Report Finds Wicklow Has The Lowest Vacancy Rate Nationwide

The commercial vacancy rate in Wicklow increased 0.2 percentage points to 12.9% in the twelve months to Q4 2022 according to the latest GeoDirectory Commercial Vacancy Rates Report.

The commercial vacancy rate in Wicklow was lower than the national average of 14.0%.

According to the report the commercial vacancy rate in Ireland hit a ten year high of 14.0%, the highest level recorded by GeoDirectory since the report began in 2013.

The report, prepared by EY, found that commercial vacancies increased in 18 out of 26 counties.

County Commercial Vacancy Rates

Sligo, at 19.6%, was the county with the highest commercial vacancy rate, followed by Galway (17.6%) and Donegal (17.5%). The west of the country continued to record high commercial vacancy rates in Q4 2022, with the commercial vacancy rate in Connacht reaching 17.6%, an increase of 0.3% compared to the same period in 2021.

Meath (10.2%) remained as the county with the lowest commercial vacancy rate in the state, closely followed by Wexford (10.4%) and Kerry (12.2%).

In Dublin, the commercial vacancy rate was unchanged from Q4 2021 at a rate of 12.9%, which remains the highest level recorded in Dublin since Q4 2016.

Ten-Year Trends

GeoDirectory released its first Commercial Vacancy Rates Report in January 2013. The Commercial Vacancy Rate at the time was 11.4%, 3.9 percentage points lower than the 14.0% rate recorded in Q4 2022. With the exception of Dublin, every county has experienced an increase in commercial vacancy rates over the past decade.

Donegal, at 5.5 percentage points, registered highest increase in commercial vacancy rates as a percentage of stock between January 2013 and December 2022 (12.0% to 17.5%).

Analysis of Towns

Of the towns in Wicklow surveyed, Bray had the highest commercial rate at 15.6%, while Greystones had the lowest rate at 7.9%.

The report found that Shannon, Co. Clare was the town with the highest commercial vacancy rate in the state, at 29.8%. Ballybofey, Co. Donegal (29.2%), Edgeworthstown, Co. Longford (28.4%), Boyle, Co. Roscommon (27.7%), and Sligo Town (25.4%) completed the top five towns by highest commercial vacancy rate.

Gorey, Co. Wexford and Greystones, Co. Wicklow were the towns with the lowest commercial vacancy rate in the country, at 7.1% each.

Within the Dublin area, Dublin 17 recorded the largest year-on-year increase in vacancy, growing by 1.5% to 14.6%. 

Dublin 9 had the highest vacancy rate of 17.2%, increasing by 0.4% from Q4 2021. The Dublin postcode with the lowest vacancy rate was Dublin 15, at 7.1%.

Nine out of the 22 Dublin areas recorded a decrease in vacancy rates, with 16 recording vacancy rates below the national average of 14%.