Salary needed to buy a home in each London borough

Fresh data from property website Zoopla, shared exclusively with Metro, reveals that buyers hoping to purchase in more than a third of London boroughs will need to earn more than £100,000 a year.

This is based on a mortgage capped at 4.5 times annual earnings and a 20 per cent deposit.

This means even the "most affordable" parts of the city remain firmly out of reach for many average earners.

At the top end of the scale, Kensington and Chelsea buyers would need a household salary of £199,300 to afford the average home, now valued at £1.12 million.

Westminster follows closely behind, with a required income of £166,600 for homes priced at £936,900.

Several other boroughs, including Camden, Richmond upon Thames, and Hammersmith and Fulham, also require household earnings well above £100,000.

In Camden, where the average property costs £764,600, buyers would need to earn around £135,900.

Richmond upon Thames is similar at £135,200.

The data also highlights the growing unaffordability in traditionally "up and coming" areas, with Islington, Wandsworth and Hackney all requiring household incomes above £100,000.

Across London, the average home now costs £559,161.

This puts the city-wide minimum income to buy at nearly £100,000—almost three times the UK’s average salary of £37,430, according to the Office for National Statistics.

Outer London remains slightly more accessible but still presents significant barriers for many buyers.

Areas such as Barnet, Merton, Lambeth and Bromley require household incomes between £92,000 and £101,000.

In Croydon, the average home costs £393,300, meaning buyers would need to earn £69,900.

Meanwhile, in Barking and Dagenham—London’s most affordable borough—the required household income still stands at £59,600 to afford the average property priced at £335,500.

Bexley, Newham and Havering all demand household earnings between £71,200 and £75,200.

Greenwich stands just above this range at £75,300, while Sutton and Enfield both require nearly £80,000 a year.

Zoopla said the figures apply to either single or joint buyers, so couples or friends purchasing together could split the income requirement.

However, the need for a 20 per cent deposit—often tens of thousands of pounds—remains a major hurdle, particularly for renters.

The figures paint a stark picture of the capital’s affordability crisis.

Nearly every London borough is now out of reach for those on average incomes, forcing many to rely on family support or look further afield.

The full London borough breakdown is as follows:

• Kensington and Chelsea: £199,300 (£1,120,900)
• Westminster: £166,600 (£936,900)
• Camden: £135,900 (£764,600)
• Richmond upon Thames: £135,200 (£760,700)
• City of London: £130,800 (£735,700)
• Hammersmith and Fulham: £128,700 (£723,900)
• Islington: £117,100 (£658,700)
• Wandsworth: £116,900 (£657,700)
• Hackney: £105,900 (£595,700)
• Haringey: £101,800 (£572,600)
• Kingston upon Thames: £101,700 (£572,000)
• Barnet: £101,000 (£567,900)
• Merton: £100,300 (£564,400)
• Lambeth: £98,900 (£556,500)
• Bromley: £92,000 (£517,300)
• Southwark: £91,800 (£516,300)
• Brent: £91,700 (£516,000)
• Ealing: £91,600 (£515,500)
• Harrow: £90,800 (£510,600)
• Waltham Forest: £90,100 (£507,000)
• Redbridge: £84,500 (£475,300)
• Tower Hamlets: £84,200 (£473,600)
• Hounslow: £82,400 (£463,400)
• Hillingdon: £80,700 (£454,000)
• Lewisham: £80,100 (£450,600)
• Sutton: £79,200 (£445,200)
• Enfield: £78,300 (£440,300)
• Greenwich: £75,300 (£423,800)
• Havering: £75,200 (£422,700)
• Newham: £71,600 (£403,000)
• Bexley: £71,200 (£400,800)
• Croydon: £69,900 (£393,300)
• Barking and Dagenham: £59,600 (£335,500)