As house prices in London continue to rise at a faster rate than wages, buying property outside of the capital city is an increasingly attractive option.
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11 commuter towns less than an hour from London where house prices are growing fastest
Buying a house outside of London is an increasingly attractive and feasible option.
This six-bedroom Grade II listed Georgian country residence in West Malling is on the market for £2.5 million.
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In fact, research from property agent Hamptons found that housebuyers were fleeing the city at the fastest rate in 10 years.
In 2016, 77,500 Londoners bought houses outside the capital, 22% more than in 2015.
Over the last five years property prices in some of the county's lesser-known towns have demonstrated remarkable growth, far outpacing that of their more established counterparts.
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Kent is home to several popular commuter towns, such as Rochester, Gillingham, Tunbridge Wells, and Sevenoaks.
Savills Estate Agents carried out a study which looked at properties located between 2km and 5km from Kent stations, which have a direct line to London of 65 minutes or less. The study, which Savills sent to Business Insider, compared the change in average second-hand sale price over a five-year period to determine which towns had the fastest-growing house prices.
While all but one — Cowden — of the main 29 commuter locations witnessed healthy growth, it was Ebbsfleet International and Marden which saw the highest average increase in house prices, of 53% and 51% respectively.
This rate is significantly higher than that of Sevenoaks or Rochester, for example, which witnessed growth of 13% and 28%.
Scroll down to see 11 of Kent's under-the-radar commuter towns, ranked in ascending order by the average change in second-hand property prices over the last five years, along with the average sale price, commute time to London, and cost of a season ticket.
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*House price figures are from Land Registry from the 12 months to October 2016.
=10. East Malling — 32% growth.
Average second-hand sale price: £309,603.
Commute time to London: 58 minutes.
Cost of a season ticket: £5,300.
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=10. High Brooms — 32% growth.
Average second-hand sale price: £347,956.
Commute time to London: 53 minutes.
Cost of a season ticket: £4,380.
9. West Malling — 34% growth.
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Average second-hand sale price: £336,360.
Commute time to London: 57 minutes.
Cost of a season ticket: £5,300.
8. Barming — 36% growth.
Average second-hand sale price: £310,793.
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Commute time to London: 63 minutes.
Cost of a season ticket: £5,300.
7. Sittingbourne — 38% growth.
Average second-hand sale price: £216,297.
Commute time to London: 55 minutes.
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Cost of a season ticket: £4,256.
6. Snodland — 39% growth.
Average second-hand sale price: £241,624.
Commute time to London: 45 minutes.
Cost of a season ticket: £4,200.
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5. Rainham — 40% growth.
Average second-hand sale price: £255,869.
Commute time to London: 47 minutes.
Cost of a season ticket: £4,064.
4. Paddock Wood — 40% growth.
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Average second-hand sale price: £341,717.
Commute time to London: 56 minutes.
Cost of a season ticket: £4,296.
3. Faversham: 43% growth.
Average second-hand sale price: £256,849.
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Commute time to London: 63 minutes.
Cost of a season ticket: £4,776.
2. Marden: 51% growth.
Average second-hand sale price: £381,841.
Commute time to London: 63 minutes.
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Cost of a season ticket: £4,464.
1. Ebbsfleet International — 53% growth.
Average second-hand sale price: £229,506.
Commute time to London: 19 minutes.
Cost of a season ticket: £4,508.
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