Richmond or Hawes: Which Is Better Value?
Richmond averages £280,000 against £275,000 in Hawes, 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. Hawes charges £47 less council tax at Band D.
Richmond averages £280,000 against £275,000 in Hawes, 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. Hawes charges £47 less 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 £290,000 against £280,000.
Richmond against Hawes
Town guides for each: Mortgage advice in Richmond and Mortgage advice in Hawes.
Schools and families
Both towns show 0 Outstanding rated schools, so the choice turns on Good rated capacity and catchment distance. Counting every rating, Richmond has 1 school and Hawes has no schools rated 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 £2,562 in Richmond and £2,515 in Hawes, a difference of £47 a year.
The honest verdict
Hawes is cheaper to buy on these figures. Richmond 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.
Richmond
In its favour- A great Norman castle above the Swale
- One of the largest cobbled market places in England
- The Georgian Theatre Royal & the Green Howards Museum
- The gateway to Swaledale and the Yorkshire Dales
- No mainline railway station in the town
- No A&E in town; the Friarage is a UTC, not a Type 1 A&E
- Nearest Type 1 A&E is Darlington Memorial or James Cook
- River Swale flood history for low-lying riverside homes
Best for Families ★★★★☆
A safe, characterful market-town feel, the Dales on the doorstep, a genuine sense of history and family attractions suit families well; check catchments and read the latest school reports, weigh the healthcare position (no A&E in town) and check River Swale flood risk for riverside homes.
Hawes
In its favour- The highest market town in Wensleydale, a genuine Dales community
- The Wensleydale Creamery, a landmark employer & attraction
- The Dales Countryside Museum & a Tuesday market
- Hardraw Force & the Buttertubs Pass on the doorstep
- Genuinely remote, one of England's remotest towns
- No A&E, nearest Type 1 is a real distance away
- No railway, not a commuter town
- National Park planning constraints
Best for Families ★★★☆☆
A safe, characterful market-town feel and the outdoors on the doorstep suit families who want a Dales life, but weigh the honest healthcare position (no A&E, and a real distance to one), the primary-only provision in the town (secondary pupils travel down the dale) and the remoteness.
Richmond and Hawes, side by side
| Measure | Richmond | Hawes |
|---|---|---|
| Average property price | £280,000 | £275,000 |
| Average detached | £290,000 | £280,000 |
| 10% deposit | £28,000 | £27,500 |
| Illustrative monthly payment | £1,473 | £1,447 |
| Band D council tax | £2,562 | £2,515 |
| Outstanding rated schools | 0 | 0 |
| Good rated schools | 1 | 0 |
Local averages used for illustration. Confirm your own figures before acting.
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Questions people ask
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