Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, in south-west England. Average sold prices across Wiltshire sit at £324,123 on the HM Land Registry House Price Index, 11.8% above the England average of £289,946 and 7.7% above the South West regional average of £300,849. That places Salisbury above the England line without reaching the premium of nearby Bath or Winchester. Across the five Salisbury postcodes, asking prices run from £343,292 in SP2 up to £598,325 in SP5, a wide spread for a small cathedral city. The local authority's population grew 8.36% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 470,981 to 510,333 residents.
Salisbury's price base is shaped by a mix of city-centre stock, the Amesbury and Salisbury Plain garrison corridor, and rural villages running south towards the New Forest. For investors, the highest gross yield sits with the cheaper city postcodes rather than the premium rural ones: SP1 tops the table at 4.6% on a £345,513 asking price, while SP5 at £598,325 returns 3.0%. SP3 (Tisbury, Dinton) carries no rental or yield reading because listing volumes in that rural postcode are too thin to measure reliably.
This guide covers the five Salisbury postcodes SP1 to SP5 under the Wiltshire unitary authority (ONS code E06000054). Salisbury sits in the South West of England, centred on the medieval cathedral where the Rivers Avon, Nadder, Ebble, Bourne, and Wylye meet, roughly 90 miles south-west of London and 24 miles north-west of Southampton. Investors comparing the wider county may also look at the Wiltshire buy-to-let region, which spans Swindon, Chippenham, and Trowbridge to the north.
Article updated: July 2026
Why Invest in Salisbury?
Wiltshire, the local authority Salisbury sits within, grew its population 8.36% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 470,981 to 510,333 residents. That growth rate runs a little ahead of the England and Wales average of 6.3%, an area drawing new residents steadily rather than in a rush. Salisbury's pull is its cathedral-city heritage, its position as the market and service centre for a wide rural hinterland, and the defence employment anchored on Salisbury Plain to the north.
The local employment rate of 81.6% sits above both the South West average and Great Britain's 75.6%, while unemployment is low at 2.3%. The economy leans on public administration and defence, retail, health, and tourism, with the Army's presence around Larkhill, Bulford, and Tidworth adding a large, stable base of service tenants who move on postings. The University Centre run by Wiltshire College adds a modest higher-education population on top, though Salisbury is not a large student city.
Median gross annual earnings across Wiltshire are £37,811, close to the Great Britain median of £39,125 and just ahead of the South West weekly figure. Wages here are solid rather than high, so the return on a buy-to-let leans more on the tenant base being reliable than on rents being able to stretch. The defence and public-sector jobs that dominate locally tend to hold up through the cycle, which is part of what gives the rental market its steadiness.
Salisbury Economic Summary
- Population (Wiltshire): 510,333 (2021 Census). Growth of 8.36% from 2011.
- Median annual salary: £37,811 (local), £39,125 (Great Britain)
- Employment rate: 81.6% (local), 75.6% (Great Britain)
- Unemployment rate: 2.3% (local)
- Key employment sectors: Public administration and defence, wholesale and retail, health and social work, accommodation and food, education
Source: ONS Census 2021, Nomis Labour Market Profile (ASHE 2025)
Regeneration and Investment in Salisbury
Public investment in Salisbury has centred on flood resilience, the station approach, and a 640-home development on the western edge of the city. The projects below are either complete or under construction, and together they reshape both the city-centre setting and the supply of new homes.
- Salisbury River Park (Phase 1 complete, £27 million+): A joint scheme between Wiltshire Council and the Environment Agency reduced flood risk to more than 350 properties along the River Avon while creating 13 hectares of improved public open space and 2 hectares of enhanced riverside habitat through the city centre. Most works completed in late 2024, with further planting to follow. Details at GOV.UK.
- Future High Streets Fund (Underway, £9.4 million): Salisbury received £9,355,731 from the government's Future High Streets Fund to transform the railway station forecourt and improve Fisherton Street, the main pedestrian route from the station into the city centre. The Fisherton Gateway works are complete, with wider street improvements continuing. Details at Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
- Wilton Gate (Under construction, 640 homes): Vistry Group, including Countryside Partnerships, is delivering 640 new homes off Netherhampton Road on the western edge of Salisbury, with 148 delivered in partnership with Aster Group and more than 40% of the scheme set to be affordable. The development adds a primary school, a local centre, and 21 hectares of open space including a country park, with over £14.5 million in contributions towards education, healthcare, and the Salisbury transport strategy. Details at Aster Group.
Source: Office for National Statistics - Population for Wiltshire
Salisbury Property Market Analysis
Average property prices across Wiltshire have risen 392.7% since January 1995, from £65,798 to £324,123. The sections below trace that journey cycle by cycle, then drill into postcode-level data for Salisbury's sold prices, price per square foot, asking prices, growth trends, and monthly transaction volumes.
When was the last house price crash in Salisbury?
Salisbury sits within the Wiltshire unitary authority, so all sold property prices from HM Land Registry are recorded at this level. The Land Registry House Price Index tracks average prices from January 1995 to March 2026, covering 31 years of market cycles.
The 1995 to 2007 boom: Wiltshire started at £65,798 in January 1995. By December 2000, prices had reached £112,923, a 71.6% increase in six years as low interest rates and rising mortgage availability took hold. Growth carried on through the early 2000s, reaching £194,535 by December 2005, and the market peaked at £225,427 in September 2007.
2008 to 2009, the financial crisis: Prices fell from the September 2007 peak of £225,427 to a trough of £184,443 in April 2009, a decline of 18.2% over 19 months. The worst year-on-year reading was -14.4% in April 2009. Wiltshire's fall was broadly in line with the England drop of the same period, and the higher-value South West stock fell more steeply than lower-priced regions where the correction was shallower.
The 2010 to 2013 recovery grind: Prices bounced off the April 2009 trough but then moved sideways for years. By December 2010 the average stood at £206,402, and it was still only £213,056 by December 2013. Wiltshire spent nearly four years grinding within a narrow band, unable to push back to the pre-crash peak.
Recovery, 2014: Prices climbed back above the September 2007 peak of £225,427 for the first time in October 2014, at £226,070. That recovery took just over seven years. By December 2016 the average had reached £253,546.
The 2017 to 2019 pre-pandemic growth: Steady single-digit growth continued, with prices moving from the mid-£250,000s to £270,201 by December 2019. Annual growth sat in low single digits through most of this stretch before easing at the end of 2019.
2020 to 2022, the pandemic surge: The stamp duty holiday and a shift in buyer preferences towards space and rural settings suited Wiltshire well. Prices rose from £270,201 in December 2019 to £286,661 by December 2020 (6.1% annual growth), then to £302,932 by December 2021, and hit an all-time high of £332,852 in October 2022 (11.8% annual growth at that point).
2023 to present: Higher mortgage rates cooled the market from that October 2022 high. Prices eased to £316,658 by December 2023 (-2.9% annual), recovered to £330,771 by December 2025, then settled at £324,123 by the latest reading in March 2026. The current price sits 43.8% above the pre-crash peak of £225,427 and 2.6% below the October 2022 high.
Long-term growth summary:
- 5 years (March 2021 to March 2026): 13.5% growth (£285,517 to £324,123)
- 10 years (March 2016 to March 2026): 31.0% growth (£247,474 to £324,123)
- 15 years (March 2011 to March 2026): 56.9% growth (£206,615 to £324,123)
- 20 years (March 2006 to March 2026): 65.6% growth (£195,680 to £324,123)
- 30 years (January 1995 to March 2026): 392.7% growth (£65,798 to £324,123)
Wiltshire's 18.2% crash was in line with the wider national correction, and the 30-year return of 392.7% shows steady long-term capital growth off a higher price base than most of the buy-to-let locations covered on this site. The seven-year recovery to the pre-crash peak reflected the long stagnation that followed 2009. An investor who bought at the exact peak in September 2007 would now be sitting on a gain of 43.8% on the Land Registry average, though the market has eased back 2.6% from its October 2022 high.
- All property types
- Detached
- Semi-detached
- Terraced
- Flats
- All property types
- Detached
- Semi-detached
- Terraced
- Flats
Sold House Prices in Salisbury
The average sold price across all property types in Wiltshire is £324,123, which is 11.8% above the England average of £289,946 as of March 2026. That premium holds across houses but reverses sharply for flats. Detached, semi-detached, and terraced homes all sell above the England line, while flats sit 27.2% below it. The pattern reflects Salisbury's housing mix: a rural, house-dominated market with a thin and softer apartment segment.
| Property Type | Wiltshire Average | England Average | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detached houses | £510,949 | £470,492 | +8.6% |
| Semi-detached houses | £323,436 | £288,185 | +12.2% |
| Terraced houses | £262,018 | £243,788 | +7.5% |
| Flats and maisonettes | £156,280 | £214,563 | -27.2% |
| All property types | £324,123 | £289,946 | +11.8% |
Detached houses at £510,949 carry an 8.6% premium over England's £470,492. This is the heart of the Wiltshire market, with detached stock concentrated in the rural postcodes SP3 and SP5 where more than half of homes are detached. Annual growth of 0.1% points to a market that has held its value rather than pushed higher over the past year.
Semi-detached houses at £323,436 carry the largest premium in the county at 12.2% above England's £288,185. Semis are the everyday family stock across the city postcodes SP1, SP2, and SP4, and at 1.0% annual growth they were the firmest of the four property types over the year. For a landlord, this is the segment where Salisbury's tenant demand is deepest.
Terraced houses at £262,018 sit 7.5% above England's £243,788. The terraced stock is heaviest in SP2, which holds the largest terraced share of the Salisbury postcodes, and provides the closest thing the city has to an affordable house type. Annual growth of 0.1% matches the flat, steady picture across the wider market.
Flats and maisonettes at £156,280 are the exception, sitting 27.2% below England's £214,563. Salisbury is not a flat-heavy city, and the apartment stock it does have is small and older, without the new city-centre blocks that hold values up elsewhere. Annual change of -4.6% confirms a softer flat market, the weakest of the four types.
Price Per Square Foot in Salisbury
Just £55 per square foot separates Salisbury's cheapest postcode from its most expensive, with SP4 at £332 and SP5 at £387. Price per square foot strips out the effect of property size and gives a cleaner comparison of location value. SP5 (Downton, Alderbury) commands the highest rate, reflecting the premium rural village stock south of the city towards the New Forest.
| Rank | Area | Price Per Sq Ft |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SP4 (Amesbury, Durrington) | £332 |
| 2 | SP2 (Bemerton, Wilton) | £333 |
| 3 | SP1 (City Centre) | £350 |
| 4 | SP3 (Tisbury, Dinton) | £372 |
| 5 | SP5 (Downton, Alderbury) | £387 |
SP4 at £332 per square foot is the cheapest postcode for bricks-and-mortar value. Covering Amesbury and Durrington within the Salisbury Plain garrison corridor, its stock leans towards more modern and affordable family housing, which keeps the rate down. Based on 494 transactions analysed, SP4's price per square foot sits 14% below SP5's.
SP5 at £387 per square foot tops the table, matching its position as the most expensive postcode by asking price. When buyers pay the most per square foot, they are paying for location, and in SP5 that means the sought-after villages of Downton and Alderbury on the southern edge of the city. All 319 transactions analysed show a consistent premium over the city postcodes.
For Sale Asking Prices in Salisbury
SP2 at £343,292 and SP5 at £598,325 sit 74.3% apart, the widest asking price gap across Salisbury's five postcodes. That hierarchy mirrors the sold-price pattern, with the city postcodes clustered below £384,000 and the rural ones running well above. The mean asking price across all five Salisbury postcodes is £437,020.
| Rank | Area | Asking Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SP2 (Bemerton, Wilton) | £343,292 |
| 2 | SP1 (City Centre) | £345,513 |
| 3 | SP4 (Amesbury, Durrington) | £383,043 |
| 4 | SP3 (Tisbury, Dinton) | £514,926 |
| 5 | SP5 (Downton, Alderbury) | £598,325 |
SP2 at £343,292 is the cheapest way into Salisbury, a fraction below neighbouring SP1. Covering Bemerton and Wilton to the west of the city, it pairs the lowest asking price with the largest terraced and private-rented share of the Salisbury postcodes, which is the profile that usually supports buy-to-let. The step from SP2 up to SP4 is just under £40,000.
SP5's £598,325 asking price is the outlier of the group. Covering the villages of Downton and Alderbury south towards the New Forest, it costs 74.3% more than SP2 and sits firmly in premium owner-occupier territory. The rental yield data further down confirms that the higher price does more for prestige than for income.
House Price Growth in Salisbury
SP3 leads Salisbury on five-year growth at 19.7%, and it is one of two postcodes, alongside SP2, that stayed positive across all three timeframes. Four of the five postcodes delivered positive five-year returns, while SP1 was the exception, slipping 1.2% over the period.
| Area | 1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| SP3 (Tisbury, Dinton) | 9.8% | 4.7% | 19.7% |
| SP2 (Bemerton, Wilton) | 1.1% | 2.0% | 14.1% |
| SP4 (Amesbury, Durrington) | 1.2% | -0.6% | 10.7% |
| SP5 (Downton, Alderbury) | -9.0% | -9.1% | 0.9% |
| SP1 (City Centre) | 0.6% | -2.1% | -1.2% |
SP3 at 19.7% five-year growth leads Salisbury, and it is also the strongest over one and three years. The rural stock around Tisbury and Dinton has appreciated fastest, though with only 10 sales a month the readings move on thin volumes. SP2 is close behind on five-year growth at 14.1% and, like SP3, stayed positive across all three windows, but with a steadier record than SP3's larger swings.
SP4 posted 10.7% over five years and stayed marginally positive over one year at 1.2%, with a small three-year dip of -0.6%. Amesbury and Durrington track the mid-market. SP1 was broadly flat, with a small one-year gain of 0.6% but negative three-year and five-year readings, so the city-centre postcode has lagged the wider county on capital values.
SP5's -9.0% one-year reading is the weakest in Salisbury, and its three-year figure of -9.1% matches it. The premium villages south of the city have given back ground over the medium term, leaving a five-year return of just 0.9%. On a small sales base of 15 a month, those swings are pronounced.
Monthly Property Sales in Salisbury
Exit liquidity varies widely across Salisbury, with monthly sales running from 10 transactions in SP3 to 32 in SP4 and 108 across all five postcodes. The city postcodes see the steadiest transaction flow, while the rural ones are far quieter. Turnover rates range from 7% in SP5 to 17% in SP4.
| Area | Sales Per Month | Turnover | Asking Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| SP4 (Amesbury, Durrington) | 32 | 17% | £383,043 |
| SP2 (Bemerton, Wilton) | 30 | 16% | £343,292 |
| SP1 (City Centre) | 21 | 14% | £345,513 |
| SP5 (Downton, Alderbury) | 15 | 7% | £598,325 |
| SP3 (Tisbury, Dinton) | 10 | 9% | £514,926 |
SP4's 17% turnover is the highest in Salisbury, edging out SP2 at 16%. Amesbury and Durrington combine steady demand with a deep pool of mid-priced family stock, so homes change hands more often. For a buy-to-let investor, higher turnover points to an easier exit route when the time comes to sell.
SP5 and SP3 sit at the other end, with turnover of 7% and 9% and the fewest sales a month. The premium rural postcodes have larger, more expensive homes that sit longer before selling, and the thin monthly volumes make both their prices and their growth figures move more than the city postcodes do.
How Long Properties Take to Sell in Salisbury
Selling speed splits Salisbury in two: SP2 (Bemerton, Wilton) clears fastest at about 179 days, while the rural SP3 and SP5 postcodes take roughly 507 days. Days on market is the typical number of days 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| SP2 (Bemerton, Wilton) | 179 | 5.9 | Seller's market |
| SP4 (Amesbury, Durrington) | 190 | 6.3 | Balanced market |
| SP1 (City Centre) | 217 | 7.1 | Balanced market |
| SP3 (Tisbury, Dinton) | 507 | 16.7 | Buyer's market |
| SP5 (Downton, Alderbury) | 507 | 16.7 | Buyer's market |
A yield number tells you nothing about how quickly you can get back out. SP2's 5.9 months of unsold stock means a far faster exit than the rural postcodes, where SP3 and SP5 both carry nearly 17 months of supply. When you come to sell, a quicker-moving city postcode leaves you carrying the property for less time than a village home that can sit for well over a year.
What Type of Property Can You Buy in Salisbury?
Detached homes are the largest single category in every Salisbury postcode, from 31.4% of stock in SP2 to 60.1% in SP5, while terraced houses and flats are concentrated in the city postcodes SP1 and SP2. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP1 (City Centre) | 43.6% | 25.2% | 14.4% | 16.6% |
| SP2 (Bemerton, Wilton) | 31.4% | 28.6% | 22.2% | 16.4% |
| SP3 (Tisbury, Dinton) | 52.5% | 29.2% | 12.0% | 2.9% |
| SP4 (Amesbury, Durrington) | 46.7% | 30.1% | 13.7% | 6.3% |
| SP5 (Downton, Alderbury) | 60.1% | 27.2% | 7.7% | 4.0% |
SP2 holds the largest share of terraced houses at 22.2% and, alongside SP1, the largest share of flats. That is the smaller-unit stock that typically forms the buy-to-let market, and it lines up with SP2 carrying the lowest asking price and one of the deeper private-rented sectors in the city. The terraced and flat housing around Bemerton and Wilton suits single lets and smaller family tenancies.
SP5 is the most detached-dominated postcode at 60.1%, with terraced houses down at 7.7% and flats at 4.0%. Detached and semi-detached houses together account for more than 85% of SP5's stock, matching its premium asking prices and lowest yield. The housing here is weighted towards owner-occupier 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%.
Salisbury Rental Market Analysis
Monthly rents in Salisbury range from £1,093 in SP2 to £1,506 in SP5, with gross rental yields from 3.0% to 4.6% across the four postcodes with rental data. For investors asking is buy to let worth it in Salisbury, the sections below break down rents, yields, and tenant affordability postcode by postcode. If you are working out how to build a property portfolio in the South West, Salisbury's low unemployment and large defence and public-sector tenant base offer a steadier foundation than a higher-yielding but more cyclical market. Browse current buy-to-let homes for sale across the region.
Average Rent & Gross Rental Yields in Salisbury
Gross rental yields in Salisbury range from 3.0% in SP5 to 4.6% in SP1. The cheaper city postcodes carry the higher yields and the premium rural ones the lower. SP5 charges the highest monthly rent at £1,506 but ranks last for yield at 3.0% because its £598,325 asking price is 73.2% higher than SP1's. SP3 returns no yield figure because rental listings there are too sparse to measure.
| Area | Average Monthly Rent | Asking Price | Gross Yield |
|---|---|---|---|
| SP1 (City Centre) | £1,314 | £345,513 | 4.6% |
| SP4 (Amesbury, Durrington) | £1,303 | £383,043 | 4.1% |
| SP2 (Bemerton, Wilton) | £1,093 | £343,292 | 3.8% |
| SP5 (Downton, Alderbury) | £1,506 | £598,325 | 3.0% |
| SP3 (Tisbury, Dinton) | Not enough data | £514,926 | Not enough data |
SP1 at 4.6% pairs a mid-range asking price of £345,513 with the highest rent among the affordable postcodes at £1,314, which is what lifts it to the top of the yield table. A 30% deposit of £103,654 buys into the city-centre postcode, where the tenant pool is the broadest in Salisbury.
SP4 at 4.1% is close behind, with Amesbury and Durrington drawing steady demand from the Salisbury Plain garrison. SP2 at 3.8% carries the lowest asking price but a lower rent of £1,093, which holds the yield down. SP5 at 3.0% sits at the bottom: the £1,506 rent is the highest in the city, but against a £598,325 asking price the income return is compressed, so the premium price does more for prestige than for yield.
Gross Rental Yield by Postcode
Is Salisbury Rent High?
Monthly rents in Salisbury consume between 34.7% and 47.8% of the local median gross monthly salary. The widely cited threshold for rent affordability is 30% of gross income. Every postcode with rental data sits above that line, a reflection of Salisbury's high price base combined with wages that are close to the national median rather than above it.
The median gross annual salary in Wiltshire is £37,811, which equates to £3,151 per month or £727.10 per week. This is close to the Great Britain median of £39,125 a year. Data from the Nomis Labour Market Profile (ASHE 2025).
| Rank | Area | Rent as % of Income |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SP5 (Downton, Alderbury) | 47.8% |
| 2 | SP1 (City Centre) | 41.7% |
| 3 | SP4 (Amesbury, Durrington) | 41.4% |
| 4 | SP2 (Bemerton, Wilton) | 34.7% |
| — | SP3 (Tisbury, Dinton) | Not enough data |
SP2 at 34.7% is the most affordable postcode for tenants, and it is still above the 30% mark. A monthly rent of £1,093 against a monthly salary of £3,151 leaves the least strain of the four. Affordable rents correlate with fewer arrears and longer tenancies, so this is the postcode where the median local earner has the most headroom.
SP5 at 47.8% is the least affordable, but the context matters. SP5 commands the highest rent in Salisbury at £1,506, and tenants at that level in Downton and Alderbury are typically professional or dual-income households rather than single earners on the median salary. The garrison postcode SP4 sits at 41.4%, where a share of tenants are service households on Armed Forces pay rather than the local civilian median.
How Big Is Salisbury's Private Rented Sector?
The private rented sector is deepest in SP2, SP4, and SP5, where it accounts for between 24.9% and 25.6% of households, and shallowest in SP1 at 15.1%. The share of homes already let privately points to how large an established tenant pool a landlord is buying into. Household tenure across the five Salisbury postcodes breaks down as follows.
| Area | Owned Outright | Owned with Mortgage | Private Rented | Social Rented |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP2 (Bemerton, Wilton) | 32.3% | 23.9% | 25.6% | 16.4% |
| SP5 (Downton, Alderbury) | 43.1% | 24.5% | 25.5% | 6.4% |
| SP4 (Amesbury, Durrington) | 37.3% | 27.6% | 24.9% | 9.0% |
| SP3 (Tisbury, Dinton) | 45.4% | 23.1% | 20.5% | 10.5% |
| SP1 (City Centre) | 44.7% | 27.9% | 15.1% | 11.5% |
SP2, SP4, and SP5 have the largest private rented sectors in Salisbury, each around a quarter of all households. A larger rented sector points to an active lettings market and a wider pool of existing tenants, which is a different signal from yield. SP2 pairs its deep rented sector with the lowest asking price, while SP4's reflects the churn of service tenancies around the Salisbury Plain garrison. SP1, despite being the city centre, has the smallest private rented share at 15.1% and the highest outright ownership.
Local Housing Allowance Rates in Salisbury
All five Salisbury postcodes fall within the Salisbury Broad Rental Market Area, where Local Housing Allowance runs from £98.11 a week for a shared room to £287.67 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. The rates below apply across the whole of Salisbury. To check the current rate for a specific address, you can use the government's official Local Housing Allowance calculator.
| Property Size | Weekly LHA Rate | Monthly Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Shared accommodation | £98.11 | £425 |
| 1 bedroom | £149.59 | £648 |
| 2 bedrooms | £179.51 | £778 |
| 3 bedrooms | £210.58 | £913 |
| 4 bedrooms | £287.67 | £1,247 |
The two-bedroom LHA rate of £179.51 a week works out at about £778 a month, well below the £1,093 to £1,506 open-market rents recorded across Salisbury's postcodes. A benefit-backed tenancy at the LHA rate therefore sits under the city's market rents, and the stock that fits within these rates is concentrated in SP2, where asking prices and rents are lowest. The rates are identical in every Salisbury postcode because they are set across the whole Salisbury market area.
Buy-to-Let Considerations
Are House Prices High in Salisbury? Price-to-Earnings Ratios
Purchasing a property in Salisbury requires between 9.1 and 15.8 times the median annual salary. This is based on the Nomis Labour Market Profile for Salisbury showing the median gross annual income for Wiltshire residents is £37,811.
Set against a national yardstick of 7.4x, which is England's £289,946 average sold price measured against the £39,125 Great Britain median salary, every Salisbury postcode looks stretched. All five sit above that line, so a home here costs more relative to local wages than the typical English home does relative to national wages.
| Rank | Area | Price-to-Earnings Ratio |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SP2 (Bemerton, Wilton) | 9.1x |
| 2 | SP1 (City Centre) | 9.1x |
| 3 | SP4 (Amesbury, Durrington) | 10.1x |
| 4 | SP3 (Tisbury, Dinton) | 13.6x |
| 5 | SP5 (Downton, Alderbury) | 15.8x |
SP2 and SP1 at 9.1x are the most affordable entry points in Salisbury relative to local wages, though both sit above the 7.4x national benchmark. At a little over nine times local earnings, the city postcodes are stretched but not extreme, and they carry the deeper tenant demand that comes with a lower price and a mix of smaller stock.
SP5 at 15.8x sits well above the benchmark. At nearly sixteen times the local median salary, Downton and Alderbury are firmly premium territory, bought largely by dual-income households or those relocating from more expensive parts of the South. For an investor, that elevated ratio is what compresses the yield and stretches the payback period.
Deposit Requirements in Salisbury
A 30% deposit on a buy-to-let property in Salisbury ranges from £102,988 in SP2 to £179,497 in SP5. The gap between the cheapest and most expensive deposit is £76,509. That difference alone is close to the deposit needed for a lower-priced postcode elsewhere in the South West. Salisbury's high price base means the capital required at the door is steep across every postcode.
Beyond the deposit, the stamp duty calculation and other running costs of buy-to-let affect the total capital required.
| Rank | Area | 30% Deposit Required |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SP2 (Bemerton, Wilton) | £102,988 |
| 2 | SP1 (City Centre) | £103,654 |
| 3 | SP4 (Amesbury, Durrington) | £114,913 |
| 4 | SP3 (Tisbury, Dinton) | £154,478 |
| 5 | SP5 (Downton, Alderbury) | £179,497 |
SP2 is the cheapest way into Salisbury, at a £102,988 deposit, with SP1 barely £666 more. For that outlay an investor gets the city's lowest asking price, its highest yield in SP1's case, and the deeper private-rented and smaller-unit stock that supports lettings. The two city postcodes are effectively a tie on capital at the door.
At the top end, SP5's £179,497 deposit is £76,509 more than SP2's, and it buys a very different investment. SP5 is premium village stock south of the city with the lowest yield at 3.0% and the weakest recent growth, while SP2 pairs the lowest deposit with steady growth in every timeframe. The extra capital in SP5 buys prestige and space, not income.
What the Salisbury Data Tells Buy-to-Let Investors
In Salisbury the cheaper city postcodes carry the higher yields, while the premium rural ones trade income for prestige. SP1 has the top yield at 4.6% for buying an investment property in Salisbury, on a £345,513 asking price and a £103,654 deposit, with a £1,314 monthly rent. SP2 sits just below it on price at £343,292, the lowest in the city, with the deepest terraced and private-rented stock.
SP2 grew in every period we looked at, up 1.1% over a year, 2.0% over three years and 14.1% over five, one of two postcodes to stay positive throughout. Its yield of 3.8% is lower than SP1's, but it pairs the cheapest entry with a steady capital record, so SP2 is where affordability and consistent growth meet rather than where the yield peaks. SP3 posted the strongest five-year growth at 19.7% and was also positive in every window, but on just 10 sales a month and with no reliable rental reading, it is a thin market to lean on.
SP4 offers a middle path at 4.1%, drawing on the steady defence-linked demand around Amesbury and Durrington. At the top end, SP5 carries the highest rent at £1,506 a month, but with a 3.0% yield and a 15.8 times price-to-earnings ratio, the premium price is doing far more for prestige than for the return. Buyers who want to come in below asking often look through off-market property in Salisbury channels.
Salisbury has no selective licensing scheme for private landlords, though standard mandatory HMO licensing through Wiltshire Council applies to larger shared houses. With low unemployment, a large defence and public-sector tenant base, and a high price base, Salisbury reads differently from the higher-yielding markets covered elsewhere on this site: modest headline yields, with steady fundamentals underneath them.
How Salisbury Compares
Salisbury's mean asking price of £437,020 is the second-highest of six South West locations compared here, and its top yield of 4.6% sits at the lower end of the group. The comparison below places Salisbury alongside five 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swindon | £349,254 | £1,194 | 4.1% | 5.2% (SN2) |
| Bournemouth | £357,582 | £1,385 | 4.6% | 7.4% (BH9) |
| Exeter | £398,902 | £1,268 | 3.8% | 5.0% (EX1, EX4) |
| Salisbury | £437,020 | £1,304 | 3.6% | 4.6% (SP1) |
| Poole | £464,728 | £1,369 | 3.5% | 4.6% (BH15) |
| Bath | £478,576 | £1,642 | 4.1% | 4.4% (BA2) |
Salisbury sits near the top of this comparison on price at £437,020, above Swindon, Bournemouth and Exeter, with only Poole and Bath pricing higher. Its top yield of 4.6% matches Poole's and sits below Swindon at 5.2% and Exeter at 5.0%, so Salisbury pairs a high asking price with a modest income return.
For investors prioritising income, Bournemouth at 7.4% delivers the highest top-line yield in the group, while Swindon offers the lowest asking price. Salisbury and Poole occupy similar ground, both around 4.6% on a high price base, while Bath sits at the premium end with the highest rents and the lowest yield. For a data-driven comparison across all UK locations, see our guide to the highest-yielding areas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Salisbury a good place to live for buy-to-let tenants?
It tends to be a steady place to let, and that comes down to jobs. Wiltshire's employment rate is 81.6%, above the Great Britain figure of 75.6%, and unemployment is low at 2.3%. A large share of local work is in public administration and defence, anchored on the Salisbury Plain garrison, which holds up through the cycle better than more consumer-facing economies.
It also has the pull of a cathedral city with fast trains to London and Southampton, which suits professional renters who put down roots rather than move on every year. The trade-off is affordability: local wages are close to the national median, so rents already take a large slice of income, which is worth weighing when you set the rent.
What are the best areas in Salisbury for property investment?
The five postcodes split into a city group and a rural group. SP1 (City Centre) carries the highest yield at 4.6% on a £345,513 asking price, and SP2 (Bemerton, Wilton) is the cheapest way in at £343,292 with the deepest terraced and private-rented stock, so the two of them lean towards income and affordability.
The rural postcodes run the other way. SP5 (Downton, Alderbury) is the premium spot at £598,325 and the lowest yield at 3.0%, while SP3 (Tisbury, Dinton) posted the strongest five-year growth at 19.7% but on thin sales and with no reliable rental reading. So if income is the priority, SP1 leads on yield and SP2 on asking price; the rural end is more about space and capital than rental return.
How does Salisbury compare to Swindon for buy-to-let?
They are different propositions within the same county. Swindon is the lower-priced, higher-yielding end, with a mean asking price of £349,254 against Salisbury's £437,020 and a top yield of 5.2% against Salisbury's 4.6%. Swindon is a larger, more industrial and commuter-driven town with a broader spread of stock.
Salisbury trades that yield for a cathedral-city setting, a defence-linked tenant base and a rural hinterland. Historically Swindon has been the stronger option on cash flow, while Salisbury leans on tenant stability and a higher-value housing base. Which matters more comes down to what you want the money to do.
Are there new builds in Salisbury?
Yes, most visibly at Wilton Gate off Netherhampton Road on the western edge of the city, where 640 homes are under construction by Vistry Group, including 148 delivered with Aster Group and a large affordable share. The scheme adds a primary school, a local centre and a country park, so it brings both new stock and new infrastructure.
New-build supply like this can offer lower-maintenance stock and warranty cover, though it usually comes at a premium to second-hand homes of the same size. If new build is the plan, it is worth comparing the asking prices against the postcode averages in the tables above before committing.
Does Salisbury have a university?
Not a full university, but there is higher education in the city. Wiltshire College runs a University Centre at its Salisbury campus offering degree-level courses in fields like the creative arts, media and healthcare, with a modest number of students on degree-level study after a £14 million redevelopment of its teaching facilities.
For a landlord, that means Salisbury has some student demand but nothing like the scale of a large university city, so it is not really a student-let market. Tenant demand here rests far more on the defence, public-sector and professional base than on students. For the purpose-built end of the market, see our guide to student property investment.
Can I find buy-to-let property under £350,000 in Salisbury?
On average, only in the two city postcodes. SP2 (Bemerton, Wilton) at £343,292 and SP1 (City Centre) at £345,513 both sit just below £350,000, while SP4, SP3 and SP5 all average well above it. Salisbury is a high-priced market by the standards of most buy-to-let locations, so the entry point is steep wherever you look.
The way in below the postcode averages is by property type: terraced houses across Wiltshire average £262,018 on the Land Registry index and flats £156,280, both well under the city's overall average. If a lower asking price is the target, SP2 terraces and the smaller stock in SP1 are where to look, or explore below market value properties.
What are average house prices in Salisbury?
The average sold price across Wiltshire is £324,123 on the Land Registry index, about 11.8% above the England average of £289,946 as of March 2026. Asking prices by postcode run from £343,292 in SP2 (Bemerton, Wilton) up to £598,325 in SP5 (Downton, Alderbury), with a five-postcode mean of £437,020. By type, detached homes average £510,949, semi-detached £323,436, terraced £262,018 and flats £156,280.
Through a buy-to-let lens, SP1 is the highest-yielding at 4.6% and SP2 the cheapest entry, while SP5 is the dearest and lowest-yielding at 3.0%.
What are the Local Housing Allowance rates in Salisbury?
All five Salisbury postcodes fall in the Salisbury Broad Rental Market Area, so they share one set of rates. As of June 2026, Local Housing Allowance runs at £98.11 a week for a shared room, £149.59 for a one-bed, £179.51 for two beds, £210.58 for three and £287.67 for four. 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.
What type of property is most common in Salisbury?
Detached houses, by a clear margin, and in every postcode. They run from 31.4% of the stock in SP2 up to 60.1% in SP5. The smaller homes that usually suit buy-to-let, terraces and flats, are most concentrated in the city postcodes SP1 and SP2, where the terraced share reaches 22.2% and the flat share sits around 16%. The rural postcodes SP3 and SP5 sit at the other end, weighted heavily towards detached family homes.
How do I buy an investment property in Salisbury?
Start by deciding whether you are buying for income or for capital, because that points you at a different postcode. SP1 (City Centre) is the highest-yielding at 4.6%, and SP2 (Bemerton, Wilton) is the cheapest entry at £343,292 with the steadiest growth record. Budget for a 30% deposit, which runs from £102,988 in SP2 to £179,497 in SP5.
Beyond what is listed openly, plenty of experienced investors buy below asking through off-market property in Salisbury and BMV property. To see what is available now, browse investment properties or buy-to-let homes for sale.
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