AREA DECISION REPORT
St Albans area decision report
Proceed with trade-off checks
Median affordability sits at 11.0x in 2025, which reads as high-cost. Gigabit availability is 92.2% with median download at Unavailable. 4G strong coverage reaches 100% and 5G reaches 83.8% in the current area summary. Nearby planning activity is quiet in the current area radius. 3 featured postcodes are ready for deeper due-diligence follow-up.
Live across price, affordability, connectivity, planning, and postcode follow-up | Sold prices through 26 Jun 2026 · Affordability year 2025 · Broadband source year 2024 · Mobile source year 2025
- Median sold price, last 5 years £607,000Based on 11,205 sales · Latest sale in data: 26 Jun 2026
- Affordability High-costMedian ratio 11.0x in 2025
- Gigabit availability 92.2%Ofcom source year 2024
- 4G strong coverage 100%Area-level mobile source year 2025
- Nearby planning QuietCurrent applications plus recent decisions linked to the area radius
Area summary
Use this summary to decide whether this shortlist survives, then move into postcode-level due diligence where the evidence looks strongest.
Affordability and price
High-cost at 11.0xMedian house-price-to-earnings ratio is 11.0x in 2025, with a median house price of £630,000 and residence earnings of £57,396.
Broadband
Gigabit 92.2%Gigabit availability is 92.2%, with median download at Unavailable and below-USO share at 0%.
Mobile
4G 100% · 5G 83.8%4G strong-coverage share is 100%, with 5G at 83.8% in the current area-level summary.
Planning watch
No nearby matchesNo nearby planning rows matched St Albans in the current live coverage yet.
Schools
25 nearby school rows25 nearby school rows matched postcode area AL1 3DD for St Albans. Use the schools flow to compare them in more detail.
Transport
791 mapped stopsSt Albans currently links 791 mapped transport stops, including 777 local bus or tram access points and 14 rail or metro stops. Where NaPTAN status is present, 724 stops are marked active and 67 inactive. Top localities include Harpenden (131), St Albans (128), Redbourn (42).
Local business
Score 100/100St Albans currently links 698 mapped local businesses across 8 tracked categories. Top amenity groups include 250 food and drink, 93 nightlife, 91 grocery. The current amenity availability signal scores 100/100.
Jobs
1,535 online job adverts observedSt Albans local authority · Jun 2026. Same geography one year earlier: 1,757 online job adverts observed in Jun 2025.
Postcode follow-up
3 featured postcodes3 featured postcodes are ready for deeper due-diligence follow-up under St Albans.
Crime
Latest month 1,036St Albans recorded 1,036 crimes in Jun 2026. Rolling twelve month context shows 12,035, with a 0.1% fall against the prior twelve months and violence and sexual offences as the top recorded type. Hertfordshire Constabulary contributes the largest matched force share in the latest month.
Local business
This area-level OSM snapshot shows the amenity mix currently mapped around St Albans, so you can judge everyday convenience before you spend more time on postcode-level checks.
Amenity availability
Convenience score 100/100
Basis: nearest matching geography. Area local-business counts use postcode tags first and nearest-postcode fallback when the OSM record has no usable postcode tag.
Amenity group
Food and drink
250 mapped places currently map into this amenity group, led by restaurant (118), cafe (77), fast food (55).
Amenity group
Nightlife
93 mapped places currently map into this amenity group, led by pub (88), bar (5).
Amenity group
Grocery
91 mapped places currently map into this amenity group, led by convenience (58), supermarket (17), bakery (12).
Amenity group
Personal services
89 mapped places currently map into this amenity group, led by hairdresser (63), beauty (26).
Compare against another area
Keep at least one alternative area in view while you weigh cost, connectivity, planning pressure, and postcode follow-up coverage.
Featured area
Birmingham
Birmingham has 63,331 recorded sales with a median sold price of £220,400.
Open area researchFeatured area
Leeds
Leeds has 60,832 recorded sales with a median sold price of £225,000.
Open area researchFeatured area
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire has 59,996 recorded sales with a median sold price of £260,000.
Open area researchPostcodes worth checking next
These are the best current postcode follow-up routes from the live area brief, so use them to move from early shortlist thinking into deeper due diligence.
Featured postcode
AL1 3DD
AL1 3DD has 57 recorded sales with a median sold price of £493,000.
Open postcode researchFeatured postcode
AL4 0LN
AL4 0LN has 54 recorded sales with a median sold price of £662,500.
Open postcode researchFeatured postcode
AL4 0LU
AL4 0LU has 45 recorded sales with a median sold price of £1,000,000.
Open postcode researchSchool comparison
Compare nearby schools
Open side-by-side school comparison for St Albans before you shortlist homes.
Open school comparisonRecommended tool
Check sold prices
Use the sold price comparator to pressure-test what local sales mean for your budget.
Open sold price comparatorRecommended tool
Check affordability
Use the affordability checker to see whether St Albans still fits your income and deposit.
Open affordability checkerRecommended tool
Check planning nearby
Open planning watch for a faster view of live nearby applications and recent decisions.
Open planning watchRecommended guide
Read area guides
Open move guides that help you compare neighbourhoods, trade-offs, and local risks.
Browse area guidesRecommended guide
Use area planners and templates
Open planners and templates like the area comparison sheet, school visit checklist, and before you move checklist while you narrow your shortlist.
Open planners and templatesFollow up action
Ask vetted agents
We can route your enquiry to vetted partner estate agents covering St Albans.
Next step