Owning a home outright has long been a hallmark of financial security – no monthly repayments, no interest, just four walls and a roof to truly call your own. But with house prices spiralling and affordability slipping out of reach for many, it’s becoming increasingly rare to live mortgage-free. That said, there are still parts of the UK where the dream is very much alive and well. But have you ever wondered which cities are leading the charge when it comes to full homeownership?

A new study by Land of Rugs has revealed the UK cities and towns where residents are most likely to have fully paid off their homes. So, if you’re aiming to ditch the debt and go mortgage-free, these are the places to watch.

The study analysed homeownership tenure data from official sources including the Office for National Statistics (ONS), NISRA (Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency), and the Scottish Government. These sources provide breakdowns across multiple housing categories, such as outright ownership, ownership with a mortgage, shared ownership, private renting, and social housing.

Looking at 133 towns and cities across the UK, the study compared the proportion of outright homeowners relative to the total number of homeowners in each location. By isolating the percentage of people who own their homes outright, the results paint a fascinating picture of where mortgage-free living is most common and it’s not always where you’d think.

Harrogate named among best UK cities where you’re most likely to own your home outright

In sixth place is spa town Harrogate, where 40.66% of homeowners have left mortgage payments behind. Known for its posh tea rooms, lush gardens and upmarket appeal, Harrogate isn’t always thought of as budget-friendly, but it clearly has a wealth of long-standing residents.

The high percentage of outright homeowners may point to generational wealth or simply the perks of property bought before prices soared. Either way, it’s a town where people clearly stick around and eventually pay it all off.

Other cities in the top 10 ranked as following: Maldon sits at the top with 43.81%, Lewes is second (42.40%), Hereford third (42.34%), Lichfield fourth (41.42%) and Scarborough fifth (41.40%).

High Peak claims seventh place (40.14%), Folkestone follows in eighth (39.24%), Solihull lands in ninth (39.17%) and Torbay finishes the top 10 with 39.15%.

Not every city is faring as well. Unsurprisingly, major urban centres lag far behind when it comes to outright homeownership. London, for example, sees just 20.15% of homeowners owning their property outright. It’s even lower in Manchester (16.50%) and Greenwich (16.20%).

Westminster finishes bottom of the ranking, with just 16.04% of homeowners having fully paid off their homes, a reminder that in some parts of the UK, owning outright is still a long way off.

Other notable cities include Edinburgh in 58th place, Birmingham at 99th, Oxford at 107th, Bristol just behind at 108th, and Liverpool further down in 114th.

Top ten best UK cities where you’re most likely to own a home outright in the study:

Rank	City/Town	% of Residents Who Own Their Property Outright
1	Maldon	43.81
2	Lewes	42.40
3	Hereford	42.34
4	Lichfield	41.42
5	Scarborough	41.40
6	Harrogate	40.66
7	High Peak	40.14
8	Folkestone	39.24
9	Solihull	39.17
10	Torbay	39.15

Harrogate named among best UK cities where you’re most likely to own your home outright, according to new study