Stafford Wages, Employment and Property Affordability

Resident earnings, employment, unemployment and affordability context for reading Stafford prices and rents.

Last updated 5 Jul 2026HPI April 2026Rents May 2026Sold prices April 2026
Jan 2025-Dec 2025 / ASHE 2025

Stafford wages, employment and affordability

Resident earnings and labour-market context help explain local affordability, rental pressure and housing demand.

Resident population
141,556
ONS 2024
Median resident annual pay
£41,886
Stafford
Median resident weekly pay
£806
Full-time employees
Employment rate
77.7%
Aged 16-64
Unemployment rate
4.2%
Economically active
House price affordability6.3x earnings

Average house price compared with resident median annual pay.

Rent affordability26% of monthly earnings

Average monthly rent compared with estimated monthly earnings.

Labour market rates are from the ONS Annual Population Survey profile shown by Nomis. Where the local APS unemployment value is suppressed, the ONS model-based unemployment estimate is used. Earnings are ONS ASHE resident-analysis median full-time employee earnings. Annual pay is annualised from weekly pay for display context.

Wages and employment commentary · Last updated July 2026

Stafford’s latest ONS and Nomis labour-market profile points to a relatively solid earnings and employment picture. The city had a resident population of 141,556 in 2024, giving the labour market a meaningful local base.

Incomes Explain Affordability Pressure

Wage and employment data does not predict house prices by itself. It gives demand-side context: how average prices and rents compare with resident earnings, whether employment conditions support demand, and where affordability pressure may limit the buyer or renter pool.