People here had an average income of €20,518 – falling to €17,708 once taxes and social contributions had been taken care of.
The next worst-off were people from Monaghan, who earned €21,248 and had an average of €18,011 to spend after paying their various taxes.
Dubliners had the most cash to spare after paying their taxes: they had €24,316 to live on, on average, once their taxes and contributions had been deducted.
The mid-west – including the counties of Clare, Limerick and North Tipperary – had the highest regional income after the greater Dublin area, at €26,642.
The figures, relating to 2009, show that the average person had €21,356 to spend after taking care of their tax and social contributions bills.
They also show that the average income for a person living in Ireland grew by just over 50 per cent in the years from 2000 to 2009.
Sligo saw its incomes rise at the fastest rate: its incomes were 63 per cent higher when the decade ended than they were when it began.
The stats also show that the average income fell by 8 per cent between 2008 and 2009, when Ireland was forced into the first of five successive austerity budgets.
In full: the CSO’s figures for incomes by county, 2000-2009
- Dublin – 2000 income: €20,785; 2009 income: €30,891
- Kildare – 2000 income: €19,246; 2009 income: €27,498
- Meath – 2000 income: €16,991; 2009 income: €26,312
- Wicklow – 2000 income: €16,821; 2009 income: €25,806
- Cork – 2000 income: €16,799; 2009 income: €25,799
- Limerick – 2000 income: €17,323; 2009 income: €25,552
- Galway – 2000 income: €16,211; 2009 income: €25,347
- Louth – 2000 income: €17,695; 2009 income: €24,789
- Sligo – 2000 income: €15,171; 2009 income: €24,731
- North Tipperary – 2000 income: €15,316; 2009 income: €24,715
- Clare – 2000 income: €16,775; 2009 income: €24,131
- Waterford – 2000 income: €16,873; 2009 income: €24,034
- South Tipperary – 2000 income: €14,762; 2009 income: €24,025
- Westmeath – 2000 income: €16,367; 2009 income: €23,778
- Kilkenny – 2000 income: €14,584; 2009 income: €23,507
- Carlow – 2000 income: €15,428; 2009 income: €23,426
- Laois – 2000 income: €15,006; 2009 income: €23,410
- Leitrim – 2000 income: €14,389; 2009 income: €23,271
- Wexford – 2000 income: €14,837; 2009 income: €23,120
- Roscommon – 2000 income: €14,646; 2009 income: €23,088
- Mayo – 2000 income: €14,823; 2009 income: €23,084
- Longford – 2000 income: €14,409; 2009 income: €22,921
- Cavan – 2000 income: €14,717; 2009 income: €22,893
- Kerry – 2000 income: €14,147; 2009 income: €22,195
- Offaly – 2000 income: €14,616; 2009 income: €22,128
- Monaghan – 2000 income: €14,672; 2009 income: €21,248
- Donegal – 2000 income: €12,972; 2009 income: €20,518
- National Average – 2000 income: €17,386; 2009 income: €26,192