CSO CSO

MALAHIDE HAS THE highest median household income of any large town in Ireland, according to new figures published today by the Central Statistics Office (CSO). 

Its new publication on the Geographical Profiles of Income in Ireland in 2016 shows that the median household income in Malahide, north Dublin, was €78,631.

It was the highest of the 41 towns in Ireland with a population over 10,000 (excluding the cities and suburbs of Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford). Next was Celbridge (€64,877) and Maynooth (€64,529).

At the lower end, towns with the lowest median household income were Longford (€29,224), Enniscorthy (€31,049) and Ballina (€32,779).

Across Ireland as a whole, the median income for households was €45,256, ranging from €32,259 in Donegal to €66,203 in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown.

The CSO’s report also looks at forms of income across households and found that, in 26.6% of households in the country, social welfare payments made up more than half of the income. 

Four in ten Irish households had two or more people earning an income, while nine out of ten adult children living at home had some source of income. 

The report also contrasts the income of people based on how long they commute. Those who travelled more than 30 minutes a day to get to work earned more than people who travelled for less than that, to the tune of around €9,000.

This difference in income based on how long you commuted was more pronounced in other areas.

The CSO said: “The difference in median earnings by travel time of commuters who travelled from Wicklow was €14,805 in 2016, the highest in the country, followed by Louth (€13,407) and Westmeath (€13,261) in 2016.”

Furthermore, cyclists and commuters by train, Dart or Luas earned more than those who drive a car, according to the CSO.

Statistician Kieran Culhane said the information provided by the CSO here can be used a basis for helping to formulate policy in the future. 

“A detailed geographical breakdown of household income provides policymakers with information on households earning low to moderate annual incomes by area,” he said.

This information is required to allow the development of polices relating to affordable housing, provision of public health services and access to education.