Switcher.ie’s new study reveals Ireland’s best places for work-life balance

New research by Switcher.ie has revealed the best Irish towns for work-life balance. The study is based on a range of factors, including access to local amenities such as primary schools, major supermarkets, and leisure centres; essentials like broadband and mobile connectivity; house prices and crime rates; and proximity to green spaces and transport routes.

Top 10 towns for work-life balance

Arklow claimed the top spot as the best town in Ireland for striking the perfect work-life balance. With surprisingly affordable house prices outside the city, it offers a winning mix of excellent local amenities and good connectivity for hybrid working, plus plenty of green spaces and a scenic coastline to boost well-being.

Here’s a snapshot of the top 10. For the full ranking and more top 5 winners, see Ireland’s best towns for work-life balance 2026.

Most affordable

Ballina was the most affordable town to buy a house in our study. House prices were based on the median house price in October 2025 (Residential Property Price Index).

Top 5 affordable towns to live & work: Ballina, Longford, Letterkenny, Cavan and Mallow

For families

Ballina has taken the top spot as the best town for balancing work and family. To calculate the best town to work with a family, we summed index scores for house prices, crime rate, number of GP surgeries and primary schools.

Top 5 towns for families to live & work: Ballina, Castlebar, Enniscorthy, Killarney and Longford

For hybrid working

Dublin was the best place for hybrid working; the city of Cork and areas of Kildare and north Dublin (Fingal*) also performed well. To calculate the best towns for hybrid working, we summed index scores for average broadband and mobile speeds and distance to major roads and bus stops. This data was only available at the county and city levels.

Top towns for broadband and mobile connectivity: Dublin, Cork, North Dublin and Kildare. For transport links: Cork, Galway, Dublin and Sligo.

For health, fitness & well-being

Galway came in tops for access to leisure facilities and green spaces, essential for achieving a good quality of life. To rank our towns, we summed the index scores for distance to leisure centres and outdoor sports facilities, the number of public parks, and access to national parks and coastlines.

Top 5 towns for health & well-being: Galway, Dublin, Wicklow, Cork and Arklow

For shopping & eating

Killarney was the best place for your weekly shop, grab a bite to eat, or catch up over coffee. To find our top towns, we summed the index scores for the number of major supermarkets and cafes in the area.

Top 5 towns to shop, eat and refresh: Killarney, Ballina, Cavan, Gorey, Longford

Commercial Director of Switcher.ie, Eoin Clarke says:

“The Work-Life Balance Act 2023 ushered in a new era of working arrangements for many employees. It meant that workers with families or caregiving responsibilities could seek flexible work options and a better quality of life.

Property prices are often a crucial factor for homebuyers, but broadband and mobile connectivity, easy access to local amenities, and proximity to green spaces can have a huge impact when juggling work with family or other commitments.

Switcher’s research highlights several towns across Ireland that offer young professionals and working families a mix of affordability, accessibility, a superb quality of life, and excellent broadband and mobile connectivity for remote working.

Our top performers spanned the country, with Ballina and Sligo on the scenic west coast, Cork in the south, Longford in the heart of Ireland and a cluster of coastal towns on the east coast.

If you’re starting your hunt for a new home, it could be worth casting your net a little wider. Beyond house price and proximity to work, seek a location that makes life easier, boosts health and happiness, and strikes the perfect work-life balance for you and your family.”

* Fingal includes the towns of Skerries, Rush, Swords, Malahide, Balbriggan, and Portmarnock