One in Four Dublin and Leinster Renters Pay Over 50% of Income on Rent

A quarter of private tenants in south Dublin, Fingal, Wicklow, and Louth spent at least half their disposable income on rent during 2024, according to data released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO). The figures reveal a severe financial strain concentrated heavily in the country’s eastern urban and commuter belt regions, where median rental costs consume vast portions of household budgets.

Quarter of Renters Spend Half Their Income on Housing in South Dublin

The CSO analysis evaluated the rent burden across all 31 local authority areas in the State. In south Dublin, 26 per cent of private sector tenants dedicated 50 per cent or more of their disposable income to housing costs last year. Fingal, Wicklow, and Louth followed closely, with 25 per cent of renters crossing that same threshold. Between a fifth and a quarter of renters faced similar financial pressures in Dublin city, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, Galway City, Carlow, and Meath.

When the threshold is adjusted to 40 per cent of disposable income, the footprint expands. 34 per cent of private tenants in south Dublin spent more than 40 per cent of their income on rent. Fingal, Louth, and Wicklow recorded 33 per cent of tenants operating above that 40 per cent mark. Local electoral areas with the highest burdens included Tallaght South at 33.7 per cent, Balbriggan at 32.9 per cent, Ballyfermot-Drimnagh at 30.5 per cent, and Ongar at 27.1 per cent. By contrast, Leitrim recorded just 18 per cent of private tenants spending over 40 per cent of their income on rent. The lowest burdens nationally were found in Ballinamore, Co Leitrim at 14.9 per cent, Lismore, Co Waterford at 14.5 per cent, and Belmullet, Co Mayo at 10.3 per cent.

Property website Daft tracked average market rents for two-bedroom apartments nationwide rising to a record €2,204 per month in the second quarter, while Dublin apartments reached €2,634. More than 880,000 people live in privately rented accommodation across the Republic, alongside more than 75,000 households renting from voluntary bodies.

Median Renter Age Reaches 34 with Employee Income as Primary Source

The median age of private market renters stood at 34 in 2024. More than two-thirds, or 68 per cent, were aged between 25 and 44. Another 21 per cent were aged between 45 and 65, while just 3 per cent were aged 65 and over. Older tenants face distinct vulnerabilities; almost four in 10 tenants over 65 were spending more than 40 per cent of their disposable incomes on rent. Employee income served as the primary source of income for nearly three-quarters of tenants at 73 per cent, while social welfare payments excluding pensions accounted for 16 per cent, and self-employed income made up 5 per cent.

Landlord demographics present an inverse age distribution. Most landlords fell between 50 and 64 years of age, and a third were aged over 65. Financial and real estate activities formed the most common employment sector for individual landlords at 39 per cent, followed by construction at 15 per cent. Income distribution among landlords varied significantly. About 62 per cent of landlords reported total gross income from all sources of less than €60,000 in 2024. At the upper end of the scale, 4 per cent of landlords recorded total gross incomes exceeding €200,000.