A new study has ranked County Mayo as the best place to live off the grid in Ireland.
The study examined a number of factors, including square meters per population, hours of sunlight, property prices, land availability, local produce markets, and the quality of natural amenities.
Mayo topped the ranking due to its competitive property prices and the large amount of land available per capita. It also boasted one of the best natural amenities scores in the study commissioned by Calor.
Leitrim ranked second due to its low property prices and land available per capita, while Kerry completed the top three thanks to its strong performance in the natural amenities and hours of sunlight categories.
Donegal and Roscommon completed the top five, with Donegal scoring highly in natural amenities and property prices and Roscommon scoring highly in hours of sunlight and land available for sale.
The study noted that the true meaning of living off the grid means forgoing connections to public utilities such as sewers, water, and electrical lines. However, Calor said the study applies to the modern-day definition of living off the grid, which generally denotes a minimalist, efficient, and self-reliant lifestyle.
On the other hand, Dublin unsurprisingly ranked as the worst place to live off the grid in Ireland. The Irish capital offers few opportunities for off-grid living due to its limited available land.
However, Calor noted that suburbs such as Malahide boast plenty of beaches and green spaces, making them viable destinations for off-grid living.
Meath and Kildare, which both share a border with Dublin, also rank among the worst counties in Ireland for off-grid living due primarily to the high property prices in both counties. The study noted that there are viable off-grid destinations in both counties but added that they are located further afield from Dublin, including Kells and Trim.
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