The Central Statistics Office today released two further publications in its series of Census 2011 results,
showing that the population density for the State in 2011 was 67 persons per km2, up from 62 persons
per km2 recorded in 2006.
Today’s two publications, “Profile 1 Town and Country – Population Distribution and Movements” and
the “Population by Area” volume examine topics including the geographic distribution of the population,
population density and internal migration.
Deirdre Cullen, Senior Statistician at the CSO: “This profile report is the first of ten profile reports
examining the definitive results of Census 2011 in more detail. This continues our publishing approach
of presenting more interpretation and analysis of the data accompanied by illustrative presentations,
thematic maps and easy to read commentary”.
The full reports are available on the CSO website at http://www.cso.ie/en/census/along with all the data which is
available in a range of interactive web tables, allowing users to build their own tables by selecting the
data they are interested in and downloading them in an easy to use format for their own analysis.
In co-operation with the All Ireland Research Observatory (AIRO) at NUI Maynooth, summary census
data is now available in thematic maps for Electoral Districts and all Small Areas on the AIRO website.
Just follow the link from the CSO website.
Other topics will be covered in further profile reports to be released throughout 2012 and in two
summary publications, “This is Ireland – Highlights from Census 2011, Part 1” (published in March
2012), dealing with demographic factors and “This is Ireland – Highlights from Census 2011, Part 2”
(due in June 2012) which will cover socio-economic themes. A complete list of planned publications can
be found in the appendices of both reports.
Population density in Ireland
The population density for the State in 2011 was 67 persons per km2, up from 62 persons per km2
recorded in 2006. The average population density in urban areas was 1,736 persons per km2 compared
to 26 persons per km2 in rural areas.
Urban and rural land area
In 2011 the urban population (comprising 62 per cent of the total population) lived on just 2.4 per cent of
the total land area.
Urbanisation
Leitrim is the most rural county in the country with almost 90 per cent of the population living in a rural
setting. No county showed an increase in the share of the rural population since 2006.
Towns and Cities
Drogheda has maintained its position as the largest town in Ireland with 38,578 persons. Ennis (25,360)
remained the largest town in Munster. The largest town in Connacht was Sligo with a population of
19,452 while Letterkenny was the largest town in Ulster (part of) with 19,588 persons.
The fastest growing towns in percentage terms in 2011 were primarily within the 1,500-3,000 population
range. Saggart in South Dublin was the fastest growing town between 2006 and 2011 when its
population increased by almost 150 per cent from 868 in 2006 to 2,144 in 2011.
City Life
Three-quarters of Irish residents enumerated in Cork city were born in County Cork. In contrast fewer
than half of those in Galway city were born in County Galway, while one in four were born outside the
State making Galway the most international of the five cities. One in five Irish residents enumerated in
Dublin city was born outside the State.
Who moved?
Just over 273,000 usual residents (or 6.2 per cent of all usual residents aged one year or over) moved in
the year to April 2011, compared with 322,030 movers in 2006, a fall of 15 per cent. 14,707 households
who moved bought their new home with a mortgage or loan.
14,739 people over the age of one moved out of County Dublin in the year leading up to Census 2011
with Kildare their most common destination.
For copies of the publication:
To view and download the publication, visit the CSO website at http://www.cso.ie/en/census/census2011reports/.
For further information contact:
Shaun McLaughlin on 01 895 1474
Central Statistics Office, Swords Business Campus, Balheary Road, Swords, Co. Dublin.
Census Enquiries: (01) 895 1460
Fax: 01 895 1399
E-mail: census@cso.ie
Internet: www.cso.ie
Further information about Census 2011 is available on www.census.ie
Central Statistics Office 26 April 2012
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