How the UK compares · OECD

UK house prices to income compared with other countries

The UK's house price-to-income ratio was 115.7 (100 = the country's long-term average) in 2025, according to the OECD. That is the 13th-highest of the 21 OECD countries ranked here. The range ran from 78.5 (100 = the country's long-term average) in Finland to 150.4 (100 = the country's long-term average) in Canada. The simple average across the 21 was 116.1 (100 = the country's long-term average), a difference of 0.4 points from the UK's figure.

On the OECD's latest quarterly figures, the UK's house price-to-income ratio was 115.3 (100 = the country's long-term average) in April to June 2026, the 10th-highest of the 17 countries in this table with a figure for that quarter.

No 2025 figure yet for Colombia, Israel and South Korea.

The UK over ten years

From 2016 to 2025 the UK's figure was highest in 2022 (131.9 (100 = the country's long-term average)) and lowest in 2025 (115.7 (100 = the country's long-term average)).

The UK's figure was higher than the average in nine of the ten years from 2016 to 2025 and lower in one.

In 2016 the UK ranked 7th of the 24 countries with a figure; in 2025 it ranked 13th of 21.

Six countries had a lower figure than the UK in 2016 and a higher one in 2025: the Netherlands, Portugal, Switzerland, Spain, Austria and Denmark.

How the OECD measures it

The OECD divides each country's nominal house price index by nominal net disposable income per head, then shows the result as a percentage of that country's own long-term average, so 100 means house prices relative to incomes are at their long-term average for that country. The measure shows how far each country has moved from its own history; it does not compare the cost of a home between countries.

Countries compared: The 38 member countries of the OECD. The table uses the latest year for which the UK and at least three-quarters of the countries the OECD covers have a figure, so every value is for the same period.

Why this differs from the UK's own figures

The ONS publishes housing affordability for England and Wales as the ratio of the median house price to median full-time earnings, which is a level (for example, how many years of earnings a typical home costs). The OECD's measure is built from the UK House Price Index and national accounts household income and is shown against the UK's own long-term average, so the two cannot be compared directly.

The UK's own latest figure, with its definition and release dates: UK average house price.

Sources and receipts

Every value on this page was read from these addresses. The SHA-256 is the fingerprint of the file as downloaded, so a later change at the source can be detected.

• https://sdmx.oecd.org/public/rest/data/OECD.ECO.MPD,DSD_AN_HOUSE_PRICES@DF_HOUSE_PRICES,1.0/.A+Q.HPI_YDH_AV…
  OECD, Analytical house price indicators · read 2026-10-14 · SHA-256 1508e2fba50db14f…
• OECD: Analytical house price indicators
  The publisher's page for this data, indicator HPI_YDH_AVG.

Common questions

Where does the UK rank for house price-to-income ratio in OECD countries?

OECD figures for 2025 put the UK 13th of 21, counting from the highest, at 115.7 (100 = the country's long-term average).

Which OECD country has the highest house price-to-income ratio?

Canada, at 150.4 (100 = the country's long-term average) in 2025 (OECD).

Which OECD country has the lowest house price-to-income ratio?

Finland, at 78.5 (100 = the country's long-term average) in 2025 (OECD).

What is the OECD average house price-to-income ratio?

The simple average of the 21 countries with figures for 2025 is 116.1 (100 = the country's long-term average). The UK's figure is 115.7 (100 = the country's long-term average).

How has the UK's house price-to-income ratio changed since 2016?

OECD figures give 118.1 (100 = the country's long-term average) for 2016 and 115.7 (100 = the country's long-term average) for 2025; the ten-year chart above shows the years in between.

What is the latest monthly figure?

On the OECD's latest quarterly figures, the UK's house price-to-income ratio was 115.3 (100 = the country's long-term average) in April to June 2026, the 10th-highest of the 17 countries in this table with a figure for that quarter.

Is this the same as the UK's official figure?

The ONS publishes housing affordability for England and Wales as the ratio of the median house price to median full-time earnings, which is a level (for example, how many years of earnings a typical home costs). The OECD's measure is built from the UK House Price Index and national accounts household income and is shown against the UK's own long-term average, so the two cannot be compared directly.

More comparisons

• UK national debt compared with other countries
• UK GDP per head compared with other countries
• UK government spending compared with other countries
• UK tax revenue compared with other countries
• UK life expectancy compared with other countries
• UK health spending compared with other countries

Compare any two countries on GDP, inflation, unemployment, debt and life expectancy: country comparison tool.

These pages state each body's figures and the UK's position among them. They give no view on whether a figure is high or low. To report an error, send a correction request.