Desborough or Kettering: Which Is Better Value?
Desborough averages £270,000 against £265,000 in Kettering, a gap of £5,000 or 2%. You would need £500 more deposit and about £26 a month more on a repayment mortgage at an assumed 5% over 25 years. Kettering charges £17 more council tax at Band D.
Desborough averages £270,000 against £265,000 in Kettering, a gap of £5,000 or 2%. You would need £500 more deposit and about £26 a month more on a repayment mortgage at an assumed 5% over 25 years. Kettering charges £17 more council tax at Band D.
Price and deposit
The headline gap is £5,000, or 2%. On a 10% deposit that is £500 more cash to find before you start. Detached homes average £270,000 against £270,000.
Desborough against Kettering
Town guides for each: Mortgage advice in Desborough and Mortgage advice in Kettering.
Schools and families
Desborough has more schools graded Outstanding at their last graded Ofsted inspection (before September 2024), with 1 against 0 in Kettering. Counting last graded Ofsted inspections (before September 2024), Desborough has 3 schools and Kettering has 4 schools graded Good or better.
A strong catchment in the cheaper town can cost more than an average street in the dearer one. Compare catchments, not averages.
Running costs and getting to work
Band D council tax is £2,362 in Desborough and £2,379 in Kettering, a difference of £17 a year.
The honest verdict
Kettering is cheaper to buy on these figures. Desborough carries the higher price and, on this data, the stronger school profile.
Neither is right in the abstract. If the deposit is your constraint, the £500 difference matters more than anything else here. If catchment is the constraint, price follows the school you need.
What each town is actually like
Price is one axis. These are the things people move for, and the things they find out afterwards.
Desborough
In its favour- Affordable prices in North Northamptonshire
- Fast Midland Main Line from nearby stations
- Strong supply of modern new-build homes
- Open countryside & the Ise valley on the doorstep
- No railway station in the town itself
- You must drive or bus to Kettering/Market Harborough
- New-builds/estates can carry management charges
- Everyday rather than premium amenities
Best for First-time buyers ★★★★★
One of the most affordable towns in North Northamptonshire, with older terraces and new-build starter homes well below the county's pricier towns, a genuine way onto the ladder.
Kettering
In its favour- Affordable Northamptonshire market town
- Midland Main Line to St Pancras (under an hour)
- Type 1 A&E at Kettering General on the doorstep
- Wicksteed Park, Boughton House & real heritage
- Town centre still being regenerated
- A train-plus-Underground London commute, not a short hop
- A14 and station busy at peak
- A lot of new-build growth with estate charges to check
Best for First-time buyers ★★★★★
One of the more affordable towns in the area, Victorian terraces and starter homes frequently around £170,000 to £230,000, with a fast train to London, make Kettering a genuine first rung.
Desborough and Kettering, side by side
| Measure | Desborough | Kettering |
|---|---|---|
| Average property price | £270,000 | £265,000 |
| Average detached | £270,000 | £270,000 |
| 10% deposit | £27,000 | £26,500 |
| Illustrative monthly payment | £1,421 | £1,394 |
| Band D council tax | £2,362 | £2,379 |
| Outstanding rated schools | 1 | 0 |
| Good rated schools | 2 | 4 |
Local averages used for illustration. Confirm your own figures before acting.
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Questions people ask
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