House prices in rural parts of the UK have recently been outperforming those in city centres, new research by Halifax has suggested.

It was demonstrated that while the average price of a property in the city has tumbled 22% over the last five years, the typical value of a rural property has dipped slightly less at 20%.

As a result of such movement, the average price of a home in a rural setting is £201,191, which is 17% more expensive than the £171,709 price tag typically given to an urban-based abode.

In the last 12 months, the value of a house in the countryside has typically increased by 2% - compared to the 1% seen in cities and towns.

Martin Ellis, housing economist at Halifax, noted: "Country living is an aspiration for many Britons - the fresh air, the scenery, the slower pace, it all adds to the attraction - but this has its drawbacks."

Mr Ellis explained high prices in these areas are putting such purchases out of the reach of many homebuyers.

"First-time buyers (FTBs) in particular are affected by high rural property prices, and consequently they account for a far smaller proportion of homebuyers than they do in urban areas," he added.

According to the research, FTBs account for 35% of all mortgage-financed purchases in rural places, while making up almost half of all those found in urban regions.