'Great place to live': The historic Yorkshire market town with England's most consistent house price growth
The friendly town boasts a rich history, plus great transport links, good shops and stunning scenery on its doorstep
House prices in one popular Yorkshire market town have grown more consistently than anywhere else in England, new analysis shows.
Across the UK, research by Zoopla shows, only 14% of homes have grown in value in each of the past five years.
But in Castleford, that figure leaps to 53.6%, which is more than anywhere in the UK outside of Scotland, where Bonnybridge tops the pile with 60.8% consistent price growth, and Northern Ireland, where 60.5% of homes in Antrim have increased in value for every one of the last five years.
Rising mortgage rates are one of the main reasons for stalling or declining house prices in certain areas, with the North proving the most resilient region thanks to its more affordable housing.
How Yorkshire house price growth compares to rest of UK
In Yorkshire and the Humber, 22% of houses have seen their value increase consistently over the past five years, which is considerably higher than the UK average.
But even within Yorkshire, Castleford stands out, with more than half (13,395) of the homes there having risen in price every year between June 2021 and June 2026, according to Zoopla’s home value estimates.
Zoopla’s latest house price index shows the average property in the UK is now worth £36,100, or 15.3%, more than it was five years ago.
How much do houses cost in Castleford today?
In Castleford, the average asking price for a semi-detached house is now £250,000, according to Zoopla, with a typical terraced property now priced at £140,000, a flat costing £90,000, and a detached house worth £335,000.
Castleford has a rich history, having been built on a Roman army settlement called Lagentium.
It exploded in size during the 19th century as many collieries opened in the area, and it has reinvented itself since the decline of the coal industry.
In 2008, it was the focus of the Channel 4 show Kevin McCloud and the Big Town Plan, in which residents were invited to have their say on a major community regeneration scheme.
What makes Castleford a ‘great place to live’
Today, it is a popular place to live thanks to its excellent road and rail links, and its great amenities, including the Junction 32 shopping centre and the Xscape Yorkshire leisure complex, featuring an indoor snow slope, a bowling alley, escape rooms and much more.
You can enjoy picturesque walks along the River Aire, which wends its way through Castleford, and popular nature spots include Lock Lane Bird Garden, Fryston Country Trails and RSPB Fairburn Ings.
Leeds is just 20 minutes away by train, and Wakefield only 10 minutes, with direct trains to York, Sheffield and Manchester, too, among other towns and cities.
One resident called Castleford a ‘great place to live’, praising the ‘nice’ town centre, friendly locals, shops and good places to walk.
Another told how it has ‘great’ transport links, good shopping and leisure facilities, ‘lots of employment’ and is set to benefit from the major town centre regeneration scheme, adding: “I honestly don’t want to live anywhere else.”
A third person, who moved to Castleford six years ago, called it a ‘really friendly place’, with good schools and ‘lots to do’. “Personally, we love living in Castleford,” they added.
And a fourth person, who has lived there for 24 years, said ‘I love it here’. They praised the entertainment, the culinary scene and the ‘lovely’ nature sites nearby, saying: “It's got everything you need without having to go into Leeds or Wakefield.”
They added: “Castleford has so much more to offer and I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. I'm from Leeds originally and would not want to go back there.”