.jpg){kind=link}
Leeds is the city I have moved more people to than anywhere outside Manchester, mostly for the banks, the law firms and the big public bodies that have set up here in the last few years. It is a compact city with a small, walkable centre, and the choice of where to live comes down to one question before any other: do you want to be in the middle of it, or on a train line into it?
The three areas here are one of each kind. Leeds Dock is the city option, new flats a ten-minute walk from the station. Horsforth is the family suburb to the north west, with houses, good schools and a short train ride in. Garforth is the value option to the east, with two stations, more house for the money and the motorways on the doorstep.
They are not a ranking and they are not the only good areas. They are places I know and keep coming back to. The figures on each page come from live listings and public data, dated so you can see how fresh they are. The words are mine. Which one fits you is what the Blueprint works out.
Matthew Duckett · 16 years in property · updated 13 Oct 2026
Leeds at a glance
1-bed average rent
up 3.7% on a year, all tenancies
ONS Price Index of Private Rents, Leeds, July 2026.
2-bed average rent
up 3.8% on a year, all tenancies
ONS Price Index of Private Rents, Leeds, July 2026.
3-bed average rent
up 4.1% on a year, all tenancies
ONS Price Index of Private Rents, Leeds, July 2026.
Council tax, Band D
Leeds council area. Your band depends on the property.
MHCLG, 2026-27.
Population
Leeds council area
ONS mid-year estimate, mid-2025.
Driving times from each area
| Area | Leeds station | Leeds Bradford Airport |
|---|---|---|
| Leeds Dock | 10 min | 35 min |
| Horsforth | 25 min | 10 min |
| Garforth | 20 min | 40 min |
Mapbox Directions, by car, weekday 8am departure, calculated 13 Oct 2026.
Rents in Leeds
The ONS average for all private rents in Leeds, 2-bed, is £970 a month (July 2026). That covers every tenancy, old and new.
Typical asking rents for a 2-bed in the areas below run from £925 to £1,230 a month, from live listings read 13 Oct 2026.
Some of the areas we know well
Areas in Leeds
Not a ranking: which area fits depends on your work, budget and household.
Which part of Leeds fits your work, budget and schools is what I work out in your Blueprint.
Your Blueprint is drawn up around your job, your budget, your household and your arrival date. Delivered within one working day of us having everything we need.