New figures show Offaly was fifth poorest county

Offaly was the fifth poorest county in the country in 2021, according to recent Central Statistics Office figures.

The average disposable income per person in the county during 2021 was €20,806, or 85.3% of the national average of €24,376.

The four poorer counties, were Donegal, which had the lowest disposable income per person, Laois, Kilkenny and Roscommon.

Figures released this time last year, for the year 2020, showed that Offaly was the third poorest with an average disposable income of €18,757, or 80% of the then national average of €23,461.

In 2021, only five counties, Dublin, Limerick, Wicklow, Carlow and Cork had disposable incomes above the State average, highlighting the uneven distribution of income across the State. Dublin city and county is the only region where disposable income per person is significantly above the state average.

Dublin has the largest disposable income amounting to €27,958 per person.

Donegal continues to be the poorest in terms of disposable income per capita, it accounts for €19,253 per person and 21% below the state average.

The Midlands had the lowest total income in 2021 and has consistently remained the poorest region in the state in recent years, followed by the Border region.

The CSO says that while the county calculations for disposable income are estimates and involve a certain degree of uncertainty, they provide a guide to discrepancies in income between regions and counties.