Updated monthly · rents for August 2026 · South West
Rental Yields in Cornwall
The average private rent in Cornwall was £1,000 a month in August 2026, and the average property price was £275,642 in July 2026. That gives a gross rental yield of 4.4%, which ranks 161st of 316 local authorities in England and Wales and 12th of 26 in the South West.
Take off a letting agent, repairs and one empty month a year and the net yield is about 3.3%, before mortgage costs and tax. In the year to August 2026 the average rent rose 1.8%, and in the year to July 2026 the average price fell 0.7%. Rents have moved ahead of prices, which pushes gross yields up.
Official data: ONS average rents (August 2026) and HM Land Registry average prices (July 2026), for the whole local authority. All yields are before tax.
Gross yield
4.4%
#161 of 316 in England & Wales
Net yield
3.3%
After letting, repairs and voids
Average rent
£1,000
+1.8% in 12 monthsAverage price
£275,642
-0.7% in 12 monthsWhat a typical Cornwall rental makes after costs
Gross yield ignores costs. Here is a property at Cornwall's average price and rent, run through the RealYield calculator with the same assumptions Deal Check uses. Costs take the yield from 4.4% to 3.3%, a gap of 1.1 percentage points. Rent covers these costs and the mortgage interest up to a rate of about 4.4%.
| A year at £275,642 and £1,000 pcm | £ a year |
|---|---|
| Rent for 12 months | £12,000 |
| Less one empty month | -£1,000 |
| Less letting agent (12% of rent collected) | -£1,320 |
| Less repairs (5% of rent collected) | -£550 |
| Net income before mortgage (net yield 3.3%) | £9,130 |
| Less mortgage interest (£206,732 at 4.5%, interest only) | -£9,303 |
| Cashflow before tax | -£173 |
| Less income tax (higher-rate taxpayer, owned personally, Section 24) | -£1,826 |
| Cashflow after tax | -£1,999 |
That works out at a loss of £14 a month before tax and a loss of £167 a month after tax, on a £68,910 deposit (25%) before stamp duty and buying costs.
Source: RealYield calculator engine on the ONS average rent (August 2026) and HM Land Registry average price (July 2026). Assumptions: 25% deposit, 4.5% interest-only mortgage, 12% letting agent, 5% of rent on repairs, one empty month a year, no service charge or ground rent. Tax is illustrative: the property profit taxed at the higher rate with the 20% mortgage interest credit, ignoring your other income and allowances. An average, not a valuation of any property.
How Cornwall compares with the South West
Cornwall's gross yield ranks 161st of 316 local authorities in England and Wales and 12th of 26 in the South West. In the South West, gross yields run from 3.4% in South Hams to 6.4% in Bristol.
| Measure | Cornwall | South West median | England and Wales median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross yield | 4.4% | 4.2% | 4.4% |
| Net yield (after letting, repairs, voids) | 3.3% | 3.2% | 3.4% |
| Average rent (pcm) | £1,000 | £1,049 | £1,022 |
| Average price | £275,642 | £306,231 | £288,085 |
| Rent change, 12 months | +1.8% | +4.6% | +3.9% |
| Price change, 12 months | -0.7% | +0.4% | +1.9% |
Medians of the local authority averages (26 in the South West, 316 in England and Wales), not weighted by population. Rents: ONS Price Index of Private Rents, August 2026. Prices and price change: HM Land Registry UK House Price Index, July 2026. Net yields use the same assumptions as the typical property above and the Net Yield Index. All before tax.
Average rent in Cornwall by bedrooms
| Property size | Average rent (pcm, August 2026) |
|---|---|
| 1 bedroom | £688 |
| 2 bedrooms | £880 |
| 3 bedrooms | £1,077 |
| 4+ bedrooms | £1,502 |
Source: ONS Price Index of Private Rents, August 2026. A 2-bedroom rent against the average flat price gives a flat yield of 7.3%, gross.
Average house price in Cornwall by property type
| Property type | Average price (July 2026) |
|---|---|
| Detached | £421,751 |
| Semi-detached | £276,890 |
| Terraced | £228,014 |
| Flat / maisonette | £144,632 |
Areas to compare with Cornwall
Local authorities in the South West with the closest gross yields to Cornwall.
- Rental yields in Somerset4.3% gross, 3.3% net£1,016 pcm · £282,062
- Rental yields in North Somerset4.6% gross, 3.5% net£1,209 pcm · £313,638
- Rental yields in Cheltenham4.7% gross, 3.6% net£1,261 pcm · £322,758
- Rental yields in Tewkesbury4.0% gross, 3.1% net£1,093 pcm · £325,898
- Rental yields in Dorset3.9% gross, 3.0% net£1,056 pcm · £325,154
Cornwall rental yield questions
What is the average rental yield in Cornwall?
The average gross rental yield in Cornwall is 4.4%, from an average rent of £1,000 a month (ONS, August 2026) and an average price of £275,642 (HM Land Registry, July 2026). It ranks 161st of 316 local authorities in England and Wales and 12th of 26 in the South West. After a 12% letting agent fee, 5% of rent on repairs and one empty month a year, the net yield is about 3.3%. Both figures are before mortgage costs and tax.
What is the average rent in Cornwall?
The average private rent in Cornwall was £1,000 per calendar month in August 2026, according to the ONS Price Index of Private Rents. A 2-bedroom home averaged £880 a month. Over the previous 12 months the average rent rose 1.8%, against a median change of +3.9% across England and Wales.
What is the average house price in Cornwall?
The average property price in Cornwall was £275,642 in July 2026, according to the HM Land Registry UK House Price Index. The average flat or maisonette cost £144,632. Over the previous 12 months the average price fell 0.7%.
How do rental yields in Cornwall compare with the rest of the South West?
Cornwall's gross yield of 4.4% is 0.2 points above the median of 4.2% for the 26 local authorities in the South West, and in line with the England and Wales median of 4.4%. Across the region, gross yields run from 3.4% in South Hams to 6.4% in Bristol. These are gross yields, before costs and tax.
Why is the net yield in Cornwall lower than the gross yield?
Gross yield counts every month's rent and no costs. On a property at Cornwall's average price and rent, one empty month a year costs £1,000 in lost rent, letting agent fees at 12% cost £1,320 and repairs at 5% of rent cost £550. That takes the yield from 4.4% to about 3.3%, a gap of 1.1 percentage points. Both yields are before mortgage costs and tax, which reduce the return further, as would any service charge or ground rent.
Is Cornwall good for buy-to-let?
RealYield does not rate areas as good or bad investments, because the answer depends on the property, the price paid and your own circumstances. On the published averages, Cornwall's gross yield ranks 161st of 316 local authorities in England and Wales and 12th of 26 in the South West. With a 25% deposit and a 4.5% interest-only mortgage, a property at the average price and rent would lose about £14 a month before tax after letting, repair and void costs. Rent stops covering those costs and the interest at a mortgage rate of about 4.4%. Individual properties vary widely, so test a specific deal before relying on an area average.
Rents: ONS Price Index of Private Rents, August 2026. Prices: contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026, July 2026. Both used under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Averages describe the whole local authority and individual properties vary widely. Net yields and cashflow are RealYield calculations on those averages with the assumptions stated above.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Yields shown are before tax. Always verify current figures and seek independent professional advice before making investment decisions.