"Massive" housing affordability crisis for people wanting to rent or buy in Cornwall

On June 30th, there were only 171 properties for rent across the whole of Cornwall

Author: Sophie SquiresPublished 10th Nov 2022
Last updated 10th Nov 2022

New research shows that there are "very few" places in Cornwall where there is no housing affordability crisis.

The University of Exeter's Institute of Cornish Studies examined postcode data across the Duchy.

They found there are only six "affordable" postcodes where there is no gap between earnings and mortgages. Despite this, researchers say only 12 properties were sold in the last year.

For terraced housing, around 246 were sold in the cheapest six postcodes, but the study found that there was an affordability gap.

Camborne was the lowest priced location, with an affordability gap of just under £11,000. The most expensive location for buying a flat was Port Isaac/St. Endellion, with a mortgage gap of £441,674.

The only locations where there was positive affordability, based on the average monthly salary, were Redruth, St. Austell and Liskeard. At the time of the research, there were only 14 properties for rent in those towns.

On June 30th of this year, there were only 171 properties listed for renting on Rightmove across the whole of Cornwall.

Most expensive locations for buying flats

Wadebridge: £331,639 affordability gap

Downderry: £253,591 affordability gap

Fowey - Polruan: £242,883 affordability gap

St. Ives: £339,878 affordability gap

Mousehole - St. Buryan: £220,478 affordability gap

Falmouth: £219,765 affordability gap

Least expensive locations for buying flats

St. Cleer - Pensilva: +£70,784 affordability gap

Lizard: +£62,872 affordability gap

Clay District: +£60,534 affordability gap

Camborne: +£41,284 affordability gap

Liskeard: +£40,247 affordability gap

Boscastle - Lesneweth: +£35784 affordability gap

Most expensive locations for buying terraced houses

Port Isaac - St.Endellion: £441,674 affordability gap

St.Ives: £360,286 affordability gap

St.Mawes - Porthscatho: £341,847 affordability gap

Fowey - Polruan: £309,638 affordability gap

Perranporth: £305,089 affordability gap

Wadebridge: £305,237 affordability gap

Least expensive locations for buying terraced houses

Camborne: £10,843 affordability gap

Looe - Pelynt: £35,209 affordability gap

St. Austell Bay: £38,758 affordability gap

Bodmin: £41,063 affordability gap

Camborne South - Beacon: £42,791 affordability gap

Redruth: £44,106 affordability gap

Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.