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Equivalised Income

Equivalised Income

Increase in equivalised income in SILC 2024

Online ISSN: 2009-5937
CSO statistical release, , 11am

The income reference period of SILC in year T is the calendar year T-1, i.e. for SILC 2024 the income relates to Jan-Dec 2023.

€29,996
Median equivalised disposable income of individuals in 2024
Up 8.7%
Adjusting for inflation, income Up 2.2% in 2024
Source: CSO Ireland, Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) 2024

Real and Nominal Equivalised Income

Equivalised income allows for a more meaningful comparison of income across households by accounting for the number of adults and children living in the household, thus allowing for analysis at an individualised level. However, when analysing by individual characteristics, it should be borne in mind that equivalised income is influenced by the income of all household members. See At Risk of Poverty Indicators Explained (PDF 1,094KB) .

The median equivalised disposable income in SILC 2024 was €29,996, representing an increase of €2,399 (8.7%) from the previous year. The corresponding at risk of poverty threshold (i.e. 60% of the median) stood at €17,998 in SILC 2024, compared with €16,588 in SILC 2023.  

Using a base income year of 2019 to adjust for inflation, the real median equivalised disposable income in SILC 2024 was €25,661, an increase of 2.2% from €25,101 on the previous year. The real at risk of poverty threshold was €15,397 in SILC 2024, up from €15,061 in the previous year.  

Over the 5-year period 2020 to 2024 median nominal equivalised disposable income increased by 24.6%, while after adjusting for inflation real median equivalised disposable income increased by 6.6% over the period. See figure 3.1 and tables 3.1a & 3.1c.

X-axis labelReal medianReal meanNominal medianNominal mean
202024079277002407927700
202125793292162570729118
202226324298292685130427
202325101290492759731937
202425661292342999634173

Persons that were unemployed had the lowest equivalised disposable income in SILC 2024

Analysis by Principal Economic Status (PES) shows that persons that were unemployed had the lowest equivalised disposable income (€20,888) followed by persons unable to work due to long-standing health problems (€21,927). The comparable figure for employed persons was € 34,259. See figure 3.2 and table 3.1a.

X-axis label2021202220232024
Employed30379309893197734259
Unemployed19596177021890220888
Retired23690238242610027501
Unable to work due to
long-standing health problems
17374194112021321927
Student, pupil22875254112556726613
Fulfilling domestic tasks20329204612246122895

After adjusting for inflation, real gains in equivalised income were experienced by unemployed persons, those unable to work due to long-standing health problems and employed persons. For all others, by PES, the gains in nominal income were not sufficient to counteract the effects of inflation. 

The largest year-on-year change in nominal equivalised disposable income was seen in unemployed persons, which increased by 10.5% to €20,888 when compared with SILC 2023. When account is taken for inflation, real equivalised disposable income increased by 3.9% in the year for these individuals.  

Persons describing themselves as fulfilling domestic tasks saw their nominal equivalised disposable income increase by 1.9% in SILC 2024 and fell by 4.1% after adjusting for inflation. See figure 3.3 and tables 3.1a & 3.1c. 

Please note that Principal Economic Status is self-defined at the time of interview (first six months of 2024), whereas the income reference period is the 2023 calendar year, thus the two may not always perfectly align. 

X-axis labelNominal median - % change 2023 to 2024Real median - % change 2023 to 2024
Employed7.10.8
Unemployed10.53.9
Retired5.4-0.9
Unable to work due to
long-standing health problems
8.52
Student, pupil4.1-2.1
Fulfilling domestic tasks1.9-4.1

Nominal equivalised disposable income increased in all age groups in SILC 2024, with younger age groups experiencing the greatest growth in income. Individuals aged 0 to 17 saw the largest rise in their nominal median equivalised disposable income, increasing 9.6% to €27,638. The eldest age group, those aged 65 years plus, had the lowest increase in income, rising 5.2% to €27,328 in the year to SILC 2024. See figure 3.4 and table 3.1a.

Nominal equivalised disposable income follows a general upward trajectory as the level of education increases. Individuals with the highest level of educational attainment (third level degree or higher) had the highest median equivalised disposable income of the categories analysed in SILC 2024, at €38,381.  This compares with €21,247 for those with primary level education or lower 

Those persons whose highest level of educational attainment reached lower secondary saw the largest increase in their nominal median equivalised disposable income, increasing 11.0% in SILC 2024. This compares with a decrease of 3.4% for those whose highest attainment was primary level education or below. See table 3.1a. 

When adjusted for inflation, real equivalised disposable income increased in SILC 2024 for those persons whose highest level of educational attainment was lower secondary education by 4.4%. Real equivalised disposable income fell for all other educational attainment groups in 2024. See table 3.1a.

2021202220232024
65+23254230462598627328
50-6427307286262957832000
35-4927160273722900131425
18-3427567294482913031812
0-1723967242262522427638

Distribution of Equivalised Income

Almost half of unemployed persons are in the lowest income quintile

Ranking persons from lowest nominal equivalised disposable income to highest and dividing by five allows us to split the population into quintiles.   

More than two in five unemployed people (46.4%) and those unable to work due to long-standing health problems (44.3%) are in the first equivalised disposable income quintile (i.e. the lowest 20% of the net disposable equivalised income distribution). This compares with one in ten (10.1%) of those that are employed.  

Individuals who are unable to work due to long-standing health problems are least likely to be in the top equivalised disposable income quintile (i.e. the highest 20% of the net disposable equivalised income distribution), with 3.9% of these individuals in this quintile in SILC 2024. Over one quarter (26.8%) of individuals in employment are in the top equivalised disposable income quintile. See figure 3.5 and table 3.2.

Share of income (%)Quintile 5Quintile 4Quintile 3Quintile 2Quintile 1
Employed26.824.521.61710.1
Retired18.316.815.819.629.6
Student, pupil12.216.620.125.825.4
Fulfilling domestic tasks8.17.21630.538.2
Unable to work due to
long-standing health problems
3.913.910.327.544.3
Unemployed10.39.211.822.346.4

Impact of Social Transfers on Equivalised Income

If income from social transfers was deducted from disposable income, the median equivalised disposable income for all people in the State would have decreased from €29,996 to €25,547. See table 3.3a.

Composition of Equivalised Income

Persons in lower income deciles are most reliant on income from social transfers

In SILC 2024, the nominal mean weekly equivalised gross income was €956, an increase of 7.9% on the previous year. After deductions of €302, the nominal mean weekly equivalised disposable income was €655. On average, equivalised market income amounted to €845 each week (88.4% of gross income), compared with €112 in social transfers (11.7% of gross income). See table 3.4a. 

As was seen in the previous chapter for household income, the share of mean equivalised gross income coming from market income increases with each increasing income decile. Market income accounts for an average of 43.8% of gross mean equivalised gross income for individuals in the first decile, 86.3% of income for those in the fifth decile and 98.1% of gross mean equivalised gross income for those in the tenth decile. 

Social transfers represented a decreasing proportion of mean equivalised gross income with each increasing income decile. For individuals in the first equivalised gross income decile, social transfers accounted for an average 56.2% of their income. This fell to 13.7% of equivalised gross income for those in the fifth decile and 1.9% for those on the tenth decile.  

Total deductions, such as tax and social contributions, accounted for 9.6% of the equivalised gross income decile for individuals in the first decile, 25.5% of gross income for those in the fifth decile and 42.9% of gross income for those in the tenth decile. See figure 3.6 and table 3.5a.

X-axis labelTotal market incomeTotal social transfersTotal deducationsNet disposable income
1st decile132169-29272
2nd decile207202-43365
3rd decile381142-97426
4th decile491126-131486
5th decile630100-186544
6th decile725109-225610
7th decile88980-289680
8th decile107081-381770
9th decile134857-506899
10th decile257350-11261497
State845112-302655
Table 3.1a Median equivalised nominal disposable income by demographic characteristics and year

Table 3.1b Mean equivalised nominal disposable income by demographic characteristics and year

Table 3.1c Median equivalised real disposable income by demographic characteristics and year

Table 3.1d Mean equivalised real disposable income by demographic characteristics and year

Table 3.2 Demographic characteristics of individuals by net disposable equivalised income deciles, 2024

Table 3.3a Nominal median income measures by year

Table 3.3b Nominal mean income measures by year

Table 3.4a Composition of nominal equivalised income by year

Table 3.4b Composition of real equivalised income by year

Table 3.5a Average weekly nominal equivalised income by net disposable equivalised income deciles and composition of net equivalised disposable income, 2024

Table 3.5b Average weekly real equivalised income by net disposable equivalised income deciles and composition of net equivalised disposable income, 2024