See which six Scottish regions rank among the top 10 most affordable places to buy a house in the UK
Areas in Scotland topped the list, with homes in Inverclyde and Aberdeen costing 3.5 times wages on average.
Six Scottish regions have ranked in the top 10 most affordable places to buy a home in the UK, according to analysis by a major bank.
Lloyds says housing affordability across the has reached its most favourable level in more than a decade when comparing the price of an average home with wages.
Calculations compared figures for April to June 2026 with the same period in previous years, using data from its house price index and Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures.
Based on this, Lloyds says that the average UK home costs around 7.3 times average earnings – the lowest price to earnings ratio since 2015 and down from 7.6 a year ago.
The research pinpointed locations where homes are particularly affordable compared with average earnings.
Areas in Scotland topped the list, with homes in Inverclyde and Aberdeen costing 3.5 times wages on average.
For first-time buyers, the average UK home costs just under six times earnings, with a ratio of 5.9, Lloyds said.
In Scotland, the ratio is less - at 5.3 - but this remained broadly unchanged on previous years stats.
The bank said the rate of wage growth has outpaced house price increases over the past year, narrowing the affordability gap.
Here are the 10 most affordable locations in Britain for home buyers, according to Lloyds, based on average house price-to-earnings ratios. The figures show the average house price followed by the average price-to-earnings ratio:
- Inverclyde, Scotland, £146,030, 3.5
- Aberdeen, Scotland, £147,851, 3.5
- Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire and the Humber, £134,642, 3.6
- Blackpool, North West, £141,550, 3.6
- Dundee, Scotland, £152,072, 3.6
- Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, £153,360, 3.7
- North East Lincolnshire, Yorkshire and the Humber, £138,543, 3.7
- Angus, Scotland, £160,928, 3.9
- Middlesbrough, North East, £139,678, 3.9
- East Ayrshire, Scotland, £162,459, 3.9
While Inverclyde was deemed most affordable, East Renfrewshire was least affordable at £288,665 with the average price-to-earnings ratio sitting at 6.9.
Elmbridge in Surrey was Britain’s least affordable local authority with a ratio of 17.4.
Andrew Asaam, mortgages director at Lloyds, said: “There are some encouraging signs for people looking to buy a home.
“Wages have continued to rise while house prices have remained relatively stable, helping to narrow the gap between earnings and house prices.
“However, affordability remains stretched for many households.
“Mortgage rates are higher than they were a year ago and saving for a deposit continues to be one of the biggest barriers facing first-time buyers.
“Buyers may have more options than they realise, including mortgages designed for those with smaller deposits.
“While these won’t be right for everyone, they can help some buyers take their first step onto the housing ladder sooner.”
Mr Asaam added: “For first-time buyers in particular, a small shift in location could make a big difference, not just in getting on the ladder, but in what kind of property is within reach.
“Many parts of Scotland and northern England continue to offer some of the best value relative to local earnings.
“For buyers with flexibility over where they live, that can make a meaningful difference to what they can afford.”
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