County comparison · Ireland

Carlow vs Kildare

Median annual earnings · Source: CSO 2024

20% gap

Kildare pays 20% more than Carlow · €48,431 vs €40,363

Kildare has the higher median salary at €48,431 per year, against €40,363 in Carlow — a gap of 20%. Looking at the longer trend, Kildare has grown faster, at +2.4% per year on average. Information and Communication is the sector where the two counties diverge most, with a difference of €18,804.

Growth Comparison

+2.2%

Carlow annual growth (CAGR) since 2011

+2.4%

Kildare annual growth (CAGR) since 2011

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Carlow

€30,161€32,712€35,262€37,813€40,363201120142017202020232024

Kildare

€35,296€38,580€41,864€45,147€48,431201120142017202020232024

Carlow Gender Pay Gap

19%

Kildare Gender Pay Gap

23%

Sector-by-Sector Comparison

Sector Carlow Kildare Diff
Information and Communication €66,959 €85,763 €-18,804
Public Administration and Defence; Compulsory Social Security €56,974 €62,617 €-5,643
Financial, Insurance and Real Estate Activities €48,268 €64,025 €-15,757
Education €55,074 €56,440 €-1,366
Industry (B to E) €42,320 €58,594 €-16,274
Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities €44,100 €56,327 €-12,227
Construction €43,325 €49,167 €-5,842
Human Health and Social Work Activities €38,870 €45,893 €-7,023
Transportation and Storage €38,915 €45,175 €-6,260
Administrative and Support Service Activities €38,209 €39,805 €-1,596
Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles €29,986 €36,159 €-6,173
Arts, Entertainment, Recreation and Other Service Activities €24,961 €31,782 €-6,821
Accommodation and Food Service Activities €23,630 €25,757 €-2,127

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County comparison pages are most useful when they feed the next question: which sector explains the gap, and what does each county look like on its own?

Frequently Asked Questions

Which has higher salaries: Carlow or Kildare?
Kildare has higher salaries, with a median of €48,431 compared to €40,363 in Carlow — 20% higher.
What is the gender pay gap in Carlow vs Kildare?
The gender pay gap is 19% in Carlow and 23% in Kildare.
Which county's salaries are growing faster: Carlow or Kildare?
Kildare salaries are growing faster, at a compound annual rate of +2.4%, compared to +2.2% for Carlow.
Which sector explains the biggest gap between Carlow and Kildare?
Information and Communication shows the widest gap: €66,959 in Carlow versus €85,763 in Kildare.