Longford among top 5 best places to work from home

New research by Switcher.ie has revealed that Longford is among the top five best Irish towns and cities to work from home.

The study is based on data like broadband speed, house prices, crime rates, green spaces, cafes, GPs and top schools. 

The Top 5 affordable towns to work remotely were Longford, Ballina, Cavan, Letterkenny and Shannon. 

Longford was the most affordable town to buy a house in our study. House prices were based on the average house price in August 2022.

The data for Longford showed; Average house prices: €162,899; Crime rate per 1000 people: 108.91; Coffee shops per 1000 people: 1.60 and Full fibre: 1 (>50% coverage). 

Castlebar claimed the top spot as the best place to work from home in Ireland. Not only are house prices considerably lower than others on our list, it offers a winning mix of great leisure amenities, speedy broadband, 5G mobile coverage and plenty of green spaces.

Commercial Director of Switcher.ie,  Eoin Clarke said, “The new ‘Work Life Balance Bill’ will give workers a statutory right to request remote working before the end of this year. What started as a safety measure for many companies during the pandemic is now becoming the norm, giving Irish workers a better quality of life and fantastic financial benefits.

“All the top contenders in our study have lots to offer, and hotspots range from along the sandy west coast to the midlands and Cork’s Black Valley, as well as satellite towns bordering Dublin. When it comes to peaceful, low cost, scenic places to work from home, there's plenty to choose from.

“A fast and reliable internet connection, reasonable house prices and open, green spaces make all the difference when working remotely. As workers are no longer pinned down to designated office blocks, we will hopefully see a more evenly distributed workforce - which is good for our pockets and good for the local economy.” 

The Top Five

Castlebar

Average house prices: €205,100

Crime rate per 1000 people: 63.47

Coffee shops per 1000 people: 1.16

Full fibre: 1 (>50% coverage)

Leixlip

Average house prices: €414,366

Crime rate per 1000 people: 30.7

Coffee shops per 1000 people: 1.23

Full fibre: .5 (<50% coverage)

Navan

Average house prices: €309,389

Crime rate per 1000 people: 47.69

Coffee shops per 1000 people: 1.99

Galway

Average house prices: €336,594

Crime rate per 1000 people: 93.95

Coffee shops per 1000 people: 1.88

Longford

Average house prices: €162,899

Crime rate per 1000 people: 108.91

Coffee shops per 1000 people: 1.60