Renting in Newmarket - A guide for tenants and landlords

You have the Cambridge commuters, drawn by the value gap against city rents, the USAF families from nearby Lakenheath and Mildenhall on multi-year postings, and the staff of Newmarket’s racehorse training yards providing a steady year-round demand floor. The rents reflect that combination, but what really sets the rental market apart here is the pace: properties let in 14 days (on average) from instruction.

Cheffins manages around 300 rental properties in Newmarket at an average rent of £1,087 per calendar month. Rents climbed 15 per cent from 2022 to mid-2025, then softened by 10.6 percent over the past year, leaving the portfolio 2.8 percent above its three-year baseline. The lettings team flags that the recent shift may partly reflect changes in portfolio mix rather than a uniform downward move.

This guide uses Cheffins’ own portfolio data rather than the asking-rent averages most portals are reporting. So whether you’re looking for a rental property or weighing Newmarket as a landlord investment, you can judge the market on real evidence. We’ll cover what rents are doing across the town, how the past three years have unfolded, where to look as a tenant, who actually rents in Newmarket, and what works for landlords in the current market.

What rents are in Newmarket

The breakdown by bedroom count tells you more than the £1,087 portfolio average:

Averages based on the Cheffins active rental portfolio in Newmarket as of May 2026.

Two-bed flats sit just £93 below two-bed houses, which reflects Newmarket tenants’ preference for houses with an outside space. The step up from three-bed to four-bed is 38 per cent, the family-house premium where USAF families and corporate relocators concentrate. The dominant rental stock is two-bed Victorian terraces, often with original features including open fireplaces, and tenants typically search for a three-bed semi with a driveway and a garage.

How the market is moving

The 14-day let-agreed time is a key feature of the rental market in Newmarket. This pace is driven by the continuing demand from all three tenant groups working in parallel. So when one group eases off, another will tend to pick up the slack. When a property comes on, there is typically already a USAF family, a Cambridge professional or a racing-industry staff member actively looking for their next property.

When it comes to rent levels, the past three years have followed a clear arc. Rents climbed roughly 15 per cent from 2022 to mid-2025, then softened again by 10.6 percent over the past 12 months. The current portfolio average sits around 2.8 per cent above the 2022 baseline. The lettings team believes that smaller stock and family-sized stock have moved at two different rates, and the portfolio average aggregates both.

For tenants, the evidence shows that hesitation can be very expensive. The best properties don’t just sit on the market waiting for second viewings, and asking rents are more negotiable than they were at the 2025 peak. For landlords, the combination of softening headline rents and fast-moving stock is very unusual.

Who rents in Newmarket?

Each of the three tenant groups behaves differently in the market, which is worth understanding for both tenants and landlords. Racing-industry staff tend to take the smaller end of the rental stock, typically two-bed terraces and the lower-priced village properties, and stay for years because their work ties them to the town. USAF families take family-sized houses with driveways and gardens on tenancies tied to deployment, with strong representation across the established residential streets. Cambridge professionals are the growing segment, typically renting three-bed semis on commuter-accessible routes, and tend to renew because the value gap against Cambridge city rents is structural rather than cyclical.

Tenancies tend to last longer than average because each group has structural reasons to stay, and applicant quality has risen as affordability checks have tightened across the industry.

For landlords

A market where 14-day let-agreed times sit alongside softening headline rents rewards landlords who understand the underlying drivers.

Tenant quality and demand stability

The three-group tenant mix gives Newmarket a stability that single-segment rental markets struggle with. 

• USAF families tend to bring multi-year tenancies. 

• Cambridge professionals will often renew because the value gap against Cambridge city rents is structural rather than cyclical. 

• Racing-industry staff stay because their work is in the town. 

The net effect is longer average tenancies and lower turnover costs than landlords typically see elsewhere. Landlords navigating the new legal framework under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 can find detailed guidance in the Cheffins Renters’ Rights Act hub.

Where investors are placing capital

All Saints Road has remained popular with Newmarket landlords for a number of years, offering accessible entry capital and a stable demand from the smaller end of the tenant base. Valley Way has gained landlord interest following recent redevelopment in the area. Burwell, across the Cambridgeshire-Suffolk boundary, is the growth option for landlords wanting new-build product outside the supply constraints of the town itself.

What works in current conditions

Property condition has become decisive. Tenants are more selective than they were two or three years ago, and the homes that let fastest are those presented in move-in-ready condition. Landlords who have invested in refurbishment are letting more quickly and with stronger tenants. Open fireplaces, period features and outside space are all features the Newmarket tenant base actively values, and properties with these features tend to command rents at the upper end of their band.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Newmarket?

The average rent across the Cheffins Newmarket portfolio is £1,087.30 per calendar month. By bedroom count, this ranges from around £1,100 for a two-bed flat to £1,887 for a four-bed house, with two-bed houses at £1,193 and three-bed houses priced at £1,366.

How quickly do rental properties let in Newmarket?

First-time rental instructions let in an average of 14 days from instruction to let agreed. This reflects sustained underlying demand from the town’s three main tenant groups.

Are rents rising or falling in Newmarket?

Rents climbed roughly 15 per cent from 2022 to mid-2025, then softened by 10.6 per cent over the past 12 months. The current average sits 2.8 per cent above the three-year baseline. The lettings team believes this recent shift may partly reflect changes in portfolio mix rather than a uniform market move.

Where are the best areas to invest in buy-to-let?

All Saints Road has remained popular with Newmarket landlords for a number of years. Valley Way has gained interest following recent redevelopment. Burwell, just across the Cambridgeshire boundary, is increasingly attractive as new-build supply comes forward outside the constraints within Newmarket.

Is Newmarket a good rental market for landlords?

The combination of fast let-agreed times, low turnover and three distinct tenant groups makes Newmarket more stable than most other comparable rental markets in the region. Yields vary by property type, with two-bed Victorian terraces offering the lowest entry capital and family-sized houses offering longer tenancies.