Where are the most and least affordable areas to buy a house?

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Mr Harvey said: “A prospective buyer earning the average UK income and buying a typical first-time buyer property with a 20 per cent deposit would have a monthly mortgage payment equivalent to 36 per cent of their take-home pay – well above the long-run average of 30 per cent. “Looking ahead, providing the economy recovers steadily, as we expect, the underlying pace of housing market activity is likely to continue to strengthen gradually as affordability constraints ease through a combination of modestly lower interest rates and earnings outpacing house price growth.” open image in gallery Affordability is typically higher for people in managerial and professional roles The report also looked at housing affordability for people in different professions and found mortgage payments relative to take-home pay are typically lowest for those in managerial and professional roles, where average earnings tend to be higher. Mortgage payments for those in skilled trades buying a typical first-time buyer property would account for 41.3 per cent of take-home pay, increasing to 43.0 per cent for plant and machine operatives. Here are the least affordable authorities per nation or region, as measured by the typical first-time buyer house price-to-earnings ratio : London, Kensington and Chelsea, 13.6 Outer South East, Chichester, 8.5 Outer Metropolitan, Three Rivers, 7.8 South West, Bath and North East Somerset, 7.8 East Anglia, Cambridge, 7.7 Yorkshire and the Humber, York, 6.3 West Midlands, Wychavon, 6.3 East Midlands, Derbyshire Dales, 6.3 North West, Trafford, 6.2 Wales, Cardiff, 5.6 Scotland, Edinburgh, 5.4 North, Westmorland and Furness, 4.4 Here are the most affordable authorities per nation or region, as measured by the typical first-time buyer house price-to-earnings ratio : Scotland, Aberdeen, 2.5 North West, Burnley, 2.8 North, Hartlepool, 2.8 Yorkshire and the Humber, North East Lincolnshire, 3.3 Wales, Blaenau Gwent, 3.5 West Midlands, Stoke-on-Trent, 3.7 East Midlands, Chesterfield, 4.1 East Anglia, Great Yarmouth, 4.5 Outer Metropolitan, Surrey Heath, 4.8 Outer South East, Tendring, 5.0 South West, Swindon, 5.3 London, Enfield, 6.2