The headline figures
| August 2026 | Harlow | Chelmsford |
|---|---|---|
| Average rent a month | £1,521 | £1,439 |
| Change in a year | +4.0% | +2.4% |
| East of England change | +3.5% | +3.5% |
| Average house price (July 2026) | £320,000 | £378,000 |
| House price change in a year | +4.4% | −2.3% |
Harlow now has a higher average rent than Chelmsford even though its homes cost about £58,000 less. The difference partly reflects the mix of homes let in each town, so compare like with like in the next table.
Rent by number of bedrooms
| Bedrooms | Harlow | Chelmsford |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | £1,022 | £1,059 |
| 2 | £1,327 | £1,291 |
| 3 | £1,573 | £1,543 |
| 4 or more | £2,199 | £2,220 |
Like for like, the two towns are within about £40 a month of each other at every size. One-bedroom homes are slightly dearer in Chelmsford; two and three-bedroom homes are slightly dearer in Harlow.
What that does to yields
At the average rent and average price, a Harlow home returns a gross yield of about 5.7% a year and a Chelmsford home about 4.6%. On these figures Harlow is the stronger town for rental income. Chelmsford's lower yield comes with a larger city and a wider range of tenants.
What it means for landlords
- If your rent has not changed for a year, it may now be below the market. Rent can rise once a year with a section 13 notice; our rent review planner gives the dates.
- Price an increase to the local market, not the headline figure: tenants can challenge a rise at the tribunal, which can no longer set a rent above what you proposed.
- Check what your own home should let for with the instant rent estimate.
Source: ONS Price Index of Private Rents (August 2026) and UK House Price Index (July 2026) for Harlow and Chelmsford. Yields are gross, before costs, at average rent and average price.