Country life premium as rural homes 14 per cent up on living in a town

But they are finding that chasing a rural idyll comes at a hefty cost - with prices on average 14 per cent higher than in towns.

Latest research puts the average rural home at £246,104, seven times the average salary of local workers.

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In urban areas, the figure is £214,998, equating to 6.2 times the salaries of those working there.

Rural house prices have soared by an average of 72 per cent in the last five years, fuelled by a exodus of workers and families from cities.

The market has been further squeezed by wealthy buyers looking for a second home as a weekend retreat.

Second homes account for 1.8 per cent of housing in rural areas, but only 0.4 per cent of urban properties.

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The high prices and competition for property leave few first-time buyers able to get a foot on the property ladder in rural Britain, according to the Halifax.

As a result, they make up just 17 per cent of purchasers.

In built-up areas, around a third of buyers are young adults with their first home.

Martin Ellis, chief economist at the Halifax, said: "Those living in rural areas face particularly tough housing market conditions.

"In general, higher average property prices, together with lower earnings, mean that housing is less affordable than in urban areas.

"Many young people, in particular, are finding it tough to find a foot on the property ladder.

"This is compounded by lower levels of provision of social housing in rural areas."

The survey reveals that the Carrick District Council area of Cornwall is the least affordable in the country when comparing prices to local wages.

Including Falmouth and a string of popular beaches, it has an average house price of £269,241,

This is 10.3 times the local annual average earnings of £26,217.

Nine of the ten least affordable rural areas in Britain are in the South-West.

The exception is Rutland in the East Midlands, which has just two towns, Oakham and Uppingham. The Halifax calculated that the most affordable place to buy a home is Scotland's Western Isles.

The average house price there is put at just £110,015 - 4.3 times local average annual earnings of £25,459.

The Chiltern council area of Buckinghamshire, inside the London commuter belt, is the most expensive rural local authority, with an average house price of £474,850.

Second is Waverley, Surrey, at £444,819.