Basingstoke is a town in north Hampshire, in the South East of England. Average sold prices across Basingstoke and Deane sit at £372,276 on the HM Land Registry House Price Index, 28.4% above the England average of £289,946 yet 1.6% below the South East regional average of £378,515. That places Basingstoke in an unusual spot: priced like the South East because it is the South East, but coming in just under the regional line rather than above it. The local authority's population grew 10.3% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 167,799 to 185,154 residents.
What makes the town worth a closer look for income is one postcode that breaks the pattern. RG21, the town centre, has an average asking price of £270,172 against a borough-wide mean of £502,787, and it carries a 5.6% gross yield where the rural and commuter postcodes sit between 2.9% and 4.7%. The spread runs from RG21 at £270,172 up to RG20 (Kingsclere, Woolton Hill) at £720,040, so a single borough holds both a sub-England entry point and Hampshire-village money.
This guide covers the borough of Basingstoke and Deane (ONS code E07000084) in Hampshire, across postcodes RG7, RG20, RG21, RG22, RG23, RG24, RG25, RG26, RG27, and RG28. Basingstoke sits in north Hampshire with direct trains to London Waterloo in under 50 minutes and the M3 on its doorstep. The wider Hampshire buy-to-let market stretches south towards the coast.
Article updated: June 2026
Why Invest in Basingstoke?
Basingstoke and Deane's median gross annual salary is £42,801, which is 1.0% above the South East median of £42,390 and 7.4% above the Great Britain median of £39,863. A town that pays its workers a little more than the region is a town where tenants can carry a little more rent. Basingstoke earns those wages from a deep corporate base built up over decades, drawn by the under-50-minute trains to London Waterloo and office space at a fraction of central-London cost.
The second leg of the local economy is defence. The Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston and Burghfield sits within the RG7 postcode and employs several thousand people on long-running Ministry of Defence work. That is the kind of employer that anchors a tenant base through a downturn rather than shedding it. Alongside it, Basingstoke has long hosted pharmaceutical, technology and financial-services operations in and around the town centre and Basing View.
The population growth tells the same story from the demand side. Basingstoke and Deane added 17,355 residents between 2011 and 2021, a 10.3% rise against the England and Wales average of 6.3%, much of it families moving out of London for more space at lower prices. The local employment rate of 80.5% runs above the South East and Great Britain figures, and a working population on above-average wages is the foundation under any rental market here.
Basingstoke Economic Summary
- Population (Basingstoke and Deane): 185,154 (2021 Census). Growth of 10.3% from 2011.
- Median annual salary: £42,801 (local), £42,390 (South East), £39,863 (Great Britain)
- Employment rate: 80.5% (local)
- Key employment sectors: Defence, technology, pharmaceuticals, financial and professional services, wholesale and retail
Source: ONS Census 2021, Nomis Labour Market Profile (ASHE 2025, Employment Oct 2024-Sep 2025)
Regeneration and Investment in Basingstoke
Basingstoke's biggest housing project, the Manydown Garden Community, will add 3,500 homes on the western edge of the town over the coming decade. The investment is spread across new housing delivery and an expanding business district, and it points to long-term confidence in the town rather than a single headline scheme.
- Manydown Garden Community (under construction, 3,500 homes): A new community on 794 acres in western Basingstoke, delivered by Urban&Civic in partnership with the borough and county councils. It includes a 250-acre countryside park, two primary schools, and 40% affordable housing, with the first residents expected from the end of 2027. A pipeline of that size shapes rental supply across the western postcodes for years. Updates at Urban&Civic.
- Basing View Enterprise Zone (ongoing): A 65-acre business district next to the railway station that already carries around 1 million sq ft of floorspace and roughly 4,000 jobs, with room to grow over the next 15 years. Jobs next to the station feed directly into demand for town-centre rented homes in RG21. Updates at Basing View.
- Town Centre Masterplan (planning): A 15-year regeneration plan adopted by the council in December 2022, aiming for 500-plus new homes alongside mixed-use and cultural space in the town centre. An investment-partner selection process began in December 2025. Updates at Love Basingstoke.
Source: Office for National Statistics - Population for Basingstoke and Deane
Basingstoke Property Market Analysis
Average property prices across Basingstoke and Deane have risen 458.6% since January 1995, from £66,643 to £372,276. The sections below trace that path cycle by cycle, then drill into postcode-level sold prices, price per square foot, asking prices, growth, transaction volumes and selling times.
When was the last house price crash in Basingstoke?
Basingstoke sits within the borough of Basingstoke and Deane, so all sold property prices from HM Land Registry are recorded at this level. The index runs from January 1995 to March 2026, covering 31 years of market cycles.
The 1995 to 2007 boom: Basingstoke and Deane started at £66,643 in January 1995. By December 2000 the average had reached £124,968, helped by London overspill demand along the M3 corridor. Growth ran hot through the early 2000s, reaching £192,654 by December 2005, and the market peaked at £234,377 in September 2007.
2008 to 2009, the financial crisis: Prices fell from the September 2007 peak of £234,377 to a trough of £184,169 in April 2009, a decline of 21.4% over 19 months. The worst year-on-year reading was -17.6% in April 2009. Basingstoke's corporate-heavy economy, weighted towards financial services and technology, took the downturn harder than many southern towns with broader employment.
The 2010 to 2013 stagnation: Prices bounced off the trough but then drifted sideways. By December 2010 the average stood at £209,758, and three years later it had only reached around the same level, still short of the pre-crash peak. Basingstoke spent the early 2010s grinding rather than recovering.
Recovery, 2014 to 2016: Growth returned. Prices passed the September 2007 peak of £234,377 in June 2014 at £237,445, a recovery that took just under seven years. By March 2016 the average had reached £286,759.
The 2017 to 2019 plateau: Affordability limits in the South East and Brexit-era caution slowed things down. Prices moved from £286,759 in March 2016 to £304,900 by December 2019, with annual growth down to 0.7% by the end of 2019.
2020 to 2022, the pandemic surge: The stamp duty holiday and the shift to hybrid working repriced commuter towns sharply upwards. Prices jumped from £305,627 in June 2020 to £357,769 by December 2022, a 17.1% rise as buyers chased larger homes within reach of London.
The 2023 rate shock: Higher mortgage rates cooled the market. Prices eased from £357,769 in December 2022 to £340,360 by December 2023, a fall of 4.9%, sharper than the national correction given Basingstoke's higher price points and mortgage sensitivity.
2024 to present: The market firmed up again, reaching an all-time high of £376,913 in May 2025 before easing back to £372,276 by the latest reading in March 2026. The current price is 58.8% above the September 2007 pre-crash peak.
Long-term growth summary:
- 5 years (March 2021 to March 2026): 19.3% growth (£312,035 to £372,276)
- 10 years (March 2016 to March 2026): 29.8% growth (£286,759 to £372,276)
- 15 years (March 2011 to March 2026): 81.8% growth (£204,784 to £372,276)
- 20 years (December 2005 to March 2026): 93.2% growth (£192,654 to £372,276)
- 30 years (January 1995 to March 2026): 458.6% growth (£66,643 to £372,276)
Basingstoke's 21.4% crash was deeper than the England fall but its recovery was steady once it came, and the 30-year return of 458.6% reflects the long pull of a town with fast London rail links. The seven-year wait to clear the 2007 peak is the part worth remembering: the recent high of £376,913 in May 2025 has since softened to £372,276, so the market is sitting just off its top rather than running away from it. An investor who bought at the exact peak in September 2007 would now be 58.8% ahead on the Land Registry average.
- All property types
- Detached
- Semi-detached
- Terraced
- Flats
- All property types
- Detached
- Semi-detached
- Terraced
- Flats
Sold House Prices in Basingstoke
The average sold price across all property types in Basingstoke and Deane is £372,276, which is 28.4% above the England average of £289,946 as of March 2026. The premium is real, but it almost vanishes against the South East: at £378,515 the regional average is 1.6% higher than Basingstoke. The premium also flips by property type, with houses well above England and only flats coming in cheap.
| Property Type | Basingstoke and Deane Average | England Average | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detached houses | £662,965 | £470,492 | +40.9% |
| Semi-detached houses | £398,886 | £288,185 | +38.4% |
| Terraced houses | £307,905 | £243,788 | +26.3% |
| Flats and maisonettes | £187,662 | £214,563 | -12.5% |
| All property types | £372,276 | £289,946 | +28.4% |
Detached houses average £662,965 across Basingstoke and Deane, 40.9% above England's £470,492. That figure is carried by the rural postcodes, where Hampshire-village detached stock in RG20 (Kingsclere, Woolton Hill) and RG25 (North Waltham, Cliddesden) sets the top of the market. Detached values grew 2.7% over the past year, in line with the borough as a whole.
Semi-detached houses average £398,886, a 38.4% premium to England's £288,185. This is the family-home backbone of Basingstoke's owner-occupier market and the type most landlords compete for, concentrated in the established suburban postcodes around the town. Semi-detached prices posted the strongest annual growth of any type at 3.6%.
Terraced houses average £307,905, 26.3% above England's £243,788. Terraced stock is most common in RG21 (Town Centre), where the town-centre and inner-suburb streets hold the smaller, more lettable houses, with annual growth of 2.6%.
Flats and maisonettes average £187,662, the one property type that undercuts the national market at 12.5% below England's £214,563. Annual change of -1.8% shows a softer flat market, and the flat stock is concentrated in RG21, which is also where the borough's lowest asking prices and highest yields sit.
Price Per Square Foot in Basingstoke
£115 per square foot separates Basingstoke's cheapest postcode from its most expensive, with RG21 at £346 and RG27 at £459. Price per square foot strips out the effect of property size and gives a cleaner read on location value. RG27 (Hook, Sherfield on Loddon) commands the highest rate, reflecting the sought-after commuter-village stock towards the Surrey border.
| Rank | Area | Price Per Sq Ft |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | RG21 (Town Centre) | £346 |
| 2 | RG22 (Winklebury, Rooksdown) | £392 |
| 3 | RG24 (Old Basing, Popley) | £392 |
| 4 | RG26 (Tadley, Baughurst) | £394 |
| 5 | RG28 (Whitchurch) | £397 |
| 6 | RG23 (Oakley, Overton) | £405 |
| 7 | RG20 (Kingsclere, Woolton Hill) | £429 |
| 8 | RG7 (Tadley, Silchester) | £435 |
| 9 | RG25 (North Waltham, Cliddesden) | £449 |
| 10 | RG27 (Hook, Sherfield on Loddon) | £459 |
RG21 at £346 per square foot is the cheapest postcode for bricks-and-mortar value, drawn down by the town-centre flats and terraced houses that make up its stock. Based on 517 transactions analysed, RG21's rate sits 25% below RG27's.
RG27 at £459 per square foot tops the table, ahead of RG25 at £449 and RG7 at £435. The premium in RG27 reflects Hook and Sherfield on Loddon, commuter villages with fast access to Waterloo and the M3, where buyers pay for location rather than size. The 459 transactions analysed show a consistent premium over the rest of the borough.
For Sale Asking Prices in Basingstoke
RG21 at £270,172 and RG20 at £720,040 sit 166% apart, the widest asking-price gap in the borough. That spread runs from a town-centre entry point below the England average up to Hampshire-village money in the north. The mean asking price across all ten Basingstoke postcodes is £502,787.
| Rank | Area | Asking Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | RG21 (Town Centre) | £270,172 |
| 2 | RG22 (Winklebury, Rooksdown) | £361,241 |
| 3 | RG24 (Old Basing, Popley) | £366,499 |
| 4 | RG23 (Oakley, Overton) | £467,993 |
| 5 | RG28 (Whitchurch) | £469,038 |
| 6 | RG26 (Tadley, Baughurst) | £536,734 |
| 7 | RG27 (Hook, Sherfield on Loddon) | £601,893 |
| 8 | RG25 (North Waltham, Cliddesden) | £617,052 |
| 9 | RG7 (Tadley, Silchester) | £617,209 |
| 10 | RG20 (Kingsclere, Woolton Hill) | £720,040 |
RG21 at £270,172 is the only postcode with an asking price under the England average of £289,946, and it sits well below the city-wide Land Registry sold-price average of £372,276. The gap to the next postcode, RG22 at £361,241, is £91,069, the biggest single step in the table. For an investor on a fixed budget, RG21 is the lowest barrier to entry in the borough by a clear margin.
RG20's £720,040 sits at the other extreme. Kingsclere and Woolton Hill are rural north-Hampshire villages of large detached houses, the kind of stock that competes with the wider Berkshire and Hampshire commuter belt rather than with the town. At more than two and a half times RG21's asking price, RG20 is owner-occupier territory, and the yield data below confirms it.
House Price Growth in Basingstoke
Five postcodes posted double-digit five-year growth, led by RG22 at 14.8%, while RG21 and RG25 are the two postcodes down across all three timeframes. The growth table splits the borough between the suburban postcodes that have run with the wider South East and the town-centre and rural-village stock that has lagged.
| Area | 1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| RG22 (Winklebury, Rooksdown) | 2.6% | 8.3% | 14.8% |
| RG23 (Oakley, Overton) | -0.5% | 3.3% | 12.6% |
| RG20 (Kingsclere, Woolton Hill) | -0.2% | 2.3% | 12.3% |
| RG24 (Old Basing, Popley) | 1.8% | 1.6% | 11.0% |
| RG28 (Whitchurch) | 6.3% | 5.1% | 9.9% |
| RG26 (Tadley, Baughurst) | 6.0% | 4.7% | 6.8% |
| RG27 (Hook, Sherfield on Loddon) | -3.3% | -3.2% | 3.2% |
| RG7 (Tadley, Silchester) | -3.7% | 1.6% | 2.0% |
| RG21 (Town Centre) | -6.2% | -1.6% | -2.1% |
| RG25 (North Waltham, Cliddesden) | -9.3% | -13.6% | -3.5% |
RG22 at 14.8% five-year growth has the highest five-year return in Basingstoke, and it backs that up with positive readings across one and three years too. Winklebury and Rooksdown sit on the north-west edge of the town, where newer family housing around the Rooksdown development has drawn steady buyer demand.
RG21 and RG25 are the two postcodes with negative five-year returns, at -2.1% and -3.5%, and both are down across all three timeframes. For RG21 the town-centre flat and terraced stock that gives the postcode its low asking price and high yield is also the stock that has repriced downwards while the suburban postcodes climbed. For an income buyer that is the trade-off in plain sight: the cheapest, highest-yielding postcode has been among the weakest on capital growth.
RG28 (Whitchurch) and RG26 (Tadley, Baughurst) have grown fastest over the past year at 6.3% and 6.0%, on five-year returns of 9.9% and 6.8%. RG27 (Hook, Sherfield on Loddon) is the softest of the commuter villages, down 3.3% over the year and 3.2% over three, with a slim 3.2% five-year return.
Monthly Property Sales in Basingstoke
Monthly sales range from 6 transactions in RG25 to 45 in RG24, with turnover from 7% to 29% across the borough. The town and inner-suburb postcodes trade actively, while the rural villages see far fewer homes change hands. For a buy-to-let investor, transaction volume is exit liquidity: how easily a property can be sold when the time comes.
| Area | Sales Per Month | Turnover | Asking Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| RG24 (Old Basing, Popley) | 45 | 24% | £366,499 |
| RG7 (Tadley, Silchester) | 31 | 11% | £617,209 |
| RG22 (Winklebury, Rooksdown) | 30 | 29% | £361,241 |
| RG21 (Town Centre) | 26 | 14% | £270,172 |
| RG27 (Hook, Sherfield on Loddon) | 26 | 13% | £601,893 |
| RG26 (Tadley, Baughurst) | 23 | 18% | £536,734 |
| RG20 (Kingsclere, Woolton Hill) | 16 | 10% | £720,040 |
| RG23 (Oakley, Overton) | 12 | 16% | £467,993 |
| RG28 (Whitchurch) | 7 | 20% | £469,038 |
| RG25 (North Waltham, Cliddesden) | 6 | 7% | £617,052 |
RG22 at 29% turnover is the most active market in the borough, just ahead of RG24 at 24%. Winklebury and Rooksdown combine newer, mid-priced family stock with steady demand, so homes change hands often. A higher-turnover postcode points to an easier sale when an investor wants to exit.
RG24 records the most transactions at 45 a month, reflecting the size of its housing stock around Old Basing and Popley. At the other end, RG25 (North Waltham, Cliddesden) sees just 6 sales a month on a 7% turnover, the thinnest market in Basingstoke. Few sales in the rural villages means longer waits to buy and to sell.
How Long Properties Take to Sell in Basingstoke
Selling speed splits the borough sharply: RG22 (Winklebury, Rooksdown) clears fastest at about 113 days, while RG25 (North Waltham, Cliddesden) is slowest at roughly 380 days. Days on market is the typical time a home is up for sale before it sells; the months of unsold stock shows how much for-sale supply is sitting there at the current rate of sales.
| Area | Avg Days to Sell | Months of Unsold Stock | Market |
|---|---|---|---|
| RG22 (Winklebury, Rooksdown) | 113 | 3.7 | Seller's market |
| RG24 (Old Basing, Popley) | 122 | 4.0 | Seller's market |
| RG28 (Whitchurch) | 145 | 4.8 | Seller's market |
| RG26 (Tadley, Baughurst) | 160 | 5.3 | Seller's market |
| RG21 (Town Centre) | 190 | 6.3 | Balanced market |
| RG23 (Oakley, Overton) | 190 | 6.3 | Balanced market |
| RG27 (Hook, Sherfield on Loddon) | 277 | 9.1 | Balanced market |
| RG7 (Tadley, Silchester) | 277 | 9.1 | Balanced market |
| RG20 (Kingsclere, Woolton Hill) | 304 | 10.0 | Balanced market |
| RG25 (North Waltham, Cliddesden) | 380 | 12.5 | Buyer's market |
Few buyers price in how long it takes to get back out again, and across Basingstoke that runs from a few months to over a year. RG22 and RG24 carry under four months of unsold stock and sell inside four months, while the high-value rural villages of RG20 and RG25 hold ten to twelve months of supply and take a year or more to find a buyer. When the time comes to sell, the suburban postcodes offer a far quicker exit than the village stock that fills the top of the price table.
What Type of Property Can You Buy in Basingstoke?
Detached homes are the largest single category in most Basingstoke postcodes, from 28.8% of stock in RG24 to 57.6% in RG26, while terraced houses and flats are concentrated in RG21. The mix of housing stock shapes which strategies fit each postcode. The figures below are drawn from 2021 Census records for each postcode.
| Area | Detached | Semi-detached | Terraced | Flats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RG7 (Tadley, Silchester) | 47.4% | 31.2% | 9.7% | 8.3% |
| RG20 (Kingsclere, Woolton Hill) | 52.6% | 30.2% | 10.0% | 5.7% |
| RG21 (Town Centre) | 12.6% | 28.3% | 26.9% | 31.8% |
| RG22 (Winklebury, Rooksdown) | 31.6% | 27.4% | 25.1% | 15.8% |
| RG23 (Oakley, Overton) | 54.7% | 30.1% | 12.0% | 3.2% |
| RG24 (Old Basing, Popley) | 28.8% | 24.4% | 22.9% | 19.2% |
| RG25 (North Waltham, Cliddesden) | 54.2% | 30.1% | 10.0% | 4.9% |
| RG26 (Tadley, Baughurst) | 57.6% | 25.2% | 8.9% | 7.4% |
| RG27 (Hook, Sherfield on Loddon) | 51.9% | 24.3% | 11.0% | 10.7% |
| RG28 (Whitchurch) | 42.7% | 33.8% | 19.2% | 3.5% |
RG21 holds by far the largest share of flats at 31.8% and terraced houses at 26.9%, with detached homes down at 12.6%. That smaller-unit stock is the classic buy-to-let market, and it lines up with RG21 carrying the lowest asking price and the highest gross yield in the borough. Town-centre flats suit single lets and professional sharers within walking distance of the station.
RG26 (Tadley, Baughurst) is the most detached-dominated postcode at 57.6%, with RG23 (Oakley, Overton) close behind at 54.7%. In both, detached and semi-detached houses together account for more than 80% of the stock, which matches their higher asking prices and the lower yields the rental data shows. These are owner-occupier postcodes weighted towards larger family homes rather than the smaller units that drive rental income.
Flats combine purpose-built and converted units. A small share of mobile and temporary dwellings is not shown, so rows may not total 100%.
Basingstoke Rental Market Analysis
Monthly rents in Basingstoke range from £1,255 in RG21 to £1,948 in RG27, with gross rental yields from 2.9% to 5.6% across the postcodes with rental data. For investors asking is buy to let worth it in Basingstoke, the sections below break down rents, yields and tenant affordability postcode by postcode. If you are looking at how to build a property portfolio uk in the South East, Basingstoke pairs above-average wages and 80.5% employment with one town-centre postcode that breaks the regional price ceiling. Browse current buy-to-let property for sale across the region.
Average Rent & Gross Rental Yields in Basingstoke
Gross rental yields in Basingstoke range from 2.9% in RG7 to 5.6% in RG21. The cheapest postcode delivers much the highest yield, and the most expensive deliver the lowest. RG21 stands almost a full point clear of the next postcode, RG22 at 4.7%, because its £270,172 asking price is so far below the rest of the borough. Two of the ten postcodes, RG25 and RG28, have too little rental-listing data to show a reliable yield.
| Area | Average Monthly Rent | Asking Price | Gross Yield |
|---|---|---|---|
| RG21 (Town Centre) | £1,255 | £270,172 | 5.6% |
| RG22 (Winklebury, Rooksdown) | £1,400 | £361,241 | 4.7% |
| RG24 (Old Basing, Popley) | £1,396 | £366,499 | 4.6% |
| RG27 (Hook, Sherfield on Loddon) | £1,948 | £601,893 | 3.9% |
| RG23 (Oakley, Overton) | £1,359 | £467,993 | 3.5% |
| RG20 (Kingsclere, Woolton Hill) | £1,840 | £720,040 | 3.1% |
| RG26 (Tadley, Baughurst) | £1,391 | £536,734 | 3.1% |
| RG7 (Tadley, Silchester) | £1,502 | £617,209 | 2.9% |
| RG25 (North Waltham, Cliddesden) | Not enough data | £617,052 | Not enough data |
| RG28 (Whitchurch) | Not enough data | £469,038 | Not enough data |
RG21 at 5.6% combines the lowest asking price with a mid-range rent of £1,255, and that pairing is what lifts the yield clear of the field. A 30% deposit of £81,052 gets an investor into the highest-yielding postcode in the borough, on town-centre stock close to the station and Basing View jobs.
The tenant profile in RG21 leans towards professional renters and sharers drawn by the town-centre location and the under-50-minute commute to Waterloo. RG7 at 2.9% sits at the bottom of the yield table: the £1,502 rent is healthy, but at a £617,209 asking price the income return is thin, which is the pattern across the rural and commuter-village postcodes.
Gross Rental Yield by Postcode
Is Basingstoke Rent High?
Monthly rents in Basingstoke consume between 35.2% and 54.6% of the local median gross monthly salary. The widely cited threshold for rent affordability is 30% of gross income, and every postcode with rental data sits above it. That reflects South East rents set against a single median wage, and it is one reason the town-centre stock, where rents are lowest, lets most readily.
The median gross weekly salary across Basingstoke and Deane is £823.10, which equates to £3,567 per month or £42,801 per year. This is above the South East regional median of £815.20 per week and the Great Britain median of £766.60 per week. Data from the Nomis Labour Market Profile (ASHE 2025).
| Rank | Area | Rent as % of Income |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | RG27 (Hook, Sherfield on Loddon) | 54.6% |
| 2 | RG20 (Kingsclere, Woolton Hill) | 51.6% |
| 3 | RG7 (Tadley, Silchester) | 42.1% |
| 4 | RG22 (Winklebury, Rooksdown) | 39.2% |
| 5 | RG24 (Old Basing, Popley) | 39.1% |
| 6 | RG26 (Tadley, Baughurst) | 39.0% |
| 7 | RG23 (Oakley, Overton) | 38.1% |
| 8 | RG21 (Town Centre) | 35.2% |
| — | RG25 (North Waltham, Cliddesden) | Not enough data |
| — | RG28 (Whitchurch) | Not enough data |
RG21 at 35.2% is the most affordable postcode for tenants, with a £1,255 rent against a £3,567 monthly salary. It is still above the 30% benchmark, but it leaves the most headroom in the borough, and affordable rents tend to mean fewer voids and fewer arrears because tenants are not stretched.
RG27 at 54.6% is the least affordable, where a £1,948 rent in Hook and Sherfield on Loddon takes more than half a single median wage. Tenants paying at that level are typically dual-income professional households rather than single earners, which is the demographic the commuter villages draw.
How Big Is Basingstoke's Private Rented Sector?
The private rented sector is deepest in RG28 and RG23, where it accounts for 26.3% and 25.8% of households, and shallowest in RG22 and RG24 at 13.0% and 15.4%. The share of homes already rented privately is a guide to the size of the established tenant pool and the local lettings market. The table below shows household tenure by postcode.
| Area | Owned Outright | Owned with Mortgage | Private Rented | Social Rented |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RG28 (Whitchurch) | 31.3% | 32.8% | 26.3% | 8.3% |
| RG23 (Oakley, Overton) | 33.7% | 32.7% | 25.8% | 6.5% |
| RG25 (North Waltham, Cliddesden) | 37.9% | 30.5% | 22.8% | 7.8% |
| RG20 (Kingsclere, Woolton Hill) | 36.9% | 29.4% | 22.7% | 10.4% |
| RG7 (Tadley, Silchester) | 36.7% | 31.4% | 22.3% | 8.5% |
| RG21 (Town Centre) | 26.9% | 28.4% | 20.9% | 20.6% |
| RG27 (Hook, Sherfield on Loddon) | 32.9% | 36.0% | 20.6% | 8.8% |
| RG26 (Tadley, Baughurst) | 36.4% | 34.4% | 20.3% | 7.2% |
| RG24 (Old Basing, Popley) | 26.7% | 33.9% | 15.4% | 19.5% |
| RG22 (Winklebury, Rooksdown) | 33.4% | 36.1% | 13.0% | 16.2% |
RG28 and RG23 have the largest private rented sectors in Basingstoke, around a quarter of all households, pointing to an active local lettings market in Whitchurch, Oakley and Overton. RG21 sits lower at 20.9% private rented, but it also carries the highest social rented share in the borough at 20.6%, a town-centre tenure mix where a smaller owner-occupied base leaves room for both private and social renting. RG22 and RG24 have the shallowest private rented sectors, paired with the borough's highest mortgaged ownership.
RG21 is the single postcode with enough homes advertised to rent to read the rental market with confidence, and there the balance currently sits with landlords. Around 88 homes were on the rental market, taking about 36 days to let on average, which points to steady tenant demand against limited supply. The other postcodes have too few rental listings at any one time to read reliably.
Local Housing Allowance Rates in Basingstoke
Basingstoke and Deane spans three Broad Rental Market Areas, with the Basingstoke BRMA covering the town and most postcodes at Local Housing Allowance rates from £93.51 a week for a shared room to £322.19 a week for a four-bedroom home. Local Housing Allowance sets the maximum housing support a tenant on benefits can receive, so it acts as a rent floor for landlords letting to that part of the market. Because the borough straddles three market areas, the rate depends on which postcode a property sits in.
| Property Size | Basingstoke BRMA (Weekly) | Newbury BRMA (Weekly) | Reading BRMA (Weekly) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared accommodation | £93.51 | £103.87 | £90.10 |
| 1 bedroom | £179.51 | £172.60 | £195.62 |
| 2 bedrooms | £218.63 | £205.97 | £252.00 |
| 3 bedrooms | £264.66 | £276.16 | £299.18 |
| 4 bedrooms | £281.69 | £369.37 | £380.65 |
Most of Basingstoke's postcodes, including the town-centre RG21, fall in the Basingstoke BRMA, where the two-bedroom rate of £218.63 a week works out at about £947 a month, below the £1,255 to £1,948 open-market rents recorded across the borough. RG20 (Kingsclere, Woolton Hill) sits in the higher Newbury BRMA and RG7 (Tadley, Silchester) in the Reading BRMA, where the four-bedroom rates climb to £369.37 and £380.65 a week. A benefit-backed tenancy at any of these rates sits under the local open-market rent, and the stock that fits within them is concentrated in RG21, where both asking prices and rents are lowest. To check the current rate for a specific address, you can use the government's official Local Housing Allowance calculator.
Buy-to-Let Considerations
Are House Prices High in Basingstoke? Price-to-Earnings Ratios
Buying a property in Basingstoke requires between 6.3 and 16.8 times the median annual salary. This is based on the Nomis Labour Market Profile for Basingstoke and Deane showing the median gross annual income for local residents is £42,801.
The national benchmark for price-to-earnings is 7.3x (England's average sold price of £289,946 divided by the Great Britain median annual salary of £39,863). One of Basingstoke's ten postcodes (RG21) sits below that national benchmark, meaning it is more affordable relative to local incomes than the England average is relative to national incomes.
| Rank | Area | Price-to-Earnings Ratio |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | RG21 (Town Centre) | 6.3x |
| 2 | RG22 (Winklebury, Rooksdown) | 8.4x |
| 3 | RG24 (Old Basing, Popley) | 8.6x |
| 4 | RG23 (Oakley, Overton) | 10.9x |
| 5 | RG28 (Whitchurch) | 11.0x |
| 6 | RG26 (Tadley, Baughurst) | 12.5x |
| 7 | RG27 (Hook, Sherfield on Loddon) | 14.1x |
| 8 | RG25 (North Waltham, Cliddesden) | 14.4x |
| 9 | RG7 (Tadley, Silchester) | 14.4x |
| 10 | RG20 (Kingsclere, Woolton Hill) | 16.8x |
RG21 at 6.3x is below the national benchmark of 7.3x and is the most affordable entry point in Basingstoke against local earnings. For a South East postcode with fast London rail links, a ratio under national average is the unusual part of this market.
RG20 at 16.8x sits at the far end. At nearly seventeen times the local median salary, Kingsclere and Woolton Hill are firmly owner-occupier territory, bought by households well above the median wage. For an investor the elevated ratio compresses yields and stretches the payback period, which is why the rural-village postcodes cluster at the bottom of the yield table.
Deposit Requirements in Basingstoke
A 30% deposit on a buy-to-let property in Basingstoke ranges from £81,052 in RG21 to £216,012 in RG20. The gap between the cheapest and most expensive deposit is £134,960, enough to fund a second RG21 entry with money to spare. RG21's deposit is the only one in the borough under £100,000.
Beyond the deposit, the buy to let stamp duty calculator and the costs of buy to let affect the total capital required.
| Rank | Area | 30% Deposit Required |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | RG21 (Town Centre) | £81,052 |
| 2 | RG22 (Winklebury, Rooksdown) | £108,372 |
| 3 | RG24 (Old Basing, Popley) | £109,950 |
| 4 | RG23 (Oakley, Overton) | £140,398 |
| 5 | RG28 (Whitchurch) | £140,711 |
| 6 | RG26 (Tadley, Baughurst) | £161,020 |
| 7 | RG27 (Hook, Sherfield on Loddon) | £180,568 |
| 8 | RG25 (North Waltham, Cliddesden) | £185,116 |
| 9 | RG7 (Tadley, Silchester) | £185,163 |
| 10 | RG20 (Kingsclere, Woolton Hill) | £216,012 |
RG21 is the cheapest way into Basingstoke, at an £81,052 deposit for the borough's highest yield. Stepping up to RG22 costs around £27,000 more in deposit, and that money buys a different profile: a 4.7% yield rather than 5.6%, but the strongest five-year growth in the borough at 14.8% and a far more active market where 29% of homes change hands a year.
At the top, RG7 and RG25 are priced within £50 of each other on the deposit, just over £185,000 each, but they are not the same investment. RG7 (Tadley, Silchester) draws on Atomic Weapons Establishment employment and trades 31 homes a month, while RG25 (North Waltham, Cliddesden) is a thin rural market of 6 sales a month. Near-identical deposit, very different liquidity.
What the Basingstoke Data Tells Buy-to-Let Investors
In Basingstoke the cheapest way in is also the highest-yielding postcode by a clear margin. RG21 has the top yield at 5.6%, the lowest asking price for buying an investment property at £270,172, and the only price-to-earnings ratio in the borough below the national benchmark at 6.3x. A 30% deposit there is £81,052, the lowest in Basingstoke, for a home renting at £1,255 a month.
The trade-off is on the chart. RG21 is down across one, three and five years, at -6.2%, -1.6% and -2.1%, so the income postcode has been among the weakest on capital growth alongside the thin rural market of RG25. The borough's growth has sat instead with the suburban postcodes: RG22 (Winklebury, Rooksdown) led at 14.8% over five years on a 4.7% yield, in the most active market in Basingstoke at 29% turnover, which is where income and growth have met in the middle.
At the top of the price table, the rural and commuter-village postcodes carry the lowest yields in the borough, from 2.9% in RG7 to 3.5% in RG23, with deposits between £140,000 and £216,000 and the slowest sales. Buyers who want to come in below those asking prices often look through off market property or below market value property channels.
Basingstoke reads differently from the higher-yielding markets further north: South East prices, a single town-centre postcode that breaks the regional ceiling, and a tenant base built on above-average wages, 80.5% employment, defence and corporate jobs. The headline yields are lower than the North West, but they sit on steadier fundamentals.
How Basingstoke Compares
Basingstoke's mean asking price of £502,787 sits mid-table among five South East locations, while its top yield of 5.6% ranks third behind Southampton's 7.7% and Reading's 6.2%. The comparison below places Basingstoke alongside four nearby locations, each with a different investor profile. The mean asking price and mean monthly rent are simple averages across all postcodes with data. Top gross yield is the single highest postcode yield in each location.
| Location | Mean Asking Price | Mean Monthly Rent | Mean Gross Yield | Top Yield (postcode) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southampton | £260,743 | £1,270 | 5.8% | 7.7% (SO17) |
| Reading | £419,047 | £1,536 | 4.4% | 6.2% (RG1) |
| Basingstoke | £502,787 | £1,511 | 3.6% | 5.6% (RG21) |
| Oxford | £535,752 | £1,828 | 4.1% | 4.8% (OX4) |
| Guildford | £703,240 | £2,189 | 3.7% | 5.3% (GU2) |
Basingstoke sits in the middle of this group on price at £502,787 mean asking, above Southampton and Reading but below Oxford and Guildford. Its 5.6% top yield ranks third, behind Southampton at 7.7% and Reading at 6.2%. That standing comes from one postcode: RG21 pulls Basingstoke's top yield up while the rural villages pull its mean asking price up.
For investors prioritising income, Southampton leads this group with a 7.7% top yield on the cheapest mean asking price at £260,743. Reading at 6.2% pairs a higher yield with strong commuter demand. Oxford and Guildford sit at the higher-price end on the strength of their university and Surrey-commuter markets, with Guildford the dearest in the table at £703,240. For a data-driven comparison across all UK locations, see our best buy-to-let areas guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Basingstoke a good place to live for buy-to-let tenants?
It works well for a town its size, and it comes down to jobs and trains. Basingstoke and Deane's employment rate is 80.5% and the typical wage is £823.10 a week, a little above the South East and well above the Great Britain figure of £766.60. Add direct trains to London Waterloo in under 50 minutes and a deep base of defence, technology and corporate employers, and you get a settled professional tenant pool rather than a transient one.
That stability is the appeal. Tenants in steady work who can reach London quickly tend to stay put, which is what a landlord wants between tenancies.
What are the best areas in Basingstoke for property investment?
The borough splits cleanly. RG21 (Town Centre) is the cheapest way in at £270,172 and carries the highest yield at 5.6%, so it leans towards income, though it has been the weakest on capital growth, down 2.1% over five years. RG22 (Winklebury, Rooksdown) pairs a 4.7% yield with the strongest five-year growth in the borough at 14.8% and the busiest market at 29% turnover.
At the higher-priced end, the rural and commuter-village postcodes such as RG7, RG20 and RG25 carry yields between 2.9% and 3.5% on asking prices above £600,000. So if income matters most, RG21 leads on yield and price; if you want growth that has actually shown up, RG22 is the one the data points to.
What are average house prices in Basingstoke?
The average sold price across Basingstoke and Deane is £372,276 on the Land Registry index, about 28.4% above the England average of £289,946 but 1.6% below the South East's £378,515 as of March 2026. Asking prices by postcode run from £270,172 in RG21 (Town Centre) up to £720,040 in RG20 (Kingsclere, Woolton Hill), with a borough-wide mean of £502,787. By type, detached homes average £662,965, semi-detached £398,886, terraced £307,905 and flats £187,662.
Through a buy-to-let lens, RG21 is the cheapest entry and the highest-yielding at 5.6%, while the rural villages are the dearest and lowest-yielding.
What type of property is most common in Basingstoke?
Detached houses, in most postcodes. They run from 28.8% of the stock in RG24 (Old Basing, Popley) up to 57.6% in RG26 (Tadley, Baughurst). The smaller homes that usually suit buy-to-let, terraces and flats, are most concentrated in RG21 (Town Centre), where flats make up 31.8% and terraced houses 26.9%. That town-centre mix is why RG21 carries the lowest asking price and the highest yield in the borough.
Can I find buy-to-let property under £300,000 in Basingstoke?
Mostly in RG21. The town-centre postcode has an average asking price of £270,172, the only one in the borough below £300,000 and below the England average. Everywhere else the average is £361,000 or higher. The way in below the average elsewhere is by property type: flats across Basingstoke and Deane average £187,662 on the Land Registry index, and terraced houses £307,905. If a sub-£300,000 entry is the target, RG21 flats and terraces are where to look, or explore below market value.
What are the Local Housing Allowance rates in Basingstoke?
It depends on the postcode, because the borough crosses three Broad Rental Market Areas. Most postcodes, including the town-centre RG21, fall in the Basingstoke BRMA, where the June 2026 rates run at £93.51 a week for a shared room, £179.51 for a one-bed, £218.63 for two beds, £264.66 for three and £281.69 for four. RG20 sits in the higher Newbury BRMA and RG7 in the Reading BRMA, where the four-bed rates reach £369.37 and £380.65 a week. That figure is the most a tenant on housing support can claim towards rent, so for that part of the market it effectively sets a floor.
When will the Manydown development affect Basingstoke property prices?
It is a slow build rather than a switch. Manydown is delivering 3,500 homes on the western edge of the town, with the first residents expected from the end of 2027 and the full build-out running over the coming decade. A pipeline that size adds steadily to housing supply in the western postcodes rather than moving prices in one go.
For an investor the more immediate factors are Basing View's jobs next to the station and the town-centre masterplan, both of which feed demand for rented homes in and around RG21 before any new estate completes.
How do I buy an investment property in Basingstoke?
Start by deciding whether you are buying for income or for growth, because that points you at a different postcode. RG21 (Town Centre) is the cheapest entry at £270,172 and the highest-yielding at 5.6%. RG22 (Winklebury, Rooksdown) pairs a 4.7% yield with the strongest five-year growth in the borough at 14.8%. Budget for a 30% deposit, which runs from £81,052 in RG21 to £216,012 in RG20.
Beyond what is listed openly, plenty of experienced investors buy below asking through off-market properties. To see what is available now, browse investment properties or buy-to-let homes for sale.
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