Westmeath ranked in bottom ten of best places to live in Ireland
Westmeath ranks in joint 20th position, along with Monaghan, Laois, and Cavan in the Ireland Liveability Index.
The authors of the Ireland Liveability Index say they compiled the list to take the guesswork out of relocating out of large cities, which has been accelerated due to remote working in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Counties are scored out of 100, according to natural amenity and scenery, proximity to a city, sunshine and cost of housing.
Wexford was found to be the best place to live, and was top of the list with a score of 74, while Offaly came last with a score of just 36
“Liveability indices are typically used to compare cities across the world, the Economist’s Global Liveability Index is a good example. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the move to remote working, enabling people to avoid lengthy commutes to work.
"This has spurred an interest in relocating away from large cities. However, for those looking to move to a location outside of a global city there is a lack of useful comparative information to help make the decision to move.”
The index notes that Waterford is one of the sunniest counties in the country, has reasonably priced housing, is in the top 10 of most scenic counties and inhabitants have access to the facilities of Waterford City.
Wexford, Donegal, Cork and Wicklow round out the top five.
You can check out the full list here: