South East, England

Cost of living in New Forest

Data last updated: 14 May 2026

Page last reviewed: 14 May 2026

£1,234/mo
Average rent
£31,344/yr
Average earnings
£380,000
Average house price
£2,420/yr
Council tax (Band D)
£197/mo
Est. energy & water

Rent in New Forest

The average monthly rent in New Forest is £1,234.

  • 1 Bed
    £857 /mo
  • 2 Bed
    £1,123 /mo
  • 3 Bed
    £1,379 /mo
  • 4+ Bed
    £1,980 /mo

Source: ONS Price Index of Private Rents (PIPR)

Earnings in New Forest

The average annual salary for residents of New Forest is £31,344.

Median
£31,344
per year
Mean
£37,271
per year

We use the median (middle value) as the average throughout this site. This is more representative than the mean, which can be skewed by extremely high or low values.

Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE)

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Average house prices in New Forest

The average house price in New Forest was £380,000.

  • Detached
    £525,000
  • Semi-detached
    £350,000
  • Terraced
    £297,000
  • Flat
    £208,000

How house prices have changed in New Forest

Average house prices over time, based on quarterly rolling-year medians from Land Registry data.

£0£100k£200k£300k£400k£500k1995200020052010201520202025

Source: ONS / HM Land Registry. Historical trend based on quarterly rolling-year median prices.

Council tax in New Forest

Band D council tax in New Forest is £2,420 per year.

  • Band A
    £1,613
  • Band B
    £1,882
  • Band C
    £2,151
  • Band D
    Benchmark
    £2,420
  • Band E
    £2,957
  • Band F
    £3,495
  • Band G
    £4,033
  • Band H
    £4,840

Source: MHCLG / Scottish Government / Welsh Government

Energy costs in New Forest

A typical household in New Forest pays approximately £1,641/year (£137/month) for gas and electricity.

Annual
£1,641
per year
Monthly
£137
per month

Energy region: South East

This estimate is based on the Ofgem price cap for a typical dual-fuel household using 2,700 kWh of electricity and 11,500 kWh of gas per year, paying by Direct Debit. Your actual costs will depend on your usage, tariff, and whether you're on a fixed deal.

Source: Ofgem Energy Price Cap, Q2 2026

Water costs in New Forest

The average annual water and sewerage bill for Southern Water customers is £720/year (£60/month).

Annual
£720
per year
Monthly
£60
per month

Water company: Southern Water

Water bills vary based on whether you have a meter and your household's water usage. This figure is the company average for unmetered customers.

Source: Water UK / Discover Water, 2026-27

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Crime in New Forest

There were 545 recorded crimes per 10,000 people in New Forest, which is below the national average of 813.2. New Forest ranks #78 out of 303 areas for lowest crime rate.

Violence & sexual offences
241/10k
(4,246 offences)
Burglary
38/10k
(666 offences)
Theft
126/10k
(2,223 offences)
Criminal damage
57/10k
(999 offences)
Drug offences
12/10k
(219 offences)
Public order
53/10k
(926 offences)
Other
18/10k
(313 offences)

Recorded crime statistics reflect crimes reported to and recorded by police. They may not capture the full picture of crime in an area, and recording practices vary between forces.

Source: Home Office police recorded crime, Year ending December 2025

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Nearby areas

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Frequently asked questions about New Forest

Data on this page is sourced from: ONS Price Index of Private Rents (PIPR), Scottish Government Private Sector Rent Statistics, ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, ONS / HM Land Registry House Price Statistics, MHCLG / Scottish Government / Welsh Government council tax data, Ofgem Energy Price Cap, and Water UK / Discover Water. All official data is published under the Open Government Licence.