Louth County Council has welcomed the publication of new national housing data showing that the county is among the strongest performers in the country for delivering new homes and reducing waiting times for first time buyers.
The data comes from a new tool developed by Irish Sustainable Homes and Rigr AI, which compares the number of adults aged 18 to 44 who do not yet own a home with the number of new homes built in each electoral area.
The figures, available at www.onemillionhomes.ie, estimate how long it would take on average for a first time buyer to secure a newly built home in their own community.
According to the data, Drogheda Rural has the fastest rate of home building in Ireland. A total of 630 new homes were built last year for a population of 5,015 adults aged between 18 and 44 who do not own a home, resulting in an average wait time of eight years, the shortest in the country.
Dundalk South also ranks among the top 20 areas nationwide, with an estimated average wait time of 22.1 years. Dundalk Carlingford and Ardee are listed at 35.8 years and 52.1 years respectively. In 18 of the 166 electoral districts analysed, the wait time is more than 100 years.
Figures also show that County Louth recorded the fastest growth in new home construction in 2025, with new builds increasing by 24 percent.
Cathaoirleach of Louth County Council, Councillor Seán Kelly, said the figures are a positive sign for the county.
This new data is very encouraging for Louth. It shows that our county is leading the way nationally in building new homes and reducing waiting times for first time buyers. I want to acknowledge the strong partnership across our communities, planners, housing bodies and developers, all of whom are helping to deliver real results for people in Louth.
Mayor of Drogheda, Councillor Michelle Hall, also welcomed the findings.
I’m proud to see Drogheda Rural recognised as having the fastest rate of home building in the country; no other electoral area performs better.
The Port Access Northern Cross Route has been central to this surge, unlocking major landbanks for housing after years of planning and showing what long term investment can achieve for our growing town.
Chief Executive of Louth County Council, David Conway, said the figures reflect strong progress, while noting there is still work to be done.
These figures show that Louth is delivering homes at a rate that leads the country. Drogheda Rural, in particular, stands out as the best performing area in Ireland, while Dundalk South is also showing positive progress.
There is room for continuous improvement overall, particularly in areas such as Dundalk Carlingford and Ardee, and we are hopeful that new opportunities, especially around land activation, will help us to bring those waiting times down.
The strong growth in new homes last year reflects the hard work of many partners, and this data gives reassurance that progress is being made in Louth.
