Renters turn to commuter towns as demand soars

Demand has soared in commuter towns such as Esher as renters are priced out of cities, according to a new report.

Findings by SpareRoom reveal renters are seeking more affordable options as rent prices have risen sharply in recent years.

However, the flatshare website warns that as more renters migrate to cheaper towns, those areas may not remain affordable for much longer.

Esher has the highest demand in the UK

According to the report, Esher, a commuter town in Surrey, 30 minutes from London Waterloo station, has recorded one of the largest year-on-year increases in demand (+32%). It also currently has the highest demand in the UK, with an average of 11.2 people searching for every room available to rent.

Meanwhile, Kilmarnock, a Scottish town with strong transport links to Glasgow, has seen flatshare demand double over the past year, the sharpest rise anywhere in the UK. There are now seven people searching for each available room.

The average monthly room rent in Kilmarnock in 2025 was £588, allowing the typical flatsharer to save more than £1,000 per year compared with renting in Glasgow, where the average room costs £683 per month.

Elsewhere, commuter towns around Glasgow are also seeing rising demand. In Motherwell, located southeast of the city, demand has increased by a third, while in Paisley, to the west of Glasgow, demand has risen by 16%.

Huge problem with affordability

Matt Hutchinson, director of SpareRoom, has warned that rent prices in commuter towns could soar.

He said: “City living was once to flatsharers what suburban living was to families with 2.4 children. But the tides are turning. Given how high rents are now compared to where they were five years ago, people are faced with no choice but to chase affordability. It’s not an urban exodus, but it’s certainly flatshare sprawl.

“When even flatsharers are turning away from major cities, you know there’s a huge problem with affordability. More renters migrating to cheaper towns puts upward pressure on rents. These towns won’t be affordable much longer and then where do people go?

“Quite soon, renters will simply be out of options. It’s bad for the economy too which relies on a flexible workforce. If people can’t take advantage of new job opportunities, everyone loses.”

Rent prices have surged

The report also reveals that rents have surged by 40% over the past five years in cities such as Liverpool, reaching a record high of £555 per month in the final quarter of 2025.

Demand is also climbing rapidly in towns on the edge of the city. Birkenhead has seen demand rise by 33%, while Widnes is up 22%. Widnes now has the third-highest demand in the UK, with an average of 10.2 people searching for every available room.

In the Midlands, several towns are experiencing some of the strongest demand for rooms to rent anywhere in the country. West Bromwich leads the way, with 10.5 people per room, followed by Halesowen (9.8), Smethwick (7.4), Kidderminster (7), and Sutton Coldfield (6.7).