the Trossachs, £325,000 in the Lake District and £315,000 in the Yorkshire Dales.

Even the Cairngorms, the next cheapest park in the comparison, has an average price of £255,000 – £52,000 more than Eryri.

National parks cover around 20% of Wales – the highest proportion of land of any of the home nations – with Eryri also the largest Welsh park at 2,176 sq km.

Despite Eryri’s relatively low prices, Nationwide’s wider analysis found that being inside a national park typically carries a substantial premium.

A property within one attracts a 24% premium compared with an otherwise similar home elsewhere, equivalent to around £66,500 based on the average UK house price in the second quarter of 2026.

Homes within 5km – around three miles – of a national park also command a 6% premium.

Andrew Harvey, Nationwide’s senior economist, said: “National Parks are highly desirable areas to live in thanks to the beautiful countryside.

“Those living in the parks are ideally placed to make the most of the great outdoors and take advantage of a range of activities and amenities.

“Development is also controlled with limited new housing construction, which may also help to explain why house prices tend to be relatively high.”

National Landscapes

The research also examined National Landscapes, formerly known as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, in England and Wales.

Properties in those areas attract an average 14% premium, while the Wye Valley, which straddles the Wales-England border, has an average property price of £370,000.

Nationwide’s comparison covers the 15 national parks in Great Britain. There are currently no designated national parks in Northern Ireland.

House prices

The research was published alongside Nationwide’s latest House Price Index, which showed the UK housing market remained subdued in August.

House prices rose by 0.2% month-on-month after seasonal adjustment, following a revised 0.1% fall in July.

Annual growth edged up from 1.4% to 1.6%, while the average UK house price stood at £275,465.

The most recent quarterly figures for Wales put its average house price at £220,337 in the second quarter of 2026, up 3.5% compared with a year earlier. That was more than twice the 1.5% annual increase recorded in England.

Nationwide chief economist Robert Gardner said: “Market activity and house prices have remained subdued in recent months, in part reflecting the uncertain economic backdrop.”

He said underlying affordability was improving as house price growth remained below earnings growth, although higher mortgage rates had offset some of the gains.

Nationwide’s national park analysis used mortgage lending data for the 12 months to June 2026 and took account of factors including property type, age, number of bedrooms and location.

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