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Employee income made up the largest part of gross income in Ireland in 2016 at 62.9%, see Figure 1.1, followed by self-employment income (11.9%) and state pensions (6.5%). The other main components were private and occupational pensions (6.0%), working age income supports (3.6%), illness, disability and carers welfare (3.5%), child-relatedwelfare (2.5%) and rental income (2.2%). The remaining income came from other social welfare (0.6%) and higher education grants (0.3%), see Background and Methodology for further details on social welfare income.
| Sources of admin income | Percentage of gross income |
|---|---|
| Employee income | 62.9 |
| Self-employed income | 11.9 |
| State pensions | 6.5 |
| Private & occupational pensions | 6 |
| Working age income supports | 3.6 |
| Illness, disability & carers welfare | 3.5 |
| Child-related welfare | 2.5 |
| Rental income | 2.2 |
| Higher & further education grants | 0.3 |
| Supplementary welfare | 0.3 |
| Working age employment supports | 0.3 |
Nearly two thirds (62.6%) of Irish households had a gross income of less than €60,000 in 2016. In contrast, only 14.1% had an income above €100,000, see Figure 1.2.
Where income data could not be sourced from administrative sources (1.5%), households were labelled as "No income", see Background and Methodology for further details.
The median gross income per household was €45,256 in 2016, see Table 1.1.
| Household gross income bracket | Proportion of Irish households |
|---|---|
| No income | 1.5 |
| €1 - €20,000 | 17.8 |
| €20,000 - €40,000 | 25.7 |
| €40,000 - €60,000 | 19.1 |
| €60,000 - €80,000 | 13.3 |
| €80,000 - €100,000 | 8.5 |
| €100,000 - €120,000 | 5.3 |
| €120,000 - €140,000 | 3.1 |
| €140,000 - €160,000 | 1.9 |
| €160,000 - €180,000 | 1.1 |
| €180,000 - €200,000 | 0.8 |
| €200,000 + | 1.9 |
Households in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown had the highest median income in 2016 at €66,203, followed by Fingal (€58,795) and Kildare (€54,472), see Map 1.1 and Table 1.1.
Households with the lowest incomes were in Donegal (€32,259), Leitrim (€34,800) and Longford (€34,892).
Household income at Electoral Division level is shown in Map 1.2
Table 1.1: Household median gross income by county, 2016
Households in Malahide had the highest median income (€78,631) of all 41 towns in Ireland with a population of 10,000 or over, (excluding the cities and suburbs of Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford), in 2016. Celbridge had the second highest at €64,877 while Maynooth was third at €64,529, see Figure 1.3.
The towns with the lowest medians were Longford (€29,224), Enniscorthy (€31,049) and Ballina (€32,779), see Table 1.2.
Nine of the ten highest medians were in Leinster. Carrigaline had the highest median for Munster at €59,353, Castlebar had the highest in Connacht at €37,271 and Letterkenny had the highest in Ulster at €35,818.
| Settlement | Household median gross income |
|---|---|
| Malahide | 78630.68 |
| Celbridge | 64876.5 |
| Maynooth | 64528.7 |
| Greystones | 63231.6 |
| Leixlip | 63105.55 |
| Naas | 61241.45 |
| Swords | 60409.3 |
| Carrigaline | 59353 |
| Skerries | 58874.58 |
| Ashbourne | 58257.15 |
Table 1.2: Population and household median gross income by town, 2016
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown had the lowest proportion of households where the majority of gross income came from working age social welfare at 5.8%in 2016, see Map 1.3. Meath had the next lowest proportion at 10.3%, followed by Fingal at 10.5%.
In contrast, one in five households inLongford (20.4%), Donegal (20.2%) and Carlow (18.6%)received the majority of their income from working age social welfare payments.
Note that a household where over half of its gross income came from working age social welfare (excluding child benefits and state pension) was considered majority of income.
Further details of households where working age social welfare was majority of income at Electoral Division level are in Map 1.4.
A production error was discovered in Map 1.4 and related statbank table. The proportions of households where working age social welfare was majority of household income by electoral division were incorrect - these proportions were calculated as a proportion of persons in the electoral division and not households. Map and Table IIA02in Statbankupdated 4/7/19.
Fingal had the lowest proportion of households where state pension was majority of income at 6.9%, followed by Galway City (8.0%) and Kildare (9.4%), see Map 1.5 and Table 1.3.
Donegal had the highest proportion of households at 18.5%, followed byLeitrim (17.8%)andMayo (17.6%).
Note that a household where over half of its gross income came from state pension was considered majority of income.
Further details of the distribution of households where state pension was majority of gross income at Electoral Division level are available in Map 1.6.
A production error was discovered in Map 1.6 and related statbank table. The proportions of households where state pension was majority of household income by electoral division were incorrect - these proportions were calculated as a proportion of persons in the electoral division and not households.Map and Table IIA03in Statbankupdated 4/7/19.
Table 1.3: Proportion of households where working age social welfare & state pension were majority of household income by county, 2016
Link to interactive tables: PxStat
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As a seasoned analyst specializing in socioeconomic trends and income distribution, I bring forth a wealth of experience in interpreting and dissecting data related to household incomes and sources of revenue. Over the years, I have engaged with diverse datasets, scrutinizing them to extract meaningful insights into the financial landscape of different regions and demographic segments.
In the provided article on Irish household incomes in 2016, the data is rich and well-structured, allowing us to draw several important conclusions. Let's break down the key concepts and explore the evidence presented:
-
Sources of Income:
- The largest part of gross income in Ireland in 2016 came from employee income, constituting 62.9%. This is a substantial portion, indicating the significance of wages and salaries in the overall income structure.
- Self-employment income accounted for 11.9%, while state pensions contributed 6.5%. Private and occupational pensions, working age income supports, illness and disability welfare, child-related welfare, rental income, and other social welfare sources made up the remaining components.
-
Household Income Distribution:
- Nearly two-thirds (62.6%) of Irish households had a gross income of less than €60,000 in 2016, highlighting a majority of households in the lower income brackets.
- Only 14.1% of households had an income above €100,000, emphasizing a significant income disparity.
- The median gross income per household was €45,256 in 2016, providing a central point of reference for understanding the typical income level.
-
Regional Variances:
- Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown had the highest median income in 2016 at €66,203, while Donegal, Leitrim, and Longford had the lowest median incomes.
- The article further breaks down median incomes by town, showcasing variations across different geographical areas.
-
Working Age Social Welfare:
- Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown had the lowest proportion of households (5.8%) where the majority of gross income came from working age social welfare in 2016.
- Conversely, Longford, Donegal, and Carlow had a higher proportion of households (20.4%, 20.2%, and 18.6%, respectively) relying on working age social welfare.
-
State Pension Distribution:
- Fingal had the lowest proportion of households (6.9%) where state pension was the majority of income, while Donegal had the highest at 18.5%.
It's crucial to acknowledge the importance of background and methodology, as mentioned in the article, to comprehend the intricacies of data collection and analysis. This information provides a comprehensive overview of the income landscape in Ireland, allowing policymakers and researchers to make informed decisions based on these insights.
