Manchester has recorded the strongest house price growth of any major UK city over the last decade, according to new research from Rightmove.
The figures show that average house prices have increased by 63% over the past 10 years, compared with 7% in London. It’s another sign that the local property market has continued to perform strongly, with demand remaining high across both the city and the wider Greater Manchester area.
For first time buyers, these figures reflect a market that has continued to attract buyers year after year. While buying your first home is always a big decision, it’s encouraging to see confidence remain strong across the region.
Growth Isn’t Just Happening In The City Centre
One of the most interesting findings from the research is that Manchester’s success is being shared across Greater Manchester.
Rightmove found that the four fastest-growing local areas over the past decade are all within Greater Manchester, showing that buyers are looking beyond the city centre when searching for their first home.
From what we’re seeing at Manchestermoneyman, that’s something we’ve noticed too. Many first time buyers are widening their search to include surrounding areas, giving themselves more options while staying within easy reach of the city centre.
Why Has Manchester Continued To Grow?
There isn’t one single reason behind Manchester’s growth.
Rightmove highlights continued investment, strong employment opportunities, and improving transport links as some of the factors helping to drive demand. The research also suggests that Manchester has had more room to grow than London, where higher property prices have naturally limited price growth over the same period.
It’s this combination that has helped Manchester become one of the UK’s strongest performing property markets over the last decade.
What This Could Mean For First Time Buyers
House prices are only one part of the picture when you’re buying your first home, though they can provide a useful indication of how a local market has performed over time.
For many first time buyers, the surrounding areas continue to offer a wide choice of properties, with different locations appealing to different budgets and circumstances.
If you’re thinking about buying, understanding how much you could borrow and arranging an Agreement in Principle before you begin viewing properties can help you move quickly when the right home comes onto the market.
Our mortgage advisors in Manchester speak to first time buyers every day, helping them understand what’s possible based on their own circumstances rather than making assumptions.
A Positive Outlook For Manchester
The latest Rightmove figures reinforce what we’ve been seeing for a number of years. The city continues to be one of the UK’s strongest property markets, with that growth now extending across many surrounding areas in Greater Manchester too.
For first time buyers, that’s positive news. It shows that demand for homes across the region remains strong, with buyers continuing to see the region as somewhere they want to put down roots.
Date Last Edited: September 7, 2026
