We pay a 22% premium to live in the countryside, a significant hike in prices in rural areas across all regions compared to urban locations. However there are large variations across the country.

In rural areas of the West Midlands for example, the average house price of £252,927 is £84,610 (or 50%) higher than in the region’s urban areas (£168,317) – the largest difference in the country.

The premium is significantly smaller in the East of England, at just £16,806 (or 6%).

Chiltern is the most expensive rural area in Britain with an average house price of £465,970, a whopping four times higher than in East Ayrshire (£115,394) – the least expensive rural area.

House prices in rural Britain are also less affordable than urban areas when you compare them to local average earnings. The average property price in rural areas is seven times average annual earnings compared with a ratio of 5.9 in urban areas.

Therefore it’s not surprising that first-time buyers account for a smaller proportion of buyers in the countryside than they do in urban areas. First-time buyers account for just 42% of all mortgaged purchases in rural areas, compared to more than half (54%) in urban locations.

Craig McKinlay, mortgage director at Halifax, said: “Many homeowners aspire to live in the countryside, attracted by the prospect of a better quality of life, open space and a cleaner environment. However, realisation of this dream comes at a cost with average property values typically over a fifth higher than in urban areas.

“A side-effect of rising property values is that housing affordability has become an increasing concern in many rural areas. This is particularly true in the South where those on average incomes find it very difficult to enter the market.”