![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/0_Ashton-under-Lyne-on-December-22-2021.jpg\")
Manchester commuters are turning to this Tameside town(Image: Adam Vaughan)<\/p>\nRental properties are being snapped up within ‘a week or two’ of being listed, local estate agents sayManchester commuters are turning to this Tameside town(Image: Adam Vaughan)<\/p>\n
A commuter town in Greater Manchester<\/a> is witnessing an influx of renters moving to the area in a bid to find more affordable rental homes. New data from SpareRoom has revealed that flatsharers who are being priced out of major UK cities are now turning to the suburbs, as well as coastal, commuter and market towns.<\/p>\n Ashton-under-Lyne in Tameside<\/a> has seen the second highest increase in interest from renters<\/a> across the country, says SpareRoom.<\/p>\n The flat sharing site says that renter searches in the market town are up 73 percent since 2023, suggesting a huge rise in demand from renters looking for a more affordable alternative to Manchester that is within commuting distance.<\/p>\n Set 6.2 miles east of Manchester city centre<\/a>, Ashton-under-Lyne is widely considered a well-connected and convenient commuter town. It has excellent transport links into the city via the M60 motorway, Metrolink and bus services, as well as a train which takes just 12 minutes.<\/p>\n Sign up to our Manchester property newsletter <\/strong>here<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n The town, which grew rapidly after it became an important part of the cotton industry during the industrial revolution, also has easy access to picturesque countryside as it’s nestled against the serene Pennines.<\/p>\n Ashton-under-Lyne<\/a> boasts major retail outlets including an IKEA, as well as a range of independent and high-street stores, an art gallery, museums and hospital as well as a popular market and shopping centre.<\/p>\n Gareth Hunt, head of lettings at Ryder & Dutton, who has a branch in Ashton<\/a>-under-Lyne, told the M.E.N: “Ashton is hugely popular amongst renters and rental properties that come on the market with us always receive a huge amount of interest and are let quickly.<\/p>\n \u201cThe main reason it\u2019s so popular is that it\u2019s much more affordable than neighbouring Manchester, but still close enough to easily commute into the city centre via the Metrolink<\/a> or car. It\u2019s also close to Tameside<\/a> General Hospital, so we let out a lot of properties in the town to people who work there.”<\/p>\n The average rent for flat shares in the town is \u00a3637 per month, compared to \u00a3948 per month in Manchester, according to SpareRoom.<\/p>\n \u201cRental prices in Ashton have increased by around 15 pecent over the past couple of years, but compared to neighbouring towns and cities that have reached the rental price ceiling, Ashton still isn\u2019t there,” Gareth adds.<\/p>\n “There\u2019s also lots of development happening in Ashton, which will only increase its popularity amongst renters over the coming years.\u201d<\/p>\n As a former mill town, a large percentage of properties<\/a> are Victorian terraces which were originally built by rich industrialists to house their workers.<\/p>\n Many of the old mills that were once used for cotton have now also been converted into modern apartments.<\/p>\n Amy Stafford, lettings consultant and Andrew Cronshaw, franchise director at Reeds Rains Estate Agents in Ashton-under-Lyne say their branch has witnessed a surge in interest from renters looking to move to the area.<\/p>\n “We have definitely seen an increase in rents and demand in the Ashton-under-Lyne area in the last few years,” they told the M.E.N.<\/p>\n “Every time we list a new property we end up with many enquiries and viewings resulting in properties being let within a week or two of a property being listed.<\/p>\n “We have noticed that people are moving to the area as it is relatively affordable compared to inner Manchester, South Manchester and the Stockport<\/a> areas, as well as having lots of good transport links to commute to these areas such as being close to the M60<\/a>, many train stations, bus routes and the tram.”<\/p>\n Meanwhile, house prices<\/a> in Ashton-Under-Lyne have gone down by 3 percent since last year, according to Rightmove.<\/p>\n Houses in the town sold for an average price of \u00a3203,261 over the last year with the majority of homes sold being terraced properties, selling for an average price of \u00a3165,631.<\/p>\n SpareRoom’s research revealed that not a single city featured in the top 50 areas for increased interest from renters, which points to flatsharers migrating further out of major cities.<\/p>\n Mortlake, a suburban district of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, tops the list for increased searches by renters with room rents at \u00a3825 per month, which is \u00a3157 below the average for London.<\/p>\n Also in the top 50 are Seven Kings, Chadwell Heath, Harrow Weald, Rainham, Caversham, Beaconsfield, Hoddesdon and Harpenden, which all serve as commuter hubs into London.<\/p>\n Several coastal towns also make the list including Lowestoft, Morecambe, Barry, Exmouth, South Shields, Leigh-on-Sea, and Shoreham-by-Sea, as well as market towns Cirencester, Saffron Walden, Totnes, Faversham, Daventry and Selby.<\/p>\n Join the Manchester Evening News WhatsApp group <\/strong>HERE<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Have you finally got on the property ladder? Love your rented home? Or have you just finished renovating your dream house?<\/p>\n If so, we would love to speak to you as part of our property series Where I Live<\/a>.<\/p>\n Each week we chat to a different homeowner or renter to hear about their buying, renting or renovating journey, whilst taking a peek inside their home.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/3_Ashton-under-Lyne-on-December-22-2021.jpg\")
Renting is much more affordable in Ashton-under-Lyne compared to Manchester(Image: Adam Vaughan)<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/1753611979_848_0_Ashton-under-Lyne-on-December-22-2021.jpg\")
The town has a lot of terraced housing(Image: Adam Vaughan)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/1_ABNM_MEN_09022023_WHERE_I_LIVE_IMOGEN_SALE_51287JPG.jpg\")
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