New Town residents, such as those who live in Harlow and Hemel Hempstead, have seen the affordability of their properties improve for the first time since 2007, a study found.
Lloyds TSB discovered that the affordability of homes in England and Wales's New Towns - built to disperse the population at the end of the second world war - is at its most favourable since the start of the financial crisis.
Typically, a New Town home will sell for £182,354, while gross annual average earnings ring in at £29,794, meaning the cost of a home is 6.1 times the average earnings.
This has dropped over the past 12 months, from 6.3, and is less than the national average - at 6.9.
An increase in typical earnings has driven this better affordability, which has increased in New Towns by 9% typically.
In comparison, the price of property, such as
retirement properties for sale in New Towns, remains typically unchanged, with a 1% increase, in contrast with 2007's prices.
New Towns in the South East have seen especially resilient property values since the housing downturn began in 2007.
Hatfield has seen a 14% increase, while Welwyn Garden City's property prices increased by 8% and Hemel Hempstead and Harlow both saw 6% increases.
Skelmersdale in Lancashire was the only New Town outside of the South East to record a price growth at 7%.
Prices dropped by 12% in Corby, Northamptonshire, and fell by 14% in Newtown, Powys.
