Crook house prices have reportedly doubled in the last five years (Image: WikiCommons)
House prices in a small market town have reportedly doubled in five years, a figure that’s split local opinion in a town where many reportedly have to leave the area to find work. According to a study by Lloyds Bank, average house prices in Crook, Durham, increased by 99% between 2020 and 2025, the largest increase across market towns in the UK.
After tracking house prices across 116 market towns, it found Crook rose at nearly three times the UK average, which settled at 24% over five years. The sharp rise took the average to £207,250 for all buyers in the year to May 2025, based on Halifax data. Leanne Booth, who has lived in Crook for 25 years, told The Express she had seen a “dramatic rise in Crook,” particularly in the last year.
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It is a small market town which used to have a mining industry (Image: WikiCommons)
She said: “I think the only houses that locals can probably buy nowadays are the older terraced houses.”
Ms Booth moved to Crook from the neighbouring village with her partner in 1999 and has since lived in various properties in the former mining town, which is a 20-minute drive from Durham, near the North Pennines National Landscape.
Yet she thinks that she wouldn’t be able to afford upsizing if she wanted to, as the price of smaller terraces, similar to hers, isn’t rising as much, compared to some that have “gone absolutely crackers”. She adds: “Some of them are unbelievable.”
She said it mainly impacts some “sought-after” areas but added that people are now looking at around £140,000 plus for terraced houses, which a year ago probably could have been £75,000 to £80,000.
At present, out of 83 results on Rightmove, five properties are being marketed under £70,000, not through auctions, which are two-bedroom terraced houses.
Ms Booth cited a four-bedroom house originally listed at £460,000 in October 2024, now reduced to £380,000, which she said was “just astronomical” for the area, given its need for a full renovation.
She said: “I’m sure it could be a beautiful house, but for the price that they’ve already put on the market for, it’s just crackers in a north east town, which is supposed to be cheaper for people.”
Northern towns are known for having more afffordable housing (Image: Andrew Curtis/Geograph)
Northern towns are known for having more affordable housing, and according to Land Registry Data analysed by Home Owners Alliance, northern England and Scotland dominated the ten cheapest places to buy a house in the UK.
Local Reform councillor Robbie Rodiss, who is chair of Durham County Council, said he wasn’t convinced by Lloyds’ data.
He said that, although he would like to think that was the case, “we’ve never ever had a housing boom.”
“I’m not certain where the Lloyds is getting these figures from, but I can assure you that we’re not having a housing boom in my area in County Durham. So, I’m a bit confused by what they’re trying to claim.”
Once a mining town, Crook has seen young people abandon the area due to a lack of jobs and deprivation, he explained, while retirees moved in for the affordable prices.
Cllr Rodiss added: “We have very little in the way of industry in our area, nice area, but, if you’re a young family, you’re going to have to travel.”
Local estate agents, however, have noticed a price increase, although they believe it was similar to the rest of the country due to inflation.
Alex, who works at Robinsons Estate Agents in Crook, said: “There’s definitely been an increase, but I was shocked to see when it said it went up 100%. I haven’t really seen that to be honest.
“I think throughout the whole of the country there’s been a general increase. House prices, just inflation really over the past five years. I haven’t noticed anything where it’s not allowing locals to purchase properties, no.”
Alex said people have been moving to the quiet town from busier areas since the Covid-19 lockdowns back in 2020, having holidayed locally and discovered the area, which is a commutable distance to Durham and Newcastle.
Another resident had similar thoughts, adding that the “simplistic” report of average prices did not represent the majority of the houses purchased in Crook, but the more expensive developments which have been sold in recent years.
Residents say there is a lack of jobs in Crook (Image: Google)
Malcolm Read said: “These statistics make for exciting headlines but neglect the fact that a mean average is susceptible to errors created by high or low values which distort the mean.
“Crook has seen some building works in the past five years which have been sold for considerably more than the vernacular, terraced housing, and this new build has affected the mean values.”
The prices in Crook were still well below the UK average market town, which the data found was £363,456 for all buyers, and £280,582 for first-time buyers.
Cllr Roddis added that many family shops were swept away from the town in 2010s, and the town has lost many pubs since the 1990s. Now, the high street offers many hairdressers, a few major brands and a weekly market.
Crook is lucky to have its current residents who are funny and get on making a living, Cllr Rodiss said – a community he hoped would not disappear.
Another resident, who wishes to remain anonymous, agreed that the lack of jobs is an issue. He said: “The main industry is the same as every northern town: pubs and hairdressers. A lot of the young people move away.”
However, he also added that he likes the town and its many friendly people, adding: “I enjoy living here, it’s safe.”
UK market towns with the biggest house price increases between 2020 and 2025, according to LloydsCrook, £207,250
Helston, South West, £348,017, 62%
Chipping Norton, South East, £617,697, 61%
Skipton, Yorkshire and the Humber, £365,674, 60%
Carnforth, North West, £326,911, 50%
Wetherby, Yorkshire and the Humber, £498,661, 49%
Holmfirth, Yorkshire and the Humber, £391,639, 46%
Boston, East Midlands, £262,955, 44%
Selby, Yorkshire and the Humber, £286,525, 40% // Retford, East Midlands, £305,674, 40%