New data from Hamptons Research found that Londoners purchased just 5.3 per cent of the homes sold outside the capital in the first seven months of 2025. This is the lowest share since 2013 and compares to a peak of 8.2 per cent in 2022, when working from home was the norm and the Covid Race for Space was in full swing— aided by the stamp duty holiday. A 5.3 percentage equates to 31,620 properties, half the peak which saw 63,600 homes purchased by outgoing Londoners.
Compared to pre-pandemic levels, this year’s outmigration figures are below the average (5.9 per cent) recorded between 2010 and 2020, suggesting that the current numbers are more in-line with those from a decade ago, when the London property market was still subdued because of the financial crash.
Why has outmigration gone down?
There are two main drivers behind the latest migration figures. Firstly, the return of office-based working has made moving out of the capital a less attractive proposition as more workers now need to be in the office three days a week as a minimum. Secondly, a slower London property market means the purchasing power of would-be movers has been reduced, and they can’t upgrade their lifestyle when they move out in the way they once could. Prices have risen 26 per cent outside the capital over the last five years, triple that of London’s eight per cent rise.
In inner London, while a typical household selling for £655,580 this year could afford to more than double the size of their property, gaining 121 per cent or 1,178 extra square feet of space, this is nearly a third less space than if they had moved in 2016 when spatial purchasing power peaked and movers could treble their square footage. Compared to 2016, the average inner London property today buys 553 fewer square feet outside of London, equivalent to a loss of two double bedrooms or a typical one-bedroom flat.
Despite their reduced purchasing power, inner Londoners made up a record 30 per cent of leavers last year. This is up from 25 per cent a decade ago and reflects how high borrowing costs and weaker price growth in central London, where prices have stagnated or slumped, has made moving locally difficult.
Inner Londoners are instead considering areas further afield that offer better value. Outer Londoners still make up the majority of leavers at 70 per cent, but house prices have held up better here and tracked prices outside London more closely. The average outer London household selling a home for £509,800 this year could increase their space by 55 per cent, down from 72 per cent in 2016.
Where are exiting Londoners heading to?
There have also been changes to the destinations of London leavers. Previously, those moving out of inner London went further afield than their outer London counterparts, preferring to live outside the traditional commuter belt of the South East and East of England. In 2021, 37 per cent of inner Londoners chose to move outside these two regions, compared to 28 per cent of outer Londoners, the majority of which settled closer to the capital. Those moving to areas outside the commuter belt were often in search of a total lifestyle change and popular destinations included Cornwall, Dorset and the Cotswolds.
In contrast, now, inner Londoners are just as likely as those from outer London to remain within the South East or East of England. This suggests affordability, rather than lifestyle, is a major factor in their relocation decision and they still need to retain a link to the capital, while maximising value for money.
Table: top 10 areas with the highest percentage of buyers from London (2025)
|
Local authority |
Percentage of buyers from London |
|
Dartford |
67% |
|
Epping Forest |
62% |
|
Tandridge |
61% |
|
Thurrock |
59% |
|
Hertsmere |
54% |
|
Epsom and Ewell |
48% |
|
Brentwood |
44% |
|
Elmbridge |
42% |
|
Sevenoaks |
40% |
|
Basildon |
38% |
Affordability factors are also evident in the most popular destinations for London relocators. In 2015, prestigious commuter towns such as Broxbourne (66 per cent), Sevenoaks (63 per cent), and Welwyn Hatfield (60 per cent) topped the list, but, in 2025, these had either dropped down or didn’t make the top 10 at all.
Instead, areas such as Dartford (67 per cent), Epping Forest (62 per cent), and Tandridge (61 per cent) gained prominence, with reasonably priced towns such as Thurrock (59 per cent), Hertsmere (54 per cent), and Basildon (38 per cent) climbing the ranks. Value and good transport links to the capital trumped prestige for those moving out of the capital.
“Many London homeowners simply haven’t built up enough equity to make the leap to where they want to go, especially as prices outside the capital have continued to climb. The result is fewer moves, shorter distances, and a growing focus on affordability over aspiration,” says Aneisha Beveridge, Head of Research at Hamptons.
“We’re seeing a clear shift in where Londoners are heading. The pandemic pushed buyers into leafier, more lifestyle-driven locations, but today’s movers are more pragmatic. Places like Dartford and Thurrock are topping the list— not just because they’re commutable, but because they offer better value, particularly for first-time buyers. Even inner London leavers, who once ventured far and wide, are now staying closer to the capital. In a sign of the times, the dream of doubling your space still exists, but it’s no longer a given.”