The best cities in Ireland for small business owners with families
Establishing yourself as a successful small business owner doesn’t come without its challenges, especially when juggling raising a family alongside running your business. However, Ireland boasts various locations which provide business owners (and their families) with environments in which they can thrive.
But which Irish cities are the most supportive of small business owners with families? We decided to find out!
To do so, we looked at 11 different factors including rental and childcare costs, as well as the amount of green space, schools, nurseries, and safety scores. Once the data was collected, the factors were then normalised, to provide each one with a score between 0-1. The normalised values were then summed, to give each location a total score out of 11. And, the higher the score, the better the city!
So, let’s dive into it and see which cities made it into our ranking.
The top Irish cities for independent entrepreneurs with families
From unique clothing stores to restaurants and cosy cafes, you’ll find an eclectic mix of independent businesses across Ireland. Below, we’ve outlined the top five Irish cities which allow entrepreneurs with families to thrive.
1. Dublin
The top city on our index is Dublin, with a total score of 7.171 out of 11. Though, it’s worth bearing in mind that childcare costs here are amongst the highest on our list, coming in at €1279.55, and rental costs are high too, setting people back €2836.50.
Despite this, many small business owners with children still thrive in the city. There are various green spaces to enjoy (85 to be exact), as well as 204 schools and 184 nurseries to choose from! You’ll also find the highest number of sports camps on our list (with 13), and 23 entertainment centres for families to enjoy.
2. Limerick
Next up, we have the city of Limerick which received a total score of 4.441. Out of our top five areas, Limerick has the lowest monthly childcare costs, coming in at €826.80, as well as the lowest monthly rental costs (€1840). Monthly utility costs here are the lowest of all listed locations too, setting people back a relatively affordable €2025.18.
With 14 entertainment centres and 152 schools to choose from, there’s no surprise small business owners with children love the city of Limerick.
3. Galway
In third place, Galway scores 4.200. Importantly, the city offers average monthly rental costs of around €2022.22, while average monthly childcare costs stand at €912.50.
With 16 green spaces to enjoy (the same amount as Limerick), there’s plenty of places to relax in the outdoors as a family; and the city also offers 58 child friendly activities, perfect for if you’re looking for family weekend plans after a long working week.
4. Cork
In the penultimate spot on our index, we have the city of Cork, with a total score of 4.079. In Cork, average monthly utility costs will set you back €2477.41, while monthly rental costs typically stand at around €2133.33.
You’ll find 18 green spaces in the city (the most out of our top five), as well as 46 playgrounds for children to enjoy. Incidentally, Cork has a safety score of 64.13, another reason why it might be an ideal place to run a business whilst also raising a family.
5. Kilkenny
Rounding out our list of the top five cities for small businesses with families, Kilkenny receives a total score of 3.863. Kilkenny has one of the lowest average monthly childcare costs (€912.50), and monthly rent is the lowest too (€1500).
Finally, Kilkenny has 50 schools and 31 nurseries for parents to choose from, and it also has the highest safety score on our list (70.04)!
Well, there we have it, the best Irish cities for small businesses with families. All of these locations offer great opportunities for business owners and their families, and it’s clear that setting up shop in the right location can contribute not only to success but also to family well-being.
If you ever find yourself in one of the above locations, remember to shop or dine local to help support independent merchants - and, if you’re an aspiring entrepreneur with a family of your own, have you considered setting up in one of the above locations?
In the meantime, make sure to dive into a couple more of our business guides..
Methodology
This dataset ranks 15 Irish cities based on how well-placed they are for opening a business while also providing a good family life.
To achieve this, 11 different factors were used.
Monthly Childcare Cost - The average cost of private childcare for 1 child per month, in each city (low values get a high index score).
Monthly Rent Cost - The average cost of a 3-bedroom apartment which is not in the city centre, in each city (low values get a high index score).
Monthly Utility Cost - The average monthly cost of utilities for a 1000m2 apartment based on data for a 85m2 apartment, in each city (low values get a high index score).
Green Area - The percentage of land in each city that is officially designated as green spaces.
Safety Score - A score ranking the safety levels within each city, with a higher score indicating better safety.
No. of Schools - The number of schools in each city according to google maps.
No. of Nurseries - The number of nurseries/playgroups in each city according to google maps.
No. of Playgrounds - The number of playgrounds in each city according to google maps.
No. of Child-Friendly Activities - The total number of child-friendly activities in each city.
No. of Sports Camps - The number of sports camps in each city.
No. of Entertainment Centres - The number of game & entertainment centres in each city.
Once the data for each factor was collected, the factors were then normalised, to provide each one with a score between 0 and 1. If data was not available, a score of 0 was given. The normalised values were then summed, to give each location a total score out of 11. The locations were then ranked from highest to lowest, based on their total scores.
All data is correct as of 23/05/24. The ranking data shown is a compilation of multiple data sources and may not be representative of real life. All data is accurate with regards to the sources provided.
