Silver has surged 15 times faster than UK house prices over the last 20 years

The price of silver has surged at 15 times the rate of UK house prices over the last 20 years, according to analysis from IG.

Since 2006, silver has risen by 1,300% in sterling terms while gold is up around 1,100%, both far outpacing the growth of UK house prices and major global stock indices.

Average UK house prices have increased by around 85% according to Land Registry data, from £147,000 in January 2006 to £271,000 in January 2026. Major stock markets also lagged behind gold, with the FTSE 100 rising 280% and the S&P 500 up 700% over the same period.

To put this into perspective, an investor who bought just one ounce of gold 20 years ago at £300 per ounce would see it worth approximately £3,600 today. The rally in gold has been particularly pronounced over the past 18 months, meaning that an investor would only need to have invested in gold in September 2024 to match the return of 85% they could have expected from UK property over 20 years.

 Meanwhile, an investor who bought an ounce of silver in January 2006 paying £5 would see their investment surge to £70 today, representing a 1,300% increase.

Table shows price of gold versus other possible investable assets and against rate of UK CPI

Chris Beauchamp, Chief Market Analyst at IG, said: “Gold and silver’s latest surge has meant that it has left even the S&P 500 trailing in its wake. The returns for the metals and indices demonstrate the potential of long-term investing, and also the need for diversification. All have seen significant falls over the past two decades that would have proved stomach-churning for investors and difficult to hold through, but each has shone at different times.

“Of late gold and silver have seen huge inflows thanks to concerns about instability and inflation, and a continued wave of central bank buying. But stocks continue to have a place for almost all investors. Having firmly outstripped house price growth, these figures show the importance of balancing paying off mortgages with investing for the long term.”