A single first-time buyer requires a six-figure salary to purchase a typical home in three Irish counties, according to research published by Chill Insurance. Dublin leads the state with a required salary of €108,000, followed by Wicklow at €101,250 and Kildare at €100,238, marking an expansion from the previous year when Dublin was the sole county above that threshold.
The study evaluates market conditions by comparing median first-time buyer home prices from the Central Statistics Office Residential Property Price Index against local median earnings data. Those figures are then measured against Central Bank lending rules, which permit buyers to borrow up to 90% of a property’s value and a maximum of four times their gross income.
The National Affordability Gap and Median Incomes
Across all 26 counties in the Republic of Ireland, a single buyer earning the national median salary of €44,816 falls short of the income required to secure a typical first-home property, according to the Chill Insurance research. Longford stands out as the most affordable county in the country, yet it still demands that a single first-time buyer earn an income of €48,375 to purchase an average home.
In Dublin, Wicklow, and Kildare, single buyers earning the local median income must more than double their earnings to qualify for a mortgage on a typical property. Dublin presents the widest deficit in the state. The local median income in the capital sits at €49,224, leaving buyers €58,776 short of the €108,000 salary threshold.
Expert Analysis on Market Pressures
Economist Austin Hughes noted that home values continue to outpace wage increases across the country. According to Hughes, first-time buyers face severe hurdles not just in urban centers, but nationwide.
“The Chill report emphasises the nationwide nature of the problem would-be homebuyers face,” Hughes said. He added that typical properties remain out of reach for median wage earners in every county unless those buyers receive financial backing from the State or their families.
Hughes described the growing purchase gap as a worrisome trend, pointing out that buyers in counties surrounding Dublin require roughly double the typical local wage, while those in Cork and Galway approach similar ratios.
County Breakdowns and Regional Differences
Regional data from the study highlights rising entry barriers in major employment hubs outside the capital. In Cork, a single buyer now requires a salary of €92,000 to own a first home, according to the Irish Examiner. Meanwhile, Galway requires single first-time buyers to earn €85,500, as reported by Galway Bay FM. Counties Meath and Louth also rank among the least affordable regions for those entering the property market for the first time.
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