House prices in the countryside have risen by £200 a week over the past ten years, according to new figures.
Data from the Halifax shows the average house price in rural Great Britain rose by 96 per cent from £107,250 in 2000 to £209,972 in 2010 – equivalent to a weekly increase of £198.
South Oxfordshire is the most expensive rural local authority with an average house price of £388,328 while East Ayrshire is the cheapest place to live with an average price of £107,515.
East Devon, with an average rural house price of £252,000, is the least affordable place to live with prices representing 9.1 times the average earning in the area.
Suren Thiru, housing economist at Halifax, said: “With the lifestyle benefits associated with living in the countryside still resonating with homebuyers, rural properties continue to trade at a significant premium to homes in urban areas.
“As a consequence of rising property prices and generally lower average earnings, the housing market in rural areas has become more challenging over the past decade, particularly for those looking to get on the property ladder.”
