Irish Towns Guide

Ballina - North Tipperary came 3rd in our top twenty best towns in Ireland. This was the highest placed town outside the Dublin commuter belt. (Not to be confused with Ballina in Mayo - which came out as the 19th worst town.)Ballina in Tipperary is in 3rd place in the towns-ireland.com top twenty towns in Ireland. Analysis of the 2006 census data found that Ballina in Tipperary had a  population of  just 1861.
Only 2.74% of the workforce were unemployed - the average unemployment rate for Ireland was 5.89% Ballina (North Tipp) had the sixth lowest unemployment rate in Ireland at the time of the 2006 census.

Just 2.22% of the workforce in Ballina (Tipp) could not work because of poor health or disability - this is 50% lower than the national average.
Computers: 71% of households own personal computers in Portmarnock ) and 26.68% have broadband - slightly higher than the Irish average of 20.18%

Lone Parents: 11.96% of Ballina household units are lone parent households - which is almost half the average for Ireland of 19.3%.
Local Authority rental accommodation make up just 3.96% of the total homes in Ballina (N.Tipp) - this compares to a 9.06% average for the country.
Homes with no central heating make up just 4.12% of the dwellings in Ballina The average for Ireland is more than double the figure for Ballina at 10.22%.

About one in five homes in Ballina (Tipp) (19.8%) are owned and paid for with no mortgage outstanding. This is lower than the national average of 28% - reflecting the younger age profile of the town. (38% of Ballina resients are aged between 24 and 44 - the average for the country is 34%)

Of the Ballina (Tipperary) residents that have completed their education - 8.3% went no further than primary school. The national average is more than double that at 16.72%
Graduates (third level degree or a higher) make up 34.59% of the Ballina workforce - the 4th highest in the country.

Ballina (Tipp) people are above average when it comes to being involved in voluntary work: 20.97 % of the over 15s said they did some sort of voluntary or charitable work compared to the national average of 15.42% - This is the 4th highest percentage of voluntary workers in Ireland.

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Portmarnock is in 2nd place in the Towns-Ireland.com chart of top twenty towns in Ireland. Using the most recent census data we found that Portmarnock had the following interesting statistics. (Top of the list was Malahaide)
More about the stats used

Total population of Portmarnock is 8979.
Only 2.58% of the workforce are classed as unemployed - the average unemployment rate for Ireland as a whole is over 100% higher than that at 5.89%. Portmarnock had the third lowest unemployment rate in Ireland at the 2006 census.
Just 2.23% of the workforce in Portmarnock stated that they cannot work because of health or disability - this is also 50% lower than the national average.
Eighty percent of homes have computers in Portmarnock (highest computer ownership in Ireland) and 45% have broadband.

Lone parent households make up 11.47% of family units in Portmarnock - which is almost 45% below the average for Ireland of 19.3%.
Council rented houses are only 1.35% of the total dwelling units in Portmarnock - compared to 9.06% average for the country.
Central Heating is commonplace in Portmarnock - with just 1% of all homes without it - this is 90% lower than the country as a whole (10.22%).
Over a third of homes in Portmarnock (35.41%) are owned outright - with no mortgage. This compares with 28% across Ireland as a whole

Of the people living in Portmarnock who have completed their education - 7.73% only went as far as primary school or had no formal education at all. The national average is more than double that at 16.72%
People with a third level degree or a higher qualification make up 30.51% of the Portmarnock workforce - the 7th highest in the country.

Community involvement: - more people are involved in voluntary work in Portmarnock than the national average. 19.57 % of the over 15s carry out some sort of voluntary work compared to the national average of 15.42% - which is about 20% more. This is the 8th highest in Ireland.

The population of Portmarnock has a slightly older age profile than the national average. 38.4% of Malahide residents are over 45 compared to 30.9% for the whole of Ireland. The percentage of retired people though - is below the average of 11.05% at 8.84%.

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Cork City- 2006 Census statistics Population 190384  (4.49 % Of National Population)

Number of Single people : 124699
% in Work: 53.51
Number Married: 65685
Unemployed %: 5.39
% Married: 34.50

% Single : 65.50

Aged under 15 18.04 %
% aged 15 to 24 17.82
% Aged 24 to 44 31.74
% Aged Over 65: 11.20

% Rented Homes: 32.04
% Students 13.24
% Unable to Work 5.35

% Owned outright 29.68
% Homemakers 11.05
% No Central Heating 10.65
Retired % 11.02
% No Internet 48.11

% PC Owners 55.18 %

% with Broadband 24.27 %
Couples with children 51.31%
% lone-parents 19.93
% travellers 0.40

% born Outside Ireland 11.22
% born in EU (not Ireland) 6.56
% Born Africa 0.85
% Born Asia: 1.18
% Born Americas 0.46

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Rathnew in Wicklow came out top of our table of the towns with some of the worst statistics on the 2006 Census.
The population of Rathnew is 1849
Unemployment is 11.07% - almost double the National Average of 5.92%)
and 7.01% of the workforce are unable to work because of ill health - about 50% over the national average of 4.71%
Of those working - the majority work in building and construction (14.44% of the workforce).Lone parent households make up 24.29% of family units in Rathnew - which is almost 25% above the average in Ireland of 19.3%.
Local Authority rented homes make up 19.31% of the dwelling units in Rathnew - compared to 9.06% average for the country.
Central Heating - 14.44% of all dwellings in Rathnew have no central heating - which is about 40% higher than the country as a whole (10.22%).

Of the people living in Rathnew who have completed their education in - 24.71% went no further than primary school or had no formal education at all. This is almost 50% above the national average of 16.72%. Graduates make up 7.68% of the Rathnew population - again almost 50% lower than the average for the Irish population.
Less people are involved in voluntary work in Rathnew than the national average. Just 9.95% of the over 15s in Rathnew do some sort of voluntary work compared to the national average of 15.42% - about 30% less.
The population of Rathnew has a younger profile than the national average. Only 24.5% of Rathnew residents are over 45 compared to 30.9% for the whole of Ireland. This is not a factor used in compiling the chart - but it is interesting to note it.
All these figures are based on detailed analysis of the 2006 Census of Ireland.

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Is Malahide the best location to live in Ireland?
According to our analysis of 2006 census data - Malahide came out top of all the towns with a population of 1500 or more. Malahide beat over 180 other towns into 1st place in the Ireland-Towns.com chart.
Based on statistics  for thing slike  unemployment, sickness, lone parents, voluntary work, education levels and housing - Malahide seems to be the best place to live. Of course there are other factors that have not been considered here such as house prices and crime - but on the statistics available from the census - Malahide comes out best.

Unemployment in Malahide is low - just 2.61% - less than half the average for the country (5.89%).
Just 1.77% of the workforce in Malahide are not able to work because of ill health problems - this is well below the national average of 4.71%
Of those living in Malahide and working - the majority work in management/ government or clerical work (30.1% of the workforce). Malahide has the highest percentage of workers in Ireland in this category of work(clerical - management - government)Lone parent households make up 11.04% of family units in Malahide - which is almost 45% below the average for Ireland of 19.3%.
The percentage of single people in Malahide is 55.4% - the lowest in Ireland and about 15% below the average for Ireland which is 64.28% single people. (This has not been classed as a “good” thing)
Local Authority rented homes make up only 2.04% of the total dwelling units in Malahide - compared to 9.06% average for the country.
Central Heating - 2.13% of all homes in Malahide have no central heating - which is 80% lower than the country as a whole (10.22%). Nearly one third of homes in Malahide (32.34) are owned outright - with no mortgage. This compares with 28% across Ireland as a whole

Of the people living in Malahide who have completed their education - just 6.38% went no further than primary school or had no formal education at all. The national average of 16.72% going no further than primary education- is almost treble that of Malahide.
Graduates make up 34.85% of the Malahide workforce - over 100% higher than the average for the Irish population of 16.56%.
More people are involved in voluntary work in Malahide than the national average. 19% of the over 15s in Malahide said they do some sort of voluntary work compared to the national average of 15.42% - about 20% more.
The population of Malahide has a slightly older age profile than the national average. 34.5.5% of Malahide residents are over 45 compared to 30.9% for the whole of Ireland. The percentage of retired people is just below the average at 10.91%.

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We have carried out detailed analysis of census statistics from all the towns in Ireland with more than 1500 people. Based on that information we have compiled a top twenty of the best and worst towns in Ireland.

Longford Town came out second worst (just behind Rathnew).

At the last census in 2006 - the population of Longford Town was 8836
Unemployment was 11.14% the highest in Ireland at the time and almost double the - National Average of 5.92%)
5.5% of the workforce are unable to work because of disability or ill health - which is also more than the national average of 4.71%
Of those working - the majority work in manufacturing or sales (25% of the workforce) .

Lone parent households -make up 27.12% of those in Longford - which is the third highest in Ireland just behind Tipperary and Cashel .
Local Authority rented homes make up 19.3% of the dwelling units in Longford - the second highest in Ireland just behind Rathnew. Rented homes make up 47% of housing units in Longford - the most in all the towns in the survey and way above the average of 28.1%.
22.3% of homes in Longford are owned outright - with no mortgage outstanding . This compares with an average of 28% across Ireland as a whole.
Residents of Traveller ethnic origin make up 4.6% of Longford’s population - the eighth highest percentage in any town over 10000 population.

Central Heating - 17.92% of all dwellings in Longford have no central heating - which is 70% worse than the average for the country as a whole (10.22%).

Education : 20% of the people living in Longford - who have completed their education  - only went as far as primary school or had no formal education at all. This is about 25% above the national average of 16.72%

Community involvement in Longford is about the same as the average for the country . In Longford 15.49 % of the over 15s carry out some sort of voluntary work compared to the national average of 15.42%

The percentage of retired people though - is below the average of 11.05% at 8.84%.

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The 2006 census figures show that  Muslims in Ireland make up  0.767% of the population. (32539 out of a total population of 4239848)
A breakdown of religions was carried out on the Irish towns with more than 5000 people.
Of all these towns - Cavan Town  has the highest percentage of Muslims in Ireland - 3.2% of the population of Cavan Town stated they were Muslims.

Top 10  Irish towns for Muslims (over 5000 population)

Cavan  3.2%
Killarney  2.95%
Ballinasloe  2.32%
Tralee  2.3%
Ennis  2.03%
Roscommon  1.87%
Balbriggan  1.75%
Portlaoise  1.67%
Castlebar 1.62%
Tullamore  1.6%

The towns with the least Muslims in Ireland are:

Dunboyne  0.035% (just 2 out of  5713)
Buncrana  .068%
Youghal  0.088%
Birr  0.098%

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Bray has 7.77% of it’s population who stated they had no religion in the 2006 census. This is the highest out of all Irish towns (with pop. over 5000)
In Ireland as a whole  4.39% of the population stated they had no religious faith.

Top Ten Towns in Ireland (pop over 5000) for people with no religion
Bray  7.77%
Maynooth  7.69%
Greystones  7.62%
Galway City  7.48%
Greater Dublin Area  7.01%
Skerries  6.23%
Donabate  6.02%
Lusk  5.71%
Malahide   5.62%
Swords   5.61%

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Census 2006 figures released last week - show that Ballina in  Mayo  has 92.9% of it’s population that stated their religion was Roman Catholic. Of all the towns with more than 5000 population - Ballina was the town with the  highest percentage of Catholics.
The total percentage of Catholics in Ireland as a whole is 86.83%

Top Ten  towns for percentages of Catholic residents:
Ballina  92.9%
Carrick-on-Suir  92.82%
Buncrana  92.54%
Thurles 92.37%
Clonmel  91.99%
Tipperary  91.47%
Dunboyne  91.41%
Newcastle West 91.33%
Mallow  91.24%
New Ross 90.96%

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