Homes located in UK national parks cost on average 24% more than similar properties elsewhere, according to a study by Nationwide, Britain's biggest building society. The research also found that buyers pay a 6% premium for homes within three miles of a national park.
The study attributes the higher prices not only to the natural beauty of the parks but also to restrictions on new housing development, which keep property values relatively high.
The New Forest is the most expensive national park, with an average property price of £563,000, followed by the South Downs at £485,000 and the Peak District at £450,000.
Nationwide also identified a 14% premium for homes in the national landscapes of England and Wales (formerly Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty), such as Surrey Hills and the Chilterns. Surrey Hills is the most expensive national landscape, with average prices of £710,000. Designated in 1958, it covers about a quarter of Surrey and is home to around 40,000 people, mostly in small villages like Shere, Mickleham, and Westhumble.
The premiums appear to be consistent: similar research by Nationwide in 2024 showed a 25% premium for national park homes and 15% for national landscape properties.