Folkestone and Hythe vs Medway: buying or renting a home
A typical terraced house costs £0 (0%) more in Folkestone and Hythe than in Medway. Measured against local pay, buying is about equally hard in both.
At a glance
| Folkestone and Hythe | Medway | |
|---|---|---|
| Buying a home | Expensive | Fairly affordable |
| Renting a home | Expensive | Expensive |
| Recorded crime | About average | – |
Buying rates the typical price of all homes against median pay; renting rates a year of average rent against median pay; crime rates recorded crime per resident against the England and Wales average.
What the numbers say
Median full-time pay in Medway (£39,622) is 2% higher than in Folkestone and Hythe (£38,864), while a typical terraced house costs the same (£280,000 against £280,000).
Buying a terraced house takes 7.2× annual pay in Folkestone and Hythe and 7.1× in Medway. Renting one takes 37% of pay in Folkestone and Hythe and 38% in Medway. On both measures the two areas are close.
Across all property types and measured against pay, Folkestone and Hythe is around the middle of 316 areas (135th most expensive) to buy in, and Medway is around the middle of 316 areas (150th most expensive). For renting against pay, Folkestone and Hythe is the 120th most expensive of 316 areas and Medway is the 108th most expensive of 316 areas.
Someone on £40,000 in Folkestone and Hythe would need about £40,000 in Medway to be equally placed to buy a terraced house, and about £41,500 to be equally placed to rent one. These figures compare housing costs only; they ignore other living costs and the pay you could earn in a new job.
Can a typical earner buy?
| Terraced house | Folkestone and Hythe | Medway |
|---|---|---|
| Median full-time pay | £38,864 | £39,622 |
| House price ÷ pay | 7.2× | 7.1× |
| Median pay as a share of income typically needed to buy | 69% | 71% |
| Rent a year as a share of median pay | 37% | 38% |
Buying, by property type
| Type | Folkestone and Hythe | Medway | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detached | £460,000 | £490,000 | +7% in Medway |
| Semi-detached | £345,000 | £350,000 | +1% in Medway |
| Terraced | £280,000 | £280,000 | 0% in Medway |
| Flat | £185,500 | £170,000 | -8% in Medway |
Renting, by property type
| Type (average rent a month) | Folkestone and Hythe | Medway | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detached | £1,610 | £1,653 | +3% in Medway |
| Semi-detached | £1,328 | £1,380 | +4% in Medway |
| Terraced | £1,201 | £1,249 | +4% in Medway |
| Flat | £919 | £1,016 | +11% in Medway |
How prices have changed in each area
Average house price for all property types, indexed so that 2005 is 100. A line at 200 means prices have doubled.
Show the figures
| Year | Folkestone and Hythe | Medway |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 100 | 100 |
| 2006 | 105 | 104 |
| 2007 | 113 | 112 |
| 2008 | 111 | 109 |
| 2009 | 99 | 95 |
| 2010 | 107 | 103 |
| 2011 | 102 | 101 |
| 2012 | 104 | 101 |
| 2013 | 106 | 106 |
| 2014 | 114 | 118 |
| 2015 | 123 | 130 |
| 2016 | 137 | 150 |
| 2017 | 145 | 162 |
| 2018 | 153 | 167 |
| 2019 | 155 | 165 |
| 2020 | 159 | 166 |
| 2021 | 171 | 179 |
| 2022 | 192 | 199 |
| 2023 | 190 | 200 |
| 2024 | 185 | 193 |
| 2025 | 189 | 201 |
| 12 months to July 2026 | 189 | 203 |
In 2005 the average home cost £162,080 in Folkestone and Hythe and £146,349 in Medway. Now it is £306,553 and £296,457: Folkestone and Hythe is up 89% and Medway is up 103%. Prices have risen faster in Medway, so the gap between the two has narrowed.
Buying a home against local pay, over time
Average house price divided by median full-time pay. Higher means harder to afford.
Show the figures
| Year | Folkestone and Hythe | Medway |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 7.1 years of pay | 6.6 years of pay |
| 2010 | 7.1 years of pay | 5.5 years of pay |
| 2015 | 7.1 years of pay | 6.5 years of pay |
| 2020 | 8.3 years of pay | 7.3 years of pay |
| 2025 | 7.9 years of pay | 7.4 years of pay |
In 2005 a home cost 7.1 years of pay in Folkestone and Hythe and 6.6 years in Medway. In 2025 it was 7.9 years and 7.4 years.
How rents have changed in each area
Average monthly rent for all property types, indexed so that 2015 is 100.
Show the figures
| Year | Folkestone and Hythe | Medway |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 100 | 100 |
| 2016 | 103 | 105 |
| 2017 | 106 | 112 |
| 2018 | 109 | 115 |
| 2019 | 114 | 119 |
| 2020 | 116 | 122 |
| 2021 | 120 | 125 |
| 2022 | 124 | 130 |
| 2023 | 134 | 138 |
| 2024 | 157 | 152 |
| 2025 | 167 | 167 |
| August 2026 | 185 | 171 |
In 2015 the average rent was £638 a month in Folkestone and Hythe and £720 in Medway. Now it is £1,178 and £1,232: up 85% in Folkestone and Hythe and up 71% in Medway. Rents have risen faster in Folkestone and Hythe.
What your salary is worth in each area
Salary needed to afford the same kind of home (terraced), going by median prices and average rents.
Moving from Folkestone and Hythe to Medway
| Earning in Folkestone and Hythe | Equivalent to buy in Medway | Equivalent to rent in Medway |
|---|---|---|
| £30,000 | £30,000 | £31,000 |
| £40,000 | £40,000 | £41,500 |
| £50,000 | £50,000 | £52,000 |
| £60,000 | £60,000 | £62,500 |
Moving from Medway to Folkestone and Hythe
| Earning in Medway | Equivalent to buy in Folkestone and Hythe | Equivalent to rent in Folkestone and Hythe |
|---|---|---|
| £30,000 | £30,000 | £29,000 |
| £40,000 | £40,000 | £38,500 |
| £50,000 | £50,000 | £48,000 |
| £60,000 | £60,000 | £57,500 |