REVEALED: What are the richest and poorest towns in Offaly

THE Central Statistics Office (CSO) has released figures for household income in counties, local electoral areas and towns across Ireland. The CSO calculated the median gross household income by using a variety of sources, including Revenue, Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection and SUSI grants.

A private household was defined as one which comprises either one person living alone or a group of people (not necessarily related) living at the same address with common housekeeping arrangements, such as, the CSO says “sharing at least one meal a day or sharing a living room or sitting room”.

The latest data refers to the situation in 2022 when the last full census was carried out.

By local authority area, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown had the highest median gross household income (€84,991) in Leinster, while Longford had the lowest (€47,217).

Where did Offaly come in? At €56,048, it is lower than Westmeath (€57,431), which in turn is lower than Laois (€59,521).

The CSO also broke down the median gross household incomes by Local Electoral Areas. No surprise perhaps that an area in south Dublin, Stillorgan, came out on top with €99,352.

Trailing far, far, far behind was Carndonagh in Donegal with the lowest in the country at €35,614.

How did Offaly's three electoral areas, Birr, Edenderry and Tullamore, fare in that category?

Birr is in third place with €51,702, Tullamore is second with €57,345 and Edenderry comes out on top at €59,490.

Bear in mind that the Birr Electoral Area includes places like Shinrone, Banagher and Ferbane, Tullamore includes Clara, and Edenderry takes in the Offaly part of Portarlington.

But what of towns? The CSO defines a town as an urban built up area with a population of 1,500 or more.

Only six towns in Offaly meet that standard and again, Edenderry pips Tullamore in the median gross household income stakes, with Portarlington (the entire town on both Offaly and Laois sides of the Barrow) in third.

The figures for the towns in Offaly are -

Edenderry €53,702

Tullamore €53,484

Portarlington €52,817

Clara €47,072

Banagher €46,585

Birr €42,662

If you're interested, here are the top six in neighbouring Westmeath -

Mullingar €53,879

Moate €53,184

Kilbeggan €49,395

Killucan-Rathwire €64,552

Kinnegad €61,208

Athlone €53,306

And five towns in Laois (including Carlow which crosses the boundary) -

Portlaoise €54,471

Carlow €50,058

Mountmellick €48,297

Abbeyleix €46,555

Mountrath €42,872

Elsewhere in the Midlands, there are four towns listed in Longford -

Longford €40,409

Edgeworthstown €43,658

Ballymahon €43,470

Lanesborough-Ballyleague €42,952

And a pick of three North Tipp towns gives the following result -

Nenagh €47,530

Roscrea €43,982

Thurles €44,578

And as a matter of interest, Prosperous, Co Kildare lives up to its name with a median gross household income of €68,766.

READ NEXT: Nearly 500 new houses built in Offaly in last 15 months