House prices in Oxfordshire have remained almost static since March, according to the latest figures from the Government's Land Registry.

The average house price in August was £240,628, representing an increase of 0.7 per cent since July.

Prices have risen 9.1 per cent since August 2009, but they have some way to go before they reach £252,000 — the average price at the peak of the county's housing boom in February 2008.

The average property value in England and Wales rose to £167,423 in August a monthly increase of 0.3 per cent, representing annual inflation 6.7 per cent.

Oxfordshire has one of the most resilient housing markets in England, with home values now only 4.7 per cent below where they were three years ago, according to a survey by property website Zoopla.co.uk.

It is now almost three years since the English housing market peaked in late 2007, and researchers discovered that some areas weathered the storm far better than others.

But Zoopla's figures make Oxfordshire seem more resilient than it was in reality, since the county's house prices continued to rise after August 2007, and did not peak until February 2008.

Average property values in England as a whole remain 8.7 per cent below their peak levels of three years ago, according to Zoopla, although prices have risen 11.2 per cent over the past 18 months from the lows of March 2009.

Bath & NE Somerset proved most resilient, with average prices down by just 1.51 per cent.

Oxfordshire was third in the league table — just behind London, where prices have fallen by 3.45 per cent since 2007, said Zoopla.

At the other end of the scale is Lincolnshire, where property prices remain 11.2 per cent below their peak levels.

Nicholas Leeming, of Zoopla.co.uk, said: “In terms of both current house prices and market performance over the past three years, there is a clear north-south divide. "The manufacturing base of the Midlands was severely hit by the recession and heavy job losses have taken their toll on the region’s economy.

"As the economy strengthens, the housing market will likely perform best in those areas least sensitive to the upcoming public sector cuts and the property divide looks set to get even wider.”