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From vibrant towns, to quiet country villages, the Midlands is a great place to call home. With better value housing, excellent schools, and stunning scenery in our wide open spaces, more people than ever are choosing to live in the heart of Ireland.

Home to 292,301 people covering over 6,500 square kilometres, the Midlands is centrally located in the heart of the country, creating a dynamic and connected core. The Midlands is a key employment region containing many working hubs in key towns; Longford, Athlone, Mullingar, Portlaoise and Tullamore. With Athlone town being the regional driver there is also a distribution of employment centres throughout the neighbouring counties.

Strong infrastructure connections from the network of motorways, as well as a network of rail and other transport options, link the region easily and quickly to urban hubs such as Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick.

Quality of life is a key driver in the Midlands being one of Ireland’s fastest growing regions, with affordability, recreational spaces, and quality schools attracting residents to the region.

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The Midlands has a younger demographic than the national average with almost 50% of people under 35 years of age. More and more people are attracted to the region by an expanding network of Innovation, Technology and Co-Working Hubs distributed throughout the region plus emerging Research clusters in Life Sciences, Technology, Engineering, Advanced Manufacturing, Robotics, and Low Carbon/Green Enterprise.

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Household gross income is in line with the national average at €45,610 but is supported by lower costs, giving a higher standard of living.

With significantly lower childcare costs, rents and property prices distributed throughout the four counties, living is significantly more affordable than in much of the surrounding country, and particularly the Greater Dublin Area.

With a household gross income in line with the national average, prospective buyers have more purchasing power here than in other major counties.

Longford

Longford is located in the heart of the Lakelands, making it the ideal location for angling, kayaking or perhaps a boat trip to experience the stunning lakes and river first-hand. Most of Longford lies on the River Shannon with Lough Ree forming much of the county’s western boundary.

Westmeath

Often referred to as ‘the Lake County’ due to the abundance of lakes, rivers and waterways,  Westmeath is the largest county by population in the Midlands at 95,840. Home to the vibrant university town of Athlone, and Irelands’ music capital, Mullingar.

Offaly

From the Slieve Bloom mountains, to the wide open spaces of the vast peatlands, Offaly is a county with space to explore. The county town of Tullamore is a hub for regional business, while the Georgian town of Birr hosts a thriving tourism and arts scene.

Laois

The county of Laois is the most southerly of the Midlands. The diverse landscape features the Slieve Bloom mountains to the lavish country estates and woodlands, with wonderful organic and artisan producers. The county town of Portlaoise is a thriving centre for enterprise, within easy reach of Ireland’s main cities.

What is there to do?

The Midlands as a place to live is all about connection. Connect to the outdoors with everything from mountain walks, to lakeside swimming right on your doorstep. Connect to the best of produce with award-winning food, restaurants and markets. Connect to the rest of country and beyond with our central location meaning you’re always accessible.

What opportunities are there?

Discover a new pace of life in the Midlands for you and your family. With opportunities aplenty in our cluster industries of Advanced Manufacturing, ICT, Engineering and Food and Drink, as well as upskilling and training opportunities, there has never been a better time to make the move

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rear view of family with two daughters walking at the meadow

IMG 0001 2 copy scaled

multi cultural group of friends enjoying night out eating meal and drinking in restaurant together

PEOPLE 3 scaled

emo Con 2 1

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