Average income at highest since the Celtic Tiger

THE average income for a person living in Wexford is higher than at any point in the last decade. Figures released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show that in 2018 a person living in Wexford had an average annual income of €25,683, a rise from the €24,382 earned by people in the county in 2017.

Indeed, you have to go back to 2008 (€27,625) to find a year when Wexford people earned more money on an annual basis.

Unsurprisingly, those living in the capital (€37,530) earned the most in 2018, while Kildare (€35,138), Limerick (€33,323), Meath (€31,940), Wicklow (€31,914), and Cork (€31,198) were next.

Although the national average was €30,753, from a regional perspective the average income in 2018 for the south-east counties was €26,596. Those living in Waterford earned €27,305, Kilkenny €27,052, and Carlow €26,769.

Of the €25,683 earned by people in Wexford €18,787 was considered to be disposable income, the highest it’s been since 2010 when the figure stood at €18,999.

The estimated disposable income for people in the county during 2019 is currently €19,328, which again would be the highest since the boom. Total household income is defined as primary income plus social transfers. Disposable household income is then this household income less taxes.

Dublin had the highest average disposable income per person in 2018. At €24,969 it was 17.4 per cent higher than the state average of €21,270.

Of the other regions in 2018, only the mid-east at €21,982 and the mid-west at €21,035 had an average disposable income per person on a par with the state average.

In the south-east the average disposable income was €19,150 an increase on 2017’s €18,602. The border region with €17,391 and the midland region with €17,389 were joint lowest in 2018 at 18.2 per cent below the state average of €21,270.

The gap between the maximum and minimum value of per capita disposable income, on a regional basis, increased from €6,430 in 2017 to €7,578 in 2018, due to Dublin regional incomes increasing by €1,348 (5.7 per cent) while those of the lowest region, Border, increased by only €199 (1.2 per cent).

Dublin continues to remain the only region with higher per capita disposable income than the state average during the entire 2009-2018 period while the border and west regions continue to earn significantly less than the state average. In contrast, the mid-west and the mideast regions showed incomes on a par with the state average during the same period.