North Kesteven vs South Holland: buying or renting a home
A typical terraced house costs £20,500 (13%) more in North Kesteven than in South Holland. Measured against local pay, buying is about equally hard in both.
At a glance
| North Kesteven | South Holland | |
|---|---|---|
| Buying a home | Fairly affordable | Fairly affordable |
| Renting a home | Fairly affordable | Fairly affordable |
| Recorded crime | Low | Low |
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 South Holland (£32,336) is 13% lower than in North Kesteven (£37,305), while a typical terraced house costs 12% less (£156,000 against £176,500).
Buying a terraced house takes 4.7× annual pay in North Kesteven and 4.8× in South Holland. Renting one takes 26% of pay in North Kesteven and 28% in South Holland. Renting is harder in South Holland; buying is about the same.
Across all property types and measured against pay, North Kesteven is the 87th least expensive of 316 areas to buy in, and South Holland is around the middle of 316 areas (181st most expensive). For renting against pay, North Kesteven is the 62nd least expensive of 316 areas and South Holland is the 101st least expensive of 316 areas.
Someone on £40,000 in North Kesteven would need about £35,500 in South Holland to be equally placed to buy a terraced house, and about £37,500 to be equally placed to rent one. Keeping the same pay after a move to South Holland would leave you better placed to buy. These figures compare housing costs only; they ignore other living costs and the pay you could earn in a new job.
Police recorded 39.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in North Kesteven and 60.5 in South Holland, so recorded crime per resident is 55% higher in South Holland. The biggest difference is in vehicle offences: 1.4 per 1,000 in North Kesteven against 3.3 in South Holland.
Can a typical earner buy?
| Terraced house | North Kesteven | South Holland |
|---|---|---|
| Median full-time pay | £37,305 | £32,336 |
| House price ÷ pay | 4.7× | 4.8× |
| Median pay as a share of income typically needed to buy | 106% | 104% |
| Rent a year as a share of median pay | 26% | 28% |
Buying, by property type
| Type | North Kesteven | South Holland | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detached | £300,000 | £290,000 | -3% in South Holland |
| Semi-detached | £210,000 | £185,000 | -12% in South Holland |
| Terraced | £176,500 | £156,000 | -12% in South Holland |
Renting, by property type
| Type (average rent a month) | North Kesteven | South Holland | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detached | £1,073 | £962 | -10% in South Holland |
| Semi-detached | £838 | £836 | -0% in South Holland |
| Terraced | £809 | £756 | -7% in South Holland |
Crime
Police recorded 39.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in North Kesteven and 60.5 in South Holland, so recorded crime per resident is 55% higher in South Holland.
| Police recorded crime per 1,000 residents | North Kesteven | South Holland | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| All recorded crime (excluding fraud) | 39.1 | 60.5 | +55% in South Holland |
| Violence against the person | 17.5 | 27.2 | +55% in South Holland |
| Sexual offences | 2.4 | 2.9 | +21% in South Holland |
| Robbery | 0.2 | 0.4 | +50% in South Holland |
| Residential burglary (per 1,000 households) | 2.8 | 5.1 | +85% in South Holland |
| Vehicle offences | 1.4 | 3.3 | +144% in South Holland |
| Theft from the person | 0.1 | 0.0 | -43% in South Holland |
| Criminal damage and arson | 3.7 | 6.6 | +76% in South Holland |
Rates use resident population, so city centres and student areas show higher crime per resident than residents experience. Recorded crime also depends on reporting and police recording practice.
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 | North Kesteven | South Holland |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 100 | 100 |
| 2006 | 103 | 107 |
| 2007 | 111 | 113 |
| 2008 | 105 | 108 |
| 2009 | 97 | 91 |
| 2010 | 103 | 101 |
| 2011 | 101 | 96 |
| 2012 | 100 | 96 |
| 2013 | 103 | 97 |
| 2014 | 110 | 104 |
| 2015 | 115 | 111 |
| 2016 | 123 | 120 |
| 2017 | 131 | 128 |
| 2018 | 138 | 134 |
| 2019 | 141 | 135 |
| 2020 | 144 | 136 |
| 2021 | 155 | 148 |
| 2022 | 172 | 166 |
| 2023 | 170 | 165 |
| 2024 | 165 | 159 |
| 2025 | 171 | 160 |
| 12 months to July 2026 | 174 | 163 |
In 2005 the average home cost £139,075 in North Kesteven and £138,541 in South Holland. Now it is £242,284 and £225,671: North Kesteven is up 74% and South Holland is up 63%. Prices have risen faster in North Kesteven, so the gap between the two has widened.
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 | North Kesteven | South Holland |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 7.1 years of pay | 6.8 years of pay |
| 2010 | 6.3 years of pay | 5.8 years of pay |
| 2015 | 6.0 years of pay | 6.5 years of pay |
| 2020 | 6.4 years of pay | 6.2 years of pay |
| 2025 | 6.4 years of pay | 6.9 years of pay |
In 2005 a home cost 7.1 years of pay in North Kesteven and 6.8 years in South Holland. In 2025 it was 6.4 years and 6.9 years.
Affordability has worsened more in South Holland over that time.
How rents have changed in each area
Average monthly rent for all property types, indexed so that 2015 is 100.
Show the figures
| Year | North Kesteven | South Holland |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 100 | 100 |
| 2016 | 103 | 103 |
| 2017 | 106 | 107 |
| 2018 | 108 | 111 |
| 2019 | 112 | 113 |
| 2020 | 114 | 114 |
| 2021 | 119 | 118 |
| 2022 | 125 | 124 |
| 2023 | 130 | 127 |
| 2024 | 141 | 134 |
| 2025 | 147 | 142 |
| August 2026 | 156 | 148 |
In 2015 the average rent was £527 a month in North Kesteven and £522 in South Holland. Now it is £824 and £775: up 56% in North Kesteven and up 48% in South Holland. Rents have risen faster in North Kesteven.
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 North Kesteven to South Holland
| Earning in North Kesteven | Equivalent to buy in South Holland | Equivalent to rent in South Holland |
|---|---|---|
| £30,000 | £26,500 | £28,000 |
| £40,000 | £35,500 | £37,500 |
| £50,000 | £44,000 | £46,500 |
| £60,000 | £53,000 | £56,000 |
Moving from South Holland to North Kesteven
| Earning in South Holland | Equivalent to buy in North Kesteven | Equivalent to rent in North Kesteven |
|---|---|---|
| £30,000 | £34,000 | £32,000 |
| £40,000 | £45,500 | £43,000 |
| £50,000 | £56,500 | £53,500 |
| £60,000 | £68,000 | £64,000 |