Is rent affordable in South West?
Average private rent in South West is £1,234 a month — that is 41.6% of a full-time gross median salary of £35,634. That is above the 30% line the ONS treats as affordable on a single-earner basis.
- Average rent (ONS, May 2026): £1,234/month
- One-bed average: £823/month
- Two-bed average: £1,056/month
- Full-time gross median salary (ONS ASHE 2024): £35,634/year (£2,970/month)
- Rent as % of gross income: 41.6%
- Salary needed to hit the 30% line: ~£49,360/year
Frequently asked questions
- Is rent affordable in South West?
- Average private rent in South West is £1,234 a month (ONS, May 2026), which is 41.6% of a full-time gross median salary of £35,634 (ONS ASHE 2024). That is above the 30% line ONS treats as affordable on a single-earner basis.
- What salary do you need to afford rent in South West?
- To keep South West's average rent of £1,234 at the 30% affordability line, a single full-time earner would need a gross salary of about £49,360 a year. The region's actual full-time gross median is £35,634 (ONS ASHE 2024).