Jobs grow in Lisburn and Castlereagh as median pay reaches £2,659 a month
WageSight Wire · Jul 2026
- Employment
- 68,239 workers (May 2026)
- Monthly change
- +0.0% (+8 workers)
- Annual change
- +1.5% (+1,028 workers)
- Median pay
- £2,659/month (YoY: +2.7%, £70 more in cash terms)
- Total pay bill
- +5.6% on the year
- Real pay vs Feb 2022
- +£42 better off in real terms
Payrolled employment in Lisburn and Castlereagh continued to grow in May 2026, with workers up 1.5% year-on-year, 1,028 more than a year ago, and was broadly unchanged on the month.
Across Northern Ireland, payrolled employment edged up 1.3% over the year to May 2026. Lisburn and Castlereagh ranked 3rd of 11 towns and cities in Northern Ireland by employment change over the past year.
The median pay packet for workers in Lisburn and Castlereagh stood at £2,659 in May 2026, up 2.7% over the past year, broadly matching inflation of 2.97%. After a period of sharp inflation from 2022 that eroded real earnings, wages have been recovering. But workers in Lisburn and Castlereagh are still only £42 a month better off in real terms than in February 2022, when median earnings stood at £2,111 a month. The total pay bill in Lisburn and Castlereagh rose 5.6% over the year, faster than headcount, suggesting average earnings per worker are improving.
Lisburn and Castlereagh outperformed the UK as a whole, where payrolled employment edged down 0.4% over the year to May 2026. Across the UK, 539,199 workers entered payrolled employment in April 2026, the most recently available flow data, while 591,851 left, a net loss of 52,652 workers.
“The employment picture in Lisburn and Castlereagh is genuinely encouraging. More people in work and real pay rising means households have more money in their pockets. That kind of momentum matters for local businesses and public services alike.”
— Paul Hebden, Director, Campaign Salience
Northern Ireland — employment and pay
| # | Area | Workers | Jobs (yr) | Median pay | Pay (yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mid Ulster | 68,395 | +2.0% | £2,477 | +4.6% |
| 2 | Antrim and Newtownabbey | 67,410 | +1.8% | £2,575 | +3.8% |
| 3 | Lisburn and Castlereagh | 68,239 | +1.5% | £2,659 | +2.7% |
| 4 | Belfast | 152,091 | +1.4% | £2,486 | +3.7% |
| 5 | Armagh City Banbridge and Craigavon | 98,946 | +1.2% | £2,470 | +3.9% |
| 6 | Fermanagh and Omagh | 46,777 | +1.2% | £2,325 | +4.2% |
| 7 | Mid and East Antrim | 61,138 | +1.2% | £2,500 | +4.4% |
| 8 | Ards and North Down | 67,545 | +1.1% | £2,494 | +3.4% |
| 9 | Newry Mourne and Down | 73,184 | +1.1% | £2,353 | +4.0% |
| 10 | Derry City and Strabane | 61,264 | +0.9% | £2,340 | +3.8% |
| 11 | Causeway Coast and Glens | 55,133 | +0.4% | £2,376 | +4.7% |
Notes to editors
Figures from WageSight, derived from ONS / HMRC PAYE Real Time Information. Full method at wagesight.com/methodology.
WageSight's newswire places sourced local economic stories — with expert comment — in front of news desks across the UK. To discuss providing commentary for stories in your area or sector, contact [email protected].