Prefer to work from home? A new study has revealed the best counties in Ireland for remote workers.

The number of Irish people working from home has increased by 82 percent over the last four years, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

With that in mind, Virgin Media commissioned research to rank Ireland's best counties for remote work.

The study examined a number of factors, including rent prices, broadband speed, crime rates, air quality, sunlight hours, restaurant availability, and the number of primary schools, to determine the ideal location for remote work living.

Each data point in the index was individually scored, with these scores then used to calculate the overall index ranking.

The research found County Kerry to be the ideal destination in Ireland for remote workers for its low rent prices, fast broadband speed and low crime rate.

Kerry's rent prices average around €1,035 per month, which is significantly lower than the average rent of €2,102 per month in Dublin, Ireland's capital. The county also ensures seamless remote work experiences with its fast broadband speed, averaging at 83.35 Mbps.

Kerry also boasts a safe environment, with a low crime rate index of 40.94, and an air quality index of 18. With a choice of 635 restaurants, pubs, and cafes, The Kingdom provides ample entertainment and dining choices, alongside a selection of primary schools.

In second place is County Clare, which has an average monthly rent of  €1,025, and  high-speed broadband reaching 101.65 Mbps. Clare boasts a low crime rate of 44.8 and an average of 1305.12 sunlight hours per year.

County Laois ranked third, with Roscommon and Donegal claiming the fourth and fifth spots respectively.

The top five counties in Ireland to work from home:

  1. Kerry
  2. Clare
  3. Laois
  4. Roscommon
  5. Donegal