The most popular London commuter town for homebuyers in 2026
Key Points
- The Hertfordshire market town of Hitchin is the most popular London commuter town for homebuyers in 2026.
- Other popular commuter towns include Chelmsford, Basingstoke, and Harpenden.
- Houses in Harpenden are priced at a premium, with the average listing at £948,054.
- Properties in Basingstoke, Chelmsford, and Letchworth Garden City are more accessible, and some have actually declined slightly in the last year.
The most popular London commuter town for homebuyers this year is Hitchin in Hertfordshire, according to the latest data from online property platform Rightmove.
Hitchin, a popular market town in North Hertfordshire surrounded by verdant countryside, sees almost twice the enquiries per available listing than London, making it by far the most popular commuter town for homebuyers in 2026.
Rightmove compared the demand in commuter towns around London which have at least 20,000 inhabitants and are within a 45-minute train journey from the capital.
It also looked at the average prices for property in these commuter towns, many of which are significantly above the national average home price.
The most expensive London commuter town on the list of those seeing the most demand was Harpenden, also in Hertfordshire. Just a 26-minute train from St Pancras International, the average property price in Harpenden is listed at £948,054.
However, there are popular commuter towns with more accessible house prices on the list. Basingstoke in Hampshire, which is a 40-minute train from Waterloo, enjoys average house prices of £351,104.
Rightmove noted that some of the most popular commuter towns have actually seen slight price drops over the past year, including Chelmsford and Basingstoke, meaning affordability is improving in these areas despite their relatively high demand.
Most popular London commuter towns
The table below shows the five most popular London commuter towns for homebuyers in 2026, along with their average property price and their fastest peak rail journeys to London stations.
| Commuter town | Avg. property price | Fastest peak rail journey | London terminal | Fast trains/hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Hitchin, Hertfordshire | £495,800 | ~31 min | Kings Cross | ~4–5 |
| 2. Harpenden, Hertfordshire | £948,054 | ~26 min | St Pancras Intl | ~4 |
| 3. Chelmsford, Essex | £402,308 | ~34 min | Liverpool Street | ~4 |
| 4. Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire | £435,435 | ~36 min | Kings Cross | ~2 |
| 5. Basingstoke, Hampshire | £351,104 | ~40 min | Waterloo | ~4 |
