The cost of residential land has risen for the second consecutive quarter, new data shows, adding to homebuyers' burden as houses become increasingly unaffordable.

The weighted median price of raw land rose by 1.1 per cent in the June quarter to $174,490, the report from the Housing Industry Association and rpdata.com shows, up from about $172,000 in the March quarter, following a year of slight declines. However, the price of residential land in cities edged down slightly.

HIA chief economist Harley Dale said there was no chance of a new home building recovery gathering the momentum required in coming years if adequate and affordable land supply was not available.

Sydney was the most expensive market with a median price of $255,000, while the Mallee in Victoria was the most affordable at $70,000.

HIA said that of the 40 non-metro areas around Australia, reported on for the first time, more than half - or 25 - saw an increase in median land value over the June 2009 quarter.