THE most affordable towns to buy a property in the UK have been revealed and four of the top ten are in County Durham.

The information, compiled by property website Zoopla, analysed the average property prices and average earnings in more than 1,000 UK towns to show a price to earnings ratio. The price to earnings ratio represents the number of average salaries it would take to afford a property in each town. 

Across the country, prices for UK’s most budget-friendly towns range between £60,000 and £104,000.

Plus, due to a difference in yearly average salary earnings for town residents, purchasing a property in some areas around the country is far more achievable than others. 

These are the top ten most affordable towns to buy a property in the UK:

1) Shildon, County Durham - Average property price: £60,000

2) Cumnock, East Ayrshire - Average property price: £74,000

3) Ferryhill, County Durham - Average property price: £70,000

4) Peterlee, County Durham - Average property price: £71,000

5) Girvan, East Ayrshire - Average property price: £84,000

6) Cleator Moor, Cumbria - Average property price: £93,000

7) Stevenson, North Ayrshire - Average property price: £77,000

8) Ferndale, Rhondda Cynon Taff, South Wales - Average property price: £87,000

9) Mauchline, East Ayrshire - Average property price: £79,000

10) Stanley, County Durham - Average property price: £84,000

Shildon takes the top spot as the most affordable town in which to purchase a UK property, with the average property price coming in at £60,000.

When looking at annual earnings, per person, they average at £28,000, which equates to 2.11 price to earnings ratio.

Coming in second and third place as the most affordable towns are Cumnock in Scotland, and Ferryhill.

The town of Cumnock in Ayrshire has a strong industrial heritage, with the town centre boasting views of Crichton Church, built using orange and red stone.

The average property prices are considerably higher in Cumnock in comparison to Shildon (ranking in first place) with a home setting you back £74,000.

Gross annual earnings per person in Cumnock average at £31,000. 

What have Zoopla said?

Tom Parker, consumer expert at Zoopla said: "With the UK housing market opening up again, we know, now more than ever, that it’s important for buyers or potential buyers to know where they can get the most for their money when purchasing a property.

"With budgets tighter than usual, we want to ensure that buying a property is still attainable - even during these unprecedented times. 

"Lockdown has resulted in a shift in the way we work, as more employers are allowing their employees to work from home for the foreseeable - and as a result, our property priorities are changing.

"The desire for greater indoor and outdoor space and fewer people having to commute into the office means that the property field is larger and more achievable than ever before - so make use of the analysis and find out a suitable, but most importantly affordable, location to find your dream home."