New research from Zoopla has revealed Glenrothes in Scotland as the most popular affordable town in Great Britain for families looking to buy a home, with the majority of top locations found in Scotland and Wales. The analysis highlights a clear shift in buyer interest toward areas offering strong value for money, particularly for families seeking three-bedroom homes.
Located in Fife, just an hour from Edinburgh, Glenrothes offers scenic living and an average three-bed home value of £136,900, translating into a typical monthly mortgage payment of just £540. Based on current lending standards, two full-time earners would need a combined annual income of just over £78,000 to afford a property in the area.
Alongside Glenrothes, other popular and affordable family hotspots include Llanelli, Neath and Port Talbot in Wales, and Wishaw, Leven, and Larkhall in Scotland. Most of the towns offering the best value for families are outside southern England, with the exceptions of Dartford and Swanley in the South East, where average home prices and mortgage costs are significantly higher.
In Dartford, for instance, families would face monthly mortgage payments of £1,680 for a three-bed home valued at £423,600, while in Swanley, that figure rises to £1,770. London buyers looking for relative affordability will find it in Barking and Dagenham, where three-bed homes average £440,300 and require mortgage payments of around £1,750 per month.
Elsewhere in the UK, Bootle in the North West offers some of the best value for families, with an average three-bed priced at £142,900, requiring mortgage payments of just £570. This makes it the most affordable and popular option in its region, bolstered by strong transport links to Liverpool.
Zoopla found that in these top affordable towns, buyer interest was twice as high as the regional average for comparable homes, based on online listing views, reflecting the strength of demand in more accessible markets.
Despite signs of mortgage rates easing, affordability remains a major concern for buyers. A separate survey by Zoopla found that 34% of UK adults do not feel confident they can afford a family home in their preferred location. While the average monthly mortgage cost for a standard £304,600 three-bed home is currently £1,210, respondents felt £870 would be a more reasonable payment — a significant gap that highlights the strain many face.
When asked about their willingness to compromise, 41% of respondents said they would move from their ideal location if it meant gaining more space at an affordable price. However, many were reluctant to stray far: the average household would only move 41 minutes away, with those in the West Midlands willing to move furthest (45 minutes), and those in the North East the least (35 minutes). Notably, 37% said they would move to a different region entirely to secure an affordable family home, while two in five said they were not willing to move at all, with nearly half citing a deep-rooted love for their current area.
Lifestyle factors remain important, too. A third of buyers said they were willing to sacrifice a bedroom in order to live in a better neighbourhood for their family, demonstrating how values like location and community still rank highly in purchasing decisions.
Richard Donnell, Executive Director at Zoopla, commented: “This latest analysis paints a clear picture of a market where affordability remains a critical factor for families planning their next home move. What’s particularly telling is the level of buyer interest these towns are attracting — three-bedroom homes in the most popular affordable locations are seeing twice the number of listing views compared to the regional average.”
Donnell added that the growing popularity of these areas, combined with widespread affordability challenges, reflects the adaptive strategies families are employing in today’s market. From moving to new regions to compromising on home features, families are being flexible in pursuit of better value, a trend that could shape the UK housing market for years to come.
