The income reference period of SILC in year T is the calendar year T-1, i.e. for SILC 2024 the income relates to calendar year Jan-Dec 2023.
Tá leagan Gaeilge den leathanach seo ar fáil. Féach Suirbhé ar Ioncam agus Dálaí Maireachtála (SILC) 2024.
The at risk of poverty rate was 11.7% in the Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) SILC 2024, up from 10.6% in 2023 and below the 12.5% rate in 2022.
If cost-of-living measures were excluded from income the at risk of poverty rate would have been 14.1% in SILC 2024.
The consistent poverty rate, those people who are both at risk of poverty and experiencing enforced deprivation, was 5.0%, compared with 3.6% for the previous year and 4.9% in 2022.
The median nominal household disposable income in SILC 2024 was €58,922, an increase of € 3,773 (+6.8%) from SILC 2023.
The 10% of households with the lowest disposable income (i.e. the first decile) had a mean nominal disposable income of €309 per week, compared to €3,257 per week for households in the tenth or highest income decile.
In SILC 2024, the quintile share ratio stood at 3.8, unchanged from 2023. This indicates that the total income of the richest 20% was almost four times that of the poorest 20%.
The annual Survey of Income and Living Condition (SILC) results are weighted using population estimates which are generated on an ongoing basis trended forward from the Census of Population 2022 results and supplementary information sources.
| X-axis label | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| At risk of poverty rate | 12.5 | 10.6 | 11.7 |
| Enforced deprivation rate | 16.6 | 17.3 | 15.7 |
| Consistent poverty rate | 4.9 | 3.6 | 5 |
| Deprivation rate for those at risk of poverty | 38.9 | 33.8 | 43.1 |
| Table 1.1 Summary of main results | ||||
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
| Income | € | |||
| Real1 household disposable income | ||||
| Median | 50,074 | 51,120 | 50,162 | 50,406 |
| Mean | 57,502 | 59,264 | 57,210 | 58,056 |
| Real1 equivalised disposable income per individual | ||||
| Median | 25,793 | 26,324 | 25,101 | 25,661 |
| Mean | 29,216 | 29,829 | 29,049 | 29,234 |
| At risk of poverty threshold | ||||
| (60% of median income) | 15,476 | 15,795 | 15,061 | 15,397 |
| Nominal household disposable income | ||||
| Median | 49,906 | 52,144 | 55,149 | 58,922 |
| Mean | 57,309 | 60,451 | 62,898 | 67,864 |
| Nominal equivalised disposable income per individual | ||||
| Median | 25,707 | 26,851 | 27,597 | 29,996 |
| Mean | 29,118 | 30,427 | 31,937 | 34,173 |
| At risk of poverty threshold | ||||
| (60% of median income) | 15,424 | 16,111 | 16,558 | 17,998 |
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
| Poverty & deprivation rates | % | |||
| At risk of poverty rate | 11.8 | 12.5 | 10.6 | 11.7 |
| Enforced deprivation rate2 | 13.7 | 16.6 | 17.3 | 15.7 |
| Enforced deprivation rate for those at risk of poverty | 35.6 | 38.9 | 33.8 | 43.1 |
| Consistent poverty rate | 4.2 | 4.9 | 3.6 | 5.0 |
| Income equality indicators | ||||
| Gini coefficient (%) | 26.7 | 27.4 | 27.5 | 26.9 |
| Income quintile share ratio | 3.7 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 3.8 |
| 1 Deflator base year 2019, corresponding with the T-1 income reference period of SILC 2020. | ||||
| 2 Experienced two or more types of enforced deprivation. | ||||
The SILC household survey is the official source of data on household and individual income, and it provides a number of key national poverty indicators, such as: the at risk of poverty rate, the rate of enforced deprivation and the consistent poverty rate. This release focuses on income related indicators. The enforced deprivation results were published on 11 March 2025 and are available in the SILC Enforced Deprivation 2024 release.
Data collection for SILC was carried out between January to July 2024. The income reference period for SILC 2024 is the calendar year 2023. Gross income includes social transfers plus market income, such as employment, pension income, employer’s social insurance and pension contributions, and other income. Cost-of-living measures introduced in 2023, such as energy credits and increased or additional social welfare payments and allowances are included in social transfers. These cost-of-living income measures introduced by the government to mitigate the negative impact of the cost-of-living crisis on household incomes affected households across the whole income distribution and particularly household with persons aged 65 years and over. See Chapter 6 for analysis of the impacts of the cost-of-living income measures.
The annual SILC results are weighted using population estimates which are generated on an ongoing basis trended forward from the Census of Population 2022 results and supplementary information sources.
For further information, please see Background Notes.
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Statistician's Comment
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (20 March 2025) published results from the Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) for 2024.
SILC is a household survey covering a broad range of issues in relation to income and living conditions. It is the official source of data on household and individual income and provides a number of key national poverty indicators, such as the at risk of poverty rate, the consistent poverty rate, and rates of enforced deprivation. This release presents the results for 2024, using an income reference period of the 2023 calendar year.
Commenting on today’s release, Brian Cahill, Statistician in the Income, Consumption and Wealth Division, said: “Today’s results from the CSO’s SILC 2024 show an increase in household income from the previous year. When adjusted for inflation we see that real household income also went up in the year, but to a lesser extent.
The proportion of people at risk of poverty rose in 2024 compared with 2023 and if cost-of-living measures paid to households in 2023 were excluded, the at risk of poverty rate would have been higher.
The enforced deprivation rate has decreased in 2024 while the at risk of poverty rate increased. Looking at the overlap of these measures shows that the consistent poverty rate (those at risk of poverty and in enforced deprivation) increased in the year. The release also highlights the higher incidence of the risk of poverty amongst certain groups such as persons unable to work due to long-standing health problems; the unemployed; single-adult households; and those in rented accommodation.
Household Income in 2024
The median nominal household disposable income in SILC 2024, covering the January to December 2023 income reference period, was €58,922. This represented an increase of €3,773 (+6.8%) from the previous year’s estimate of €55,149. However, when adjusted for inflation using a base year of 2019, the median real household disposable income in SILC 2024 was €50,406. This was up €244 (+0.5%) when compared with the previous year. Please note that a glossary of terms is available in our Survey on Income and Living Conditions Fact Sheet.
On average, households received €1,664 (88.0% of gross weekly income) from market income sources such as employment, occupational pension, private pension, and €227 (12.0% of gross income) from social transfers such as State Pensions, Child Benefit, Disability Benefit and Job Seekers’ Benefit payments. After deducting tax, social insurance contributions, pension contributions, and the payment of inter-household transfers paid, the average weekly disposable income was €1,301. However, this varied considerably by decile, where households are ranked from lowest disposable income to highest and divided into 10 equally sized groups.
The 10% of households with the lowest disposable income (i.e. the first decile) had a mean weekly nominal gross income of €325. This was composed of an average €64 (19.5% of gross income) from market income and €262 (80.5% of gross income) from social transfers. After deductions, these households had an average net disposable income of €309 per week.
Households in the tenth or highest decile had a mean weekly gross income of €5,557, composed of an average €5,416 (97.5%) market income and €141 (2.5%) in social transfers. After deductions households in the tenth decile had an average €3,257 in disposable income.
Richest 20% have almost four times the Income of the Poorest 20%
The Quintile Share Ratio was 3.8 in SILC 2024, unchanged from 2023, indicating that the richest 20% of people had 3.8 times the income of the poorest 20%.
The Gini coefficient in SILC 2024 was 26.9%, compared with 27.5% in 2023. The Gini coefficient measures income equality across the entire income distribution, with 0% indicating perfect equality (i.e. that income is distributed equally amongst all persons) and 100% representing perfect inequality (i.e. that all the income is held by one person).
Risk of poverty rate rose in 2024
In SILC 2024, the at risk of poverty rate was 11.7%, compared with 10.6% in 2023, 12.5% in 2022, and 11.8% in 2021.
Looking at factors such as employment status, household composition, and tenure, CSO analysis reveals significant differences.
Self-defined economic status: One in three unemployed people (34.1%) and a similar proportion of people who were unable to work due to long-standing health problems (32.5%) were at risk of poverty in SILC 2024. This compares with an at risk of poverty rate of 5.4% for those that described themselves as employed.
Household composition: The at risk of poverty rate was highest in households composed of one adult aged 65 years and over (25.9%), followed by households of one adult with children aged under 18 (24.2%). The rate was lowest for those living in households with two adults, both aged less than 65 (5.0%).
Tenure: People living in rented or rent-free accommodation were more likely to be at risk of poverty at 21.8% when compared with those living in owner-occupied accommodation (7.3%).
Consistent Poverty rates higher for those with Long-Standing Health Problems
The consistent poverty measure is defined as people who are both at risk of poverty and experiencing enforced deprivation. The consistent poverty rate in SILC 2024 was 5.0%, compared with 3.6% for 2023 and 4.9% in 2022.
Analysis by self-defined economic status shows that the consistent poverty rate was highest among persons unable to work due to long-standing health problems (19.0%) and the unemployed (18.9%), while it was lowest amongst those who were employed (1.7%) and those who have retired (1.9%).
Analysis by age group shows that the consistent poverty rate was highest among children aged 0 to 17 years (8.5%) and those aged 35 to 49 (4.9%), while it was lowest amongst those who were aged 65 years and over (2.0%).
Analysis by tenure status shows that the consistent poverty rate for people living in rented accommodation was 12.5% compared with 1.7% of those living in owner-occupied dwellings.
Impact of Cost-of-Living Income Measures
Excluding cost-of-living measures, the at risk of poverty rate (using the standard at risk of poverty threshold of €17,998) would have been 14.1% in SILC 2024, compared with the rate of 11.7% when these measures were included.
Analysis of the impact of the cost-of-living measures on reducing the at risk of poverty rates by age group shows that the largest impact was for people aged 65 years and older. Cost-of-living measures reduced the at risk of poverty rate for people in this age group from 21.1% to 13.3%. Cost-of-living measures had the least impact on reducing the poverty rates of those aged 18 to 34. Excluding cost-of-living measures, the at risk of poverty rate for people aged 18 to 34 would have been 9.5%. Including cost-of-living measures, their poverty rate was 8.8%."
The annual Survey of Income and Living Condition (SILC) results are weighted using population estimates which are generated on an ongoing basis trended forward from the Census of Population 2022 results and supplementary information sources.