Armagh has placed well ahead of Belfast in a nationwide comparison of sexual wellness purchases, ranking 77th in Lovehoney’s UK-wide table. Belfast was ranked 206th, leaving the Northern Ireland capital 129 places behind Armagh.
The ranking was published on 22 August 2026 and was based on one year of recorded sales data from 698 towns across the UK. Lovehoney said the analysis measured purchasing patterns, not responses to a survey.
How Armagh compares across Northern Ireland
Although Armagh finished ahead of Belfast, it was not the highest-ranked Northern Ireland location in the table. Six towns placed above it nationally.
Enniskillen was the top-ranked Northern Ireland location, coming eighth in the UK. It was followed by Dungannon in 14th, Ballyclare in 17th, Ballymena in 28th, Newry in 31st and Ballymoney in 37th.
The supplied results do not include a detailed category breakdown for Armagh, meaning the city’s overall 77th-place position is the main comparison available from the analysis.
What the figures show — and do not show
Lovehoney’s results reflect recorded purchases through the company’s data rather than residents’ answers about their personal habits. The figures therefore indicate buying behaviour in the company’s analysis, but do not provide a survey of Armagh residents or explain why the city achieved its position.
Other Northern Ireland locations recorded notable results in individual categories. Ballymoney ranked 14th nationally for anal sex toy purchases, 18th for vibrators and 20th for strap-ons.
Enniskillen, described in the report as having a population of about 14,000, ranked fourth nationally for butt plug purchases, ninth for vibrators and 14th for role-play products.
Ballyclare was ranked 14th for strap-ons, 15th for bondage, 20th for vibrators, 17th for butt plugs and 23rd for anal sex toys. Ballymena ranked 27th nationally for strap-ons, 35th for vibrators and 40th for bondage; its favourite lubricant was identified as the Fruity Lubricant Trio.
How Lovehoney’s map works
Lovehoney said its interactive map allows users to compare their town with locations throughout the UK. Waltham Cross in Hertfordshire topped the overall table for per-capita purchases, ranking first for vibrators and third for strap-ons.
Londonderry was not included in the analysis. Lovehoney sex and relationship expert Annabelle Knight said:
“Sexual wellness doesn’t only exist in big cities, it’s for everyone. Our data often shows strong engagement from smaller communities, where people may value the privacy, choice, and convenience of shopping online. It’s always great to see pleasure alive and well in every corner of the UK, and the sex map is a reminder that sometimes the most unexpected places have the most interesting stories to tell.”
The findings were reported by the Belfast Telegraph on Sunday, 23 August 2026. The original Armagh Journal report was published at 21:00 on 22 August and updated at 17:31 on 23 August.