Disposable incomes in Dublin 11.9% above State average

Residents of Dublin have 11.9 per cent more disposable income than the average person in the State, according to a study published today.

Those living in Dublin had an average disposable income of €21,329 in 2011, according to the Central Statistics Office's County Incomes and Regional GDP research, compared to a national average of €19,055.

Donegal was the county where residents had the lowest average disposable income, at €15,897 per person, ahead of Monaghan (€16,261) and Roscommon (€16,392).

Just four counties - Dublin, Kildare, Limerick and Cork - had an average income above the State average in 2011, according to the study.

The CSO defines disposable income as primary income (which includes wages, self-employed earnings, rental income, net interest and dividends earned) plus social benefits and transfers less taxes and social insurance contributions.

The 11.9 per cent premium over the national average recorded in Dublin in 2011 was up sharply on the previous year, when it stood at 6.4 per cent.

On a regional basis, disposable incomes in the Border region (€16,894) were lowest, at some 10.9 per cent below the national average, while the Midland region (€17,428) was 8.5 per cent under the mean.

Incomes in the Border region fell a further 2.8 percentage points below the national average between 2010 and 2011 - from 8.1 to 10.9 per cent lower.

Dublin and the Mid East (Kildare, Wicklow and Meath) were the only regions with disposable incomes above the national average.

The CSO said the gap between the maximum and minimum regional values of disposable income increased from €2,896 in 2010 to €4,345 in 2011.

The study shows that residents of South Tipperary (€18,817) had more disposable income than those in North Tipperary (€18,124); the average in Cork (€19,465) was well in excess of that in nearby Kerry (€17,016); and disposbale incomes in Wicklow (€18,754) were more than €1,000 higher than in neighbouring Wexford (€17,525).