NEW figures have revealed that Chipping Sodbury is in the top three most expensive places to live in South Gloucestershire.

Data from the Office for National Statistics reveals that, of the 28 council wards in South Gloucestershire, Chipping Sodbury along with Cotswold Edge near Wotton-Under-Edge are the second most expensive areas to buy properties with the median house price set at £400,000.

Severn Vale took the top spot with the highest median house price, of £424,250, in 202.

However, Dodington, which borders Chipping Sodbury, was found to be the cheapest place in South Gloucestershire to buy a property with a median purchase price of £240,000.

Zoopla said the data highlights how localised the housing market across England and Wales is, with prices often reflecting the housing stock available in an area.

The median – the middle number in a series – is used to ensure the figures are not skewed by extreme highs or lows.

Meanwhile, the number of homes sold in South Gloucestershire rose from 3,664 in 2020 to 4,308 last year.

Of sales last year, 6% (265) were in Emersons Green – making it the busiest area for buyers.

At the other end of the scale, Patchway Coniston saw just 55 properties sold in 2021, earning it the title of quietest area of South Gloucestershire's property market.

Grainne Gilmore, head of research at Zoopla, said property values vary widely in large part because of the differing housing stock between areas – some neighbourhoods will have a higher number of five-bedroom detached homes, while others will be home to more flats and smaller properties.

But she said the difference between more and less expensive areas may start to narrow.

She added: "The demand for larger detached homes during the pandemic has pushed average values for houses higher over the last year, while price growth for flats has lagged. But there are signs that demand for flats in city centres is gaining momentum, so we could see faster-rising prices in this part of the market."