County comparison · Ireland

Waterford vs Wexford

Median annual earnings · Source: CSO 2024

8% gap

Waterford pays 8% more than Wexford · €42,460 vs €39,409

Waterford has the higher median salary at €42,460 per year, against €39,409 in Wexford — a gap of 8%. Looking at the longer trend, Wexford has grown faster, at +2.4% per year on average — so Wexford is closing the gap over time even though Waterford still pays more today. Industry (B to E) is the sector where the two counties diverge most, with a difference of €12,305.

Growth Comparison

+2.2%

Waterford annual growth (CAGR) since 2011

+2.4%

Wexford annual growth (CAGR) since 2011

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Waterford

€31,595€34,311€37,028€39,744€42,460201120142017202020232024

Wexford

€28,914€31,538€34,162€36,785€39,409201120142017202020232024

Waterford Gender Pay Gap

20%

Wexford Gender Pay Gap

16%

Sector-by-Sector Comparison

Sector Waterford Wexford Diff
Information and Communication €57,488 €59,918 €-2,430
Public Administration and Defence; Compulsory Social Security €54,179 €54,887 €-708
Education €55,086 €52,898 +€2,188
Industry (B to E) €54,721 €42,416 +€12,305
Financial, Insurance and Real Estate Activities €43,766 €49,847 €-6,081
Human Health and Social Work Activities €43,923 €40,823 +€3,100
Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities €44,094 €40,435 +€3,659
Construction €41,600 €40,487 +€1,113
Transportation and Storage €40,080 €40,039 +€41
Administrative and Support Service Activities €31,600 €34,589 €-2,989
Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles €29,793 €30,211 €-418
Arts, Entertainment, Recreation and Other Service Activities €26,142 €26,977 €-835
Accommodation and Food Service Activities €23,381 €23,399 €-18

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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: Waterford or Wexford?
Waterford has higher salaries, with a median of €42,460 compared to €39,409 in Wexford — 8% higher.
What is the gender pay gap in Waterford vs Wexford?
The gender pay gap is 20% in Waterford and 16% in Wexford.
Which county's salaries are growing faster: Waterford or Wexford?
Wexford salaries are growing faster, at a compound annual rate of +2.4%, compared to +2.2% for Waterford.
Which sector explains the biggest gap between Waterford and Wexford?
Industry (B to E) shows the widest gap: €54,721 in Waterford versus €42,416 in Wexford.