Ireland’s most affordable places for first time buyers
Saving for a deposit and choosing where to live are often the first steps to home ownership. Switcher.ie’s First Time Buyer Affordability Index considers various factors to reveal the most affordable locations to buy a house in Ireland.
At a glance FTB Affordability in Ireland 2026 study
- Longford is the most affordable place for first-time buyers: Due to low property prices and decent median earnings, it takes a joint-buying couple an average of just 2 years and 4 months to save a deposit. Leitrim, Donegal, and Roscommon are also among the most affordable counties.
- Dublin’s commuter belt is the least affordable: Areas like Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, South Dublin, and Wicklow are the hardest markets to break into. The gap between house prices and income is so wide that a sole buyer might need a staggering 66 years to save for a deposit in Dún Laoghaire.
- Affordability isn’t just about finding the cheapest property: It depends heavily on the ratio of local property prices to the area’s median incomes and people’s ability to save.
- Joint buying is often the only way to buy a home: Purchasing a home with a partner or friend reduces deposit saving time and boosts borrowing power (Loan-to-Income ratio). For many, this is the only way onto the property ladder.
- A disconnect in Government Supports: Schemes like Help-to-Buy and the First Home Scheme usually require purchasing a new build. However, most new homes are built in Ireland’s most expensive areas, meaning rural buyers in more affordable counties can’t benefit from government support.
Why we’ve created the Affordability Index
Irish house hunters may have a fair idea of the cheapest and most expensive places to buy a home in Ireland, but the figures don’t always match reality because few first-time buyers fit an “average” buyer profile.
Several agencies report on regional house prices and housing market trends, but figures vary across different surveys and don’t take into account buyer status or type of property.
First home affordability depends on many different factors aside from property price, for example:
How much can first time buyers borrow and what deposit is needed?
Mortgage lenders in Ireland require first-time buyers to put down a minimum 10% deposit on a property. Often, buyers need to pay more than 10% upfront because banks limit how much they will lend.
To work out a mortgage offer, lenders use the Loan to Income (LTI) ratio limit. In most cases, lenders will only lend up to four times a buyer’s gross annual income.
What is Switcher.ie’s First Time Buyers Affordability Index?
To understand what house price data means for you, the First Time Buyer Affordability Index looks at counties across Ireland to find the most and least affordable places to buy your first home.
We’ve recognised that sole and joint buyers have different starting points, so have calculated how long it could take to save for a deposit based on type of buyer, type of property and income in each area.
What's included in the Affordability Index?
Our research considered several factors alongside house prices, such as average incomes and household savings.
We analysed and ranked:
- Median house price by RPPI region (first time buyers (joint) and apartments (sole)
- Median income by county
- Deposit required based on Loan to Income (LTI) limit or 10% minimum
- Years to save up for mortgage deposit based on Household Savings Rate (HSR)
See the methodology section for further information.
Buying a home together
Homeownership is more affordable if you buy with a partner or friend, and it’s often the only way to get on the housing ladder.
Joint buyers can combine incomes, so a more favourable loan-to-income (LTI) ratio means you can borrow more. Buying with someone else not only increases lending limits but also reduces the time it takes to save for a deposit.
The median annual earnings for joint buyers in 2024 was €89,321 and the average household savings ratio between October to December 2025 was 12.4%, so couples typically save around €11,000 a year.
A couple who lived and worked in Longford would take an average of 2 years, 3 months to save a deposit for a house in Longford. In contrast, a couple who lived and worked in Dublin would take 10 years, 5 months to save the deposit for a property in South Dublin.
- Average first time buyer house price: €397,000
- Average time to save for a deposit: 7 years, 2 months
Most affordable places for joint buyers
| Rank | RPPI Region | Property price | Median joint income | Income to house price | Years to save |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Longford | €224,000 | €77,237 | 1/3 | 2 years, 3 months |
| 2 | Leitrim | €245,000 | €81,926 | 1/3 | 2 years, 4 months |
| 3 | Donegal | €225,000 | €73,788 | 1/3 | 2 years, 5 months |
| 4 | Roscommon | €260,000 | €83,548 | 1/3 | 2 years, 5 months |
| 5 | Mayo | €255,000 | €80,934 | 1/3 | 2 years, 5 months |
Longford takes the top spot due to low house prices and decent median earnings. It’s followed by Leitrim, with higher house prices but comparatively better median earnings, making it easier for the average working couple to save more.
Least affordable places for joint buyers
| Rank | RPPI Region | Property price | Median joint income | Income to house price | Years to save |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown | €595,340 | €98,565 | 1/6 | 21 years, 3 months |
| 2 | South Dublin | €475,000 | €98,565 | 1/5 | 10 years, 5 months |
| 3 | Galway City | €417,000 | €87,759 | 1/5 | 9 years, 9 months |
| 4 | Louth | €387,801 | €82,265 | 1/5 | 9 years, 6 months |
| 5 | Wicklow | €435,000 | €93,225 | 1/5 | 9 years, 1 month |
Despite being home to some of the biggest earners in Ireland, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown is the least affordable place in Ireland. Commutable counties Wicklow and Louth also featured in the least affordable. For those who already live in Dublin City, buying a first home there isn’t completely out of reach, despite the price tag, thanks to Dubliners’ typically higher earnings.
Spotlight on Dublin
- Commuter areas around Dublin are the least affordable places for sole and joint buyers - with Dún Laoghaire the most out-of-reach area for first-time buyers.
- Dublin City and County have some of the highest house prices in Ireland; it could take over 21 years for a couple to save for a property in Dún Laoghaire, although due to the higher earning potential of those living in the capital, it could take between 8 and 11 years for other areas of Dublin.
- The average Dublin housebuyer is 39 years old and earns €49,224, which is 9% higher than the median salary across Ireland.
- 38% of all newly completed houses in Ireland were built in Dublin City, Dún Laoghaire, Fingal and South Dublin during 2025.
Buying a home alone
Our Index shows the most affordable places to buy a home were not necessarily in the areas with the lowest house prices. Although cheaper property prices help, having a comparably higher income makes your mortgage more affordable, and deposits take less time to save.
The average median sole purchase price was €295,000, and the average income for sole buyers was €44,816.
It would take an average of 3 years, 5 months for a sole buyer in Roscommon to save their deposit, but over 35 years in areas around the capital and Galway.
Top 5 affordable places to buy as a sole purchaser
| Rank | RPPI Region | Property price | Median income | Income to house price | Years to save |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Roscommon | €170,000 | €42,150 | 1/4 | 3 years, 5 months |
| 2 | Leitrim | €170,000 | €41,162 | 1/4 | 4 years, 4 months |
| 3 | Longford | €163,500 | €38,857 | 1/4 | 5 years |
| 4 | Donegal | €160,000 | €36,967 | 2/9 | 6 years, 1 month |
| 5 | Cavan | €180,000 | €40,596 | 2/9 | 7 years, 1 month |
Counties away from the larger cities or coastal areas, like Roscommon, Leitrim and Longford, tend to be the most affordable and would take the least time to save the minimum 10% deposit.
Least affordable places to buy as a sole purchaser
| Rank | RPPI Region | Property price | Median income | Income to house price | Years to save |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown | €548,000 | €49,224 | 1/9 | 66 years, 5 months |
| 2 | Wicklow | €377,000 | €46,527 | 1/8 | 39 years, 6 months |
| 3 | Dublin City | €395,000 | €49,224 | 1/8 | 38 years, 9 months |
| 4 | South Dublin | €380,000 | €49,224 | 1/8 | 36 years, 2 months |
| 5 | Galway City | €336,500 | €43,995 | 1/8 | 35 years, 6 months |
Desirable coastal areas of Dún Laoghaire, Wicklow and Galway are most out of reach for people buying alone, with Dublin properties for well-paid professionals at a premium.
Based on the median sole income for Dublin, it could take an eye-watering 66 years to save for a property in Dún Laoghaire if you’re buying alone. This is because, based on LTI limits, you’ll need to stump up way more than the minimum deposit to cover the shortfall.
Spotlight on Longford
- Longford topped our rankings as the most affordable place for joint buyers and was affordable for sole buyers too. The county is home to the towns of Longford, Edgeworthstown and Ballymahon.
- With some of the cheapest property prices in Ireland, it may only take 2 years and 4 months to save the minimum 10% deposit for a first time property when earning and saving at the typical rate.
- The average age of a house buyer in Longford was 41, and the median income was €38,857 in 2024, 13% below Ireland’s median wage of €44,816.
- There were only 99 new dwelling completions last year, just 0.27% of all new completions in Ireland during 2025.
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Find a range of first time buyer and home mover mortgage deals in Ireland using our comparison.
What help is available for first time buyers?
First Home Scheme (FHS)
A new government-backed scheme to help first-time buyers get on the property ladder. The First Home Scheme aims to make house purchase more affordable by supporting homebuyers with the cost of up to 30% of a newly built home.
Help to Buy Scheme
Help for first-time buyers to buy newly built homes and self builds. Borrowers can claim a tax rebate of up to €30,000 or 10% of the value of the property. If you qualify, you can claim a refund of income tax and deposit interest retention tax (DIRT).
Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme
The LA takes a percentage share in your home to cover the reduction in price. New, affordable homes in the scheme are in areas with the greatest housing need. In general, the maximum income limit for an affordable home is 85.5% of the open market value of the home divided by 4.
Mortgage Allowance Scheme
A scheme to assist tenants or tenant purchasers of local authority houses to become owner-occupiers. An allowance of up to €11,450 is paid to the lender over a 5-year period and repayments are reduced accordingly for the first five years of the mortgage.
Local Authority Home Loan
A Government-backed mortgage for first time buyers or other eligible applicants, available through the Local Authority Home Loan scheme. All types of homes qualify and you can borrow up to 90% of the market value of the property.
First Time Buyer Affordability Index 2026
* See methodology section for calculation
Help to buy schemes and new builds in Ireland
Many first time buyers are reliant on help to buy schemes and grants, and these schemes often require first time buyers to purchase a new build.
We looked at new build availability in each local authority to gauge how many houses may be eligible for one of the help-to-buy schemes.
New dwelling completions by local authority
Our analysis shows a correlation between areas with highest house prices and the number of new builds in 2025.
This means the type of housing that qualifies first time buyers for many help-to-buy schemes has been built in the most expensive areas, with areas around Dublin attracting the lion’s share of new builds in 2025 and places like Longford, Donegal and Leitrim only seeing a fraction of Ireland’s new house builds.
Towns and cities often attract the most new housing developments, which could disadvantage rural homebuyers.
Methodology
To create the First Time Buyers Affordability Index several factors were analysed:
- Median house price by RPPI region - first time buyer
- Median house price by LLA - sole transactions
- Median earnings by county (individual and joint)
- Loan to income (LTI) limits
- Household Savings Rate (HSR)
- Minimum deposit required
Years to Save was calculated by dividing the average ‘deposit required’ by the derived average annual household saving amount for each county.
The ‘deposit required’ was based on the house price minus LTI (median income multiplied by 4). If the average LTI limit was more than 90% LTV, 10% of the property price was used. If LTI was less, the property shortfall figure (e.g. >10%) was used.
Household savings for each county were calculated using the HSR of 12.4% (CSO: Q4, 2024) against the average median income for each county.
The data was collected and analysed in March 2026.
Sources
- Median price by first time buyer by RPPI, Jan 2025 (data sourced March 2026): Market-based Household Purchases of Residential Dwellings
- Median price by sole transactions by Local Authority Area, 2024 (data sourced March 2026): Characteristics of Residential Property Purchasers
- Median annual earnings by county, 2024 (data sourced March 2026): Annual earnings
- Number of new builds by county, 2025 (data sourced March 2026): New Dwelling Completions
- Household savings rate (Q4,2025): Household Savings
Compare mortgage rates & deals
Find a range of first time buyer and home mover mortgage deals in Ireland using our comparison.
