Rental yields›Colchester
Rental yield in Colchester
Colchester sits in the upper half for rental yield in England and Wales, a bit above the 4.4% typical figure across all 316 areas.
Over the past year, average prices in Colchester fell 0.3% and average rents rose 2.3%.
Gross yield
4.8%
Average price
£298,003
↓ -0.3% / yr
Average rent
£1,196/mo
↑ +2.3% / yr
National rank
#100 of 316
Who rents here
Census 2021, 79,711 households
21.5% of homes in Colchester are private rentals.
Average rent by size
1 bedroom
£819/mo
↑ +2.6% / yr
2 bedrooms
£1,062/mo
↑ +2.3% / yr
3 bedrooms
£1,299/mo
↑ +2.5% / yr
4+ bedrooms
£1,794/mo
↑ +1.9% / yr
Average advertised rent by number of bedrooms. ONS Price Index of Private Rents (2026-07).
Council tax bands (2026-27)
Band A
£1,522
Band B
£1,776
Band C
£2,029
Band D
£2,283
Band E
£2,790
Band F
£3,298
Band G
£3,805
Band H
£4,566
Average annual bill for the area, including police and other precepts (MHCLG and Welsh Government, 2026-27). Community precepts vary, and the band is set by the property, so check the exact band on gov.uk.
Work out the yield on a specific property
Pre-filled with the Colchester average. Change them for a real property.
That is right on the Colchester average of 4.8%. Add costs for a net estimate.
How it compares
Areas with a similar yield
Common questions
Is Colchester a good place to buy to let?
It is around the middle for rental income, at a 4.8% average gross yield. Whether it works depends on the specific property, so always run the actual numbers.
Are rents rising in Colchester?
Over the past year, average rents in Colchester rose 2.3% and average prices fell 0.3% (HM Land Registry and ONS, to 2026-07).
Is there rental demand in Colchester?
Rent movement is the best free proxy for tenant demand, and average rents in Colchester rose 2.3% over the past year (ONS), which points to tenants competing for available stock. Still ask local letting agents about typical void periods before committing to a buy-to-let there. For the size of the market: at the 2021 census, 21.5% of Colchester's 79,711 households rented privately (13.3% social rented, 64.6% owner occupied).
What is the average rent for a 1, 2 or 3 bedroom property in Colchester?
As of 2026-07, average monthly rents in Colchester by property size are £819 for a 1 bedroom property, £1,062 for a 2 bedroom property, £1,299 for a 3 bedroom property, £1,794 for a 4 or more bedroom property (ONS). The all-size average is £1,196 a month.
How much is council tax in Colchester?
In 2026-27, the average Band D council tax in Colchester is £2,283 a year including police and other precepts. Bills scale with the property's band: from £1,522 for Band A up to £4,566 for Band H. Community precepts vary within the area, so treat these as area averages and check the exact band and bill with the council.
What is a good rental yield in the UK?
As a rough guide, under 4% is low, 5 to 6% is typical, and above 6.5% is high. Colchester is at 4.8%.
Gross yield = annual rent divided by average price. Average price: HM Land Registry UK HPI (01/06/2026). Average rent: ONS Price Index of Private Rents (2026-07). Local-authority averages across all property types, indicative only. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Not investment advice.