London has Once Again Become Britain’s Most Desired Place to Live

At the turn of the decade, there was a mass exodus from London. The work-from-home orders spurred many. They hoped that the beneficial working agreements would continue. So, many people moved out of the clustered cities to much more rural areas. Others didn’t want to trade away all of the conveniences of city life. They decided to switch from huge metropolises like London to more open cities like Bradford and Norwich.

In fact, this was the case even before the 2020s got underway. The Examiner Live reported Londoners were leaving the capital for Bradford in record numbers. That was for the year up to June 2019. By the middle of 2020, net migration for London had landed at minus 100,000. London saw some 219,000 coming in compared to 320,000 leaving. Entering late 2025, more and more are moving back to the big city.

A Change in Leverage in the Housing Market

House prices have a huge influence on when people move and where they move to. Each year, prices fluctuate based on demand and competition in the market. Local, national and global economic headlines also weigh into this. Since the drop in late 2022, UK house prices have been clawing back. The drop, of course, was caused by Liz Truss’s infamous mini-budget.

Now, reports point to Bradford being greatly on the rise. Over the last year, prices have been up by nearly ten per cent on 2024. Plus, the £180,000 average is 12 per cent up on the peak in 2022. It marks a significant climb that could be among the best in the country. In London, the average price is £673,000. This is seven per cent down on the 2024 price. It’s also seven per cent down on the 2022 peak of £720,000.

With such a swing, many see an opportunity to buy low in London. So, where prices have surged, owners are looking to cash in. This is why so many have turned to We Buy Any Home in Bradford and its contemporaries to capitalise on the swing while it lasts. These services send a free cash offer in minutes. If agreed, sellers can receive funds in as few as seven days. As the seller gets to choose the completion date as well, they can wait to get a London home before selling.

A Reverse of the Exodus

Earlier this year, The Yorkshireman relayed Manchester as ranking lower than Bradford among the top ten most desirable places to live. The UK list landed Bradford seventh. It’s a very admirable ranking, demonstrating the high demand for living in the Yorkshire city. However, the 2024 survey also found London to be the winner. The data put nearly 37,000 in favour of the capital to Bradford’s 18,000.

It reflects a reversal of the early 2020s exodus. In the middle of 2021, nearly half of London's movers looked to leave the city. By the middle of 2024, that number had sunk to around a third. Further data reported in April 2025 further enforces this. Search data on property sites saw that nearly 60 per cent of people living in London are looking to stay.

Many left, but now, London is once again Britain’s most desirable place to live.