A Guide to Where to Invest in Student Accommodation in the North
If you want to invest in student property you want to invest your money in the best place.
Good locations for student accommodation investment are places with attractive property prices, strong rental yields, good rental demand and large student populations.
In this report, we’ve studied a range of factors, to help us to identify, what could be some of the best places to invest in student accommodation in the north of England.
Durham
The historic city of Durham is home to Durham University, one of the UK’s top universities alongside Oxford and Cambridge.
Durham offers investors low property prices, especially outside the immediate city centre.
Places within walking distance or a short bus journey of one of the university colleges, mainly on the south side of Durham, are popular student accommodation areas. Durham student accommodation areas include The Viaduct, Church Street, Crossgate, Claypath and Gilesgate.
- Durham University comprises 17 separate colleges.
- Durham student population 17,500 approximately.
- The average house price in Durham currently £110,891 (County Durham district).
- Average gross yields in Durham up to 4.4% *
- Up to 11.83% price growth over the past 5 years.
Here’s more information on the buy-to-let market in Durham.
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Huddersfield
Huddersfield in West Yorkshire is a lesser-known student town, but the University of Huddersfield has around 17,200 students.
Huddersfield is affordable for students and is also a cheap property hotspot, offering low buy-in prices and attractive yields for investors.
Moldgreen, Lockwood, Springwood and the town centre are popular areas for Huddersfield student accommodation.
- One university in the Huddersfield area.
- Huddersfield student population 17,200 approximately.
- The average house price in Huddersfield currently £164,229 (Kirklees district).
- Average gross yields in Huddersfield up to 4.9% *
- Up to 11.56% price growth over the past 5 years.
Hull
Hull, correctly known as Kingston Upon Hull, is home to the University of Hull. The Hull York Medical School, a joint venture with the University of York, is also in Hull.
The university’s campus is on Cottingham Road in north Hull. Favourite areas for student accommodation include Cottingham Road, Newland Avenue and Beverley Road.
Hull generally is one of the cheapest places to invest in property in the whole UK and offers investors excellent value for money.
- One main university in the Hull area.
- Hull student population 16,500 approximately.
- The average house price in Hull currently £118,564.
- Average gross yields in Hull up to 4.2% *
- Up to 18.03% price growth over the past 5 years.
Here’s more information on the buy-to-let market in Hull.
Lancaster
Lancaster is a small city but it has a sizable student population. Lancaster University has a purpose-built campus at Bailrigg just to the south of Lancaster itself. The University of Cumbria also has a small campus in Lancaster.
Lancaster student accommodation areas include the city centre, Bowerham, Primrose, Fairfield, Freehold, Moorlands and Scotforth.
- Two universities in the Lancaster area.
- Lancaster student population 16,000 approximately.
- The average house price in Lancaster currently £169,579.
- Average gross yields in Lancaster up to 5.2% *
- Up to 10.21% price growth over the past 5 years.
Here’s more information on the buy-to-let market in Lancaster.
Leeds
Leeds is a major northern student city with four main universities and a number of higher educational institutions. The main universities in Leeds are the University of Leeds, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds Trinity University and Leeds Arts University.
Popular areas for Leeds student accommodation include Burley, Hyde Park, Headingley, Woodhouse and the city centre.
While Leeds is not the cheapest city for student property investment in the north it has offered strong property price growth in recent years.
- Four separate universities in the Leeds area.
- Leeds student population 65,000 approximately.
- The average house price in Leeds currently £210,315.
- Average gross yields in Leeds up to 5.4% *
- Up to 27.95% price growth over the past 5 years.
Here’s more information on the buy-to-let market in Leeds.
Liverpool
Liverpool is one of the north’s most popular university cities for student applications. Universities in Liverpool are the large University of Liverpool and Liverpool John Moores University or LJMU, and the smaller Liverpool Hope University.
The most popular student property areas in Liverpool are Kensington, Edge Hill, Wavertree, Childwall, Aigburth, Mossley Hill and Allerton.
Liverpool scores highly on low property prices, strong yields and impressive past 5-year price growth.
- Two large universities and one smaller university in the Liverpool area.
- Liverpool student population 53,000 approximately.
- The average house price in Liverpool currently £155,508.
- Average gross yields in Liverpool up to 6.4% *
- Up to 23.47% price growth over the past 5 years.
Here’s more information on the buy-to-let market in Liverpool.
Manchester
Manchester is not only one of the largest student cities in the UK, but one of the largest in Europe too. Manchester is especially popular with overseas students.
Universities in Manchester include the University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University or MMU while the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) and the University of Salford are also part of the Manchester university community.
Key student areas of Manchester are Fallowfield, Rusholme and the city centre, especially around the Southern Gateway area.
- Four universities in the Manchester area including Salford.
- Manchester student population 100,000 approximately.
- The average house price in Manchester currently £205,067.
- Average gross yields in Manchester up to 5.9% *
- Up to 24.9% price growth over the past 5 years.
Here’s more information on the buy-to-let market in Manchester.
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough is home to Teesside University. Teesside University may be one of the lesser-known universities but it has grown fast in recent years and invested millions of pounds in new facilities.
Middlesbrough is a cheap property hotspot. Popular areas for student accommodation here include Acklam, Cargo Fleet, the city centre, Eston, Linthorpe, Normanby, Old Lackenby, Ormesby and Thornaby.
Durham University has its Queen’s Campus at nearby Stockton on Tees. Queen’s Campus is Durham University’s International Study Centre.
- One university in Middlesbrough plus the International Study Centre in Stockton.
- Middlesbrough area student population 31,200 overall.
- The average house price in Middlesbrough currently £122,736.
- Average gross yields in Middlesbrough up to 7.5% *
- Up to 5.05% price growth over the past 5 years.
Here’s more information on the buy-to-let market in Middlesbrough.
Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Newcastle University has a 50-acre campus is to the northeast of the city centre. Northumbria University has two campuses in the city centre and one in the suburbs.
Popular Newcastle student property areas are Heaton, Sandyford, Shieldfield and Spital Tongues and the ever-popular Jesmond.
Newcastle is one of the cheapest large cities in the UK for property investment.
- Two large universities in the Newcastle area.
- Newcastle student population 50,000 approximately.
- The average house price in Newcastle currently £169,913.
- Average gross yields in Newcastle up to 6.2% *
- Up to 13.37% price growth over the past 5 years.
Here’s more information on the buy-to-let market in Newcastle.
Preston
Sometimes overlooked in favour of Liverpool and Manchester, Preston is the third-largest student centre in northwest England. The University of Central Lancashire or UCLan is also one of the UK’s largest single universities by student numbers. Its campus is on the northern edge of Preston city centre.
Areas popular for Preston student accommodation include the city centre, Plungington, Ashton and Fulwood.
Preston is a good value property area, with house prices only around half the England national average.
- A single large university in the Preston area.
- Preston student population 33,000 approximately.
- The average house price in Preston currently £140,207.
- Average gross yields in Preston up to 5.1% *
- Up to 10.49% price growth over the past 5 years.
Here’s more information on the buy-to-let market in Preston.
Salford
Salford is a significant student city, although it is often overlooked in favour of the student accommodation market in nearby Manchester. The University of Salford has a main campus which is centred on the Peel Park and Salford Crescent area and another campus at Media City.
Locations within easy walking distance of the university campuses are generally most popular for student lettings.
Salford is a good value property hotspot, with prices lower than nearby Manchester.
- Four universities in the Manchester area including Salford.
- Manchester and Salford student population 100,000 approximately.
- The average house price in Salford currently £183,537.
- Average gross yields in Salford up to 5.7% *
- Up to 20.35% price growth over the past 5 years.
Here’s more information on the buy-to-let market in Salford.
Sheffield
Sheffield has one of the largest ratios of students to general population of any UK city. Around one in ten residents of Sheffield are students.
The University of Sheffield is based mainly around the city centre. Sheffield Hallam University also has a campus two miles away on Ecclesall Road which is a centre for Sheffield student accommodation and student life.
Popular student accommodation areas include the city centre, Broomhall, Broomhill, Crookes, Crookesmoor, Darnall, Ecclesall, Heeley, Hillsborough, Hunters Bar, Millhouses, Norfolk Park, Ranmoor, Sharrow, Walkley and Woodseats.
- Two large universities in the Sheffield area.
- Sheffield student population 60,000 approximately.
- The average house price in Sheffield currently £188,613.
- Average gross yields in Sheffield up to 6.6% *
- Up to 17.42% price growth over the past 5 years.
Here’s more information on the buy-to-let market in Sheffield.
Sunderland
The University of Sunderland has around 20,000 students and has recently expanded by setting up a new medical school. The University of Sunderland has two campuses, the City Campus Sunderland and The Sir Tom Cowie Campus at St Peter’s.
Sunderland students live all around the city but popular student areas for living in Sunderland include the city centre, Millfield, Pallion and Ashbrooke.
Sunderland is one of the cheapest large cities for property investment, offering good value for investors.
- One university in the Sunderland area.
- Sunderland student population 20,000 approximately.
- The average house price in Sunderland currently £124,149.
- Average gross yields in Sunderland up to 9.4% *
- Up to 7.79% price growth over the past 5 years.
Here’s more information on the buy-to-let market in Sunderland.
York
York is home to two universities. The University of York has around 18,000 students with Campus East and Campus West at Heslington. York St. John University has around 6,000 students with a campus in the city centre.
Popular areas for York student accommodation include Haxby Road in Clifton, Hull Road and Heslington Road near the University of York, Fishergate and Lawrence Street close to the city centre, The Groves and Haxby Road, Heslington, Heworth and Osbaldwick.
- Two separate universities in the York area.
- York student population 24,000 approximately.
- The average house price in York currently £188,613.
- Average gross yields in York up to 6.6% *
- Up to 17.42% price growth over the past 5 years.
Here’s more information on the buy-to-let market in York.
Other Locations
The north has several other university towns and cities. With smaller student populations these offer more limited opportunities for student accommodation investors, however:
Bolton has a student population of around 7,000 at the University of Bolton.
Bradford has a student population of around 11,000 studying at the University of Bradford. Here’s more information on the property market in Bradford.
The University of Chester has around 15,000 students. Here’s more information on the property market in Chester.
The University of Cumbria in Carlisle has a student population of around 8,000. Here’s more information on the property market in Carlisle.
The 10 Largest Student Cities In The North
- Manchester & Salford
- Leeds
- Sheffield
- Liverpool
- Newcastle
- Preston
- Middlesbrough
- York
- Sunderland
- Durham
(By student population size, largest first.)
*Yield Figures
Yield figures are based on the wider rental market. Student property yields are typically much higher than the wider market. Investors can check yields for different districts using property xyz.
About Our Data
About Our Data. Population estimates are based on information provided by Localstats. Current average prices are taken from HM Land Registry data. Average gross yield and past 5-year growth figures are taken from property xyz.