The number of people owning their own homes in Scotland has more than doubled over the last 20 years, according to a survey.

The rise from 747,000 at the end of 1982 to 1,526,000 last year has been more rapid than in other parts of the UK.

In percentage terms, owner-occupation in Scotland has risen from 38% to 63% - closing the gap on the rest of the UK, where owner rates have jumped from 59% to 70%.

Over the same period, house prices in Scotland have risen by 158%, according to a Bank of Scotland survey.

Home ownership

Scotland is now the least expensive place to buy Edinburgh, Galashiels and Inverness have seen the biggest price rises Owner-occupation in Scotland has risen from 38% to 63% since 1988

They now stand at 59% of the national average in Scotland, compared with 93% in early 1983.

As a result, Scotland has slipped from being the sixth most expensive of the 12 standard planning regions in the UK in 1983 to the least expensive.

Edinburgh (179%), Galashiels (179%) and Inverness (155%) have seen the highest percentage increases in house prices in Scotland since 1988, the date at which town information was first collected.

Helensburgh, which was the most expensive town in Scotland in 1988, has slipped to third place after Edinburgh and Stirling.

Home ownership in Scotland has risen far more rapidly than elsewhere in the UK Martin Ellis Bank of Scotland

In Edinburgh the average price is �132,186, while in Stirling the average house costs �106,802.

Martin Ellis, chief economist at the Bank of Scotland, said: "Home ownership in Scotland has risen far more rapidly than elsewhere in the UK over the past 20 years.

"Property prices in Scotland have also outstripped the increase in retail prices during the period.

"This demonstrates that buying your own home is a good long-term investment.

"Moreover, prices in some parts of the country have performed significantly better than the Scottish average."