Armagh has been placed 77th in a UK-wide ranking based on sexual wellness purchases, in an unusual analysis that puts the city ahead of Belfast and several places across Northern Ireland.
The list was published by Lovehoney, a company that sells sexual wellness products, using one year of sales data from 698 towns across the UK. The company said the analysis was intended to show purchasing trends and identify hotspots in different locations.
How Armagh compared
Armagh’s overall position was 77th. It ranked below a number of Northern Ireland towns, including Dungannon in 14th place, Ballyclare in 17th, Ballymena in 28th and Newry in 31st.
Ballymoney also featured prominently, ranking 37th overall. According to the analysis, it was 14th in the UK for anal sex toy purchases, 18th for vibrators and 20th for strap-ons.
Enniskillen was the strongest Northern Ireland performer. The County Fermanagh town ranked eighth overall despite having a population of about 14,000, according to the report. It also placed fourth nationally for butt plug purchases, ninth for vibrators and 14th for role-play products.
At the top of the UK table was Waltham Cross in Hertfordshire, which recorded the highest per-capita purchases. It ranked first for vibrators and third for strap-ons.
Northern Ireland’s results
Ballyclare’s overall ranking was supported by a series of high category positions. The town ranked 14th for strap-ons, 15th for bondage, 20th for vibrators, 17th for butt plugs and 23rd for anal sex toys.
Ballymena performed particularly strongly in the fantasy and role-play categories. Its residents ranked 27th nationally for strap-ons, 35th for vibrators and 40th for bondage. The analysis also identified the Fruity Lubricant Trio as the town’s favourite lubricant.
Belfast was placed 206th. Londonderry was not ranked in the survey.
What Lovehoney said
Lovehoney said an interactive map allows users to explore how their town compares with others across the country.
“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 comment was made by Lovehoney sex and relationship expert Annabelle Knight.
The findings were reported by the Belfast Telegraph on Sunday, 23 August 2026. The Armagh Journal article was published at 08:09 on 23 August and updated at 09:14 the same day.