New figures have revealed that the average rent in Dorset costs more than two-fifths of the area's median wage. 

Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures show the average rent in Dorset was £965 a month in May.

Separate data from the ONS shows the median wage for the same month was £2,177 in the area – meaning rent accounted for 44 per cent of the monthly income for an average individual.

The figures are based on individual wages – cohabiting couples or those living in house shares will see rent shared between multiple wages.

The general rent in Dorset has increased 5 per cent from £915 a year ago, and has jumped 35 per cent from £715 when records started in 2015.

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Across England, rent has increased 9 per cent from last year and 35 per cent since 2015.

Campaign group Generation Rent said the new government must tackle the cost of rent by building more homes and stopping landlords from raising rent above wage growth or inflation.

Ben Twomey, chief executive of Generation Rent, said: "Prices in the shops may have stopped rising so quickly, but renters are still seeing our single biggest cost go up faster than our incomes.

READ MORE: Up to 500 apply to Dorset Council for housing every month

"Landlords can raise the rent as high as they think they can get away with and use the threat of a no-fault eviction to bully their tenants to accept it."

He added: "We won't fix the cost of renting crisis unless the next government acts to slam the brakes on these runaway rents."

"More homes are needed alongside protections against unaffordable rent increases.

"That means stopping landlords raising rent above wage growth or inflation - whichever is lower."

Echo reporter Katie Heyes has shared her experience of renting in Dorset, specifically the Weymouth area.

She said: "Rent prices feel extortionate on top of council tax, water, gas and electricity bills and shopping.

"After I left my hometown in Merseyside to pursue a new career in journalism, I began my own search for a rental - little did I know at the time how long and arduous that would be. 

"I was scouring through Zoopla and Rightmove to find the majority of apartments in Weymouth were well in excess of £1,000 a month and many of these weren't even furnished. 

"Sometimes you may not even be getting your money's worth. 

"My search felt like a minefield of extortionate prices and shabby conditions. Once I even found a bottle taped to a broken gutter - all for the whopping price of £900 per month (bills not included). 

"A lot of those advertised in the £750 range had no furniture, bed, washing machine or fridge. When you add this all up, you can easily be paying £1500. 

"I have heard many young people on social media call this era a "cost of renting crisis" and statistics have shown a bleak picture for Dorset."