The average house price across rural Scotland is 13% more expensive than the average house price in urban areas, according to the annual Bank of Scotland Rural Housing Review.

House prices in rural areas currently average £186,446, £21,930 higher than the average urban house price of £164,517. However, the average house price in rural Scotland is 21% lower than the average house price across rural Great Britain (£235,324).

The most expensive rural local authority (LA) in Scotland is Aberdeenshire with an average house price of £213,559. At the other end of the scale the least expensive rural LA in Scotland is the Western Isles where the average house price is £137,319, 36% lower than the average house price in Aberdeenshire.

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The average level of house prices in rural areas is £186,446, 13% higher than the average urban house price of £164,517.

The average property price in rural areas is 5.9 times average annual earnings compared with a ratio of 5.2 in urban areas.

Western Isles recorded the sharpest rise in house prices across rural areas since 2003 (172%), followed by Moray (147%) and East Ayrshire (132%).

Aberdeenshire is the most expensive rural LA in Scotland (£213,559), followed by East Lothian (£202,924) and Perth and Kinross (£183,600).

East Lothian is the least affordable rural local authority in Scotland with an average house (£202,924) price that is 6.5 times local average annual earnings,

East Ayrshire is the most affordable rural area with an average house price: earnings ratio of 4.6 followed by Perth and Kinross (5.5).

First time buyers account for just 20% of all rural buyers compared with 31% in urban areas, 10% of the housing stock is social housing in rural areas compared with 15% in urban areas.

Suren Thiru, economist at Bank of Scotland, said: "Housing in rural areas is less affordable than in urban areas due to a combination of higher average prices and lower average earnings. The difficulties for home buyers in rural locations are particularly acute among first time buyers and are exacerbated by relatively low levels of social housing provision."

(GK/JM)