County comparison · Ireland

Carlow vs Wicklow

Median annual earnings · Source: CSO 2024

15% gap

Wicklow pays 15% more than Carlow · €46,527 vs €40,363

Wicklow has the higher median salary at €46,527 per year, against €40,363 in Carlow — a gap of 15%. Looking at the longer trend, Wicklow 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 €22,195.

Growth Comparison

+2.2%

Carlow annual growth (CAGR) since 2011

+2.4%

Wicklow annual growth (CAGR) since 2011

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Carlow

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

Wicklow

€33,766€36,956€40,147€43,337€46,527201120142017202020232024

Carlow Gender Pay Gap

19%

Wicklow Gender Pay Gap

20%

Sector-by-Sector Comparison

Sector Carlow Wicklow Diff
Information and Communication €66,959 €89,154 €-22,195
Public Administration and Defence; Compulsory Social Security €56,974 €59,902 €-2,928
Financial, Insurance and Real Estate Activities €48,268 €65,374 €-17,106
Education €55,074 €52,166 +€2,908
Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities €44,100 €53,625 €-9,525
Industry (B to E) €42,320 €51,544 €-9,224
Construction €43,325 €44,718 €-1,393
Transportation and Storage €38,915 €48,185 €-9,270
Human Health and Social Work Activities €38,870 €44,246 €-5,376
Administrative and Support Service Activities €38,209 €40,196 €-1,987
Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles €29,986 €34,841 €-4,855
Arts, Entertainment, Recreation and Other Service Activities €24,961 €30,344 €-5,383
Accommodation and Food Service Activities €23,630 €26,110 €-2,480

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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 Wicklow?
Wicklow has higher salaries, with a median of €46,527 compared to €40,363 in Carlow — 15% higher.
What is the gender pay gap in Carlow vs Wicklow?
The gender pay gap is 19% in Carlow and 20% in Wicklow.
Which county's salaries are growing faster: Carlow or Wicklow?
Wicklow 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 Wicklow?
Information and Communication shows the widest gap: €66,959 in Carlow versus €89,154 in Wicklow.