Armagh has ranked ahead of Belfast in a nationwide comparison of sexual wellness purchases, placing 77th in Lovehoney’s UK-wide analysis.
The ranking, published on 22 August 2026, examined one year of sales data from 698 towns across the country. It was based on purchasing patterns rather than survey responses, with Lovehoney saying the analysis was intended to show consumer trends and identify purchasing hotspots in different locations.
How Armagh compared with other Northern Ireland locations
Armagh’s position put it well ahead of Belfast, which was ranked 206th overall. However, the city was not the highest-performing location in Northern Ireland.
Enniskillen was the highest-ranking Northern Ireland town, coming eighth in the UK table. Dungannon placed 14th, Ballyclare 17th, Ballymena 28th and Newry 31st. Ballymoney also ranked strongly at 37th.
The supplied results do not include a detailed category breakdown for Armagh, meaning the overall position is the main comparison available for local residents.
Where Northern Ireland towns performed strongly
Ballymoney’s ranking included 14th place nationally for anal sex toy purchases, 18th for vibrators and 20th for strap-ons.
Enniskillen, which the report said has a population of about 14,000, ranked fourth nationally for butt plug purchases, ninth for vibrators and 14th for role-play products.
Ballyclare’s 17th-place overall result was supported by several high category positions. It ranked 14th for strap-ons, 15th for bondage, 20th for vibrators, 17th for butt plugs and 23rd for anal sex toys.
Ballymena was particularly prominent 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.
What the map measures
Waltham Cross in Hertfordshire topped the UK table for per-capita purchases. It ranked first for vibrators and third for strap-ons. Londonderry was not included in the survey.
Lovehoney said its interactive map allows users to compare their town with locations across the UK. The company’s 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 supplied Armagh Journal material contains conflicting timestamps for its own report: one listing gives publication at 21:00 on 22 August and an update at 10:03 on 23 August, while the article text states that it was published at 08:09 and updated at 09:14 on 23 August.