Figures 3.1 and 3.2 compare the population in the aggregate urban and rural areas in the State to illustrate how urban and rural populations differ. The urban population peaks at age 36 reflecting the migration of young adults moving to work and study in towns and cities. In rural areas, a peak can be seen at age 45, and also at age 8, reflecting a more family oriented population structure.
The decline in persons aged 19 to 25 years in rural areas, as young adults move away to study and work, is a strong feature of the rural population.
| Male | Female | |
| 100+ | -0.00174158787935217 | 0.00753571678565843 |
| 99 | -0.00120571468570535 | 0.00455492214599798 |
| 98 | -0.00160761958094046 | 0.0075022247110555 |
| 97 | -0.00371762028092482 | 0.00998063823167205 |
| 96 | -0.00633000209995308 | 0.01728191049511 |
| 95 | -0.00696635151740868 | 0.022272229610946 |
| 94 | -0.00954524126183401 | 0.0308796927838981 |
| 93 | -0.0137317505871998 | 0.0389847748378063 |
| 92 | -0.0185211172554183 | 0.0479941429059934 |
| 91 | -0.0234109601474455 | 0.0605871629566937 |
| 90 | -0.030913184858501 | 0.0734146275296145 |
| 89 | -0.0385158857933653 | 0.0829933608660515 |
| 88 | -0.0472238251901261 | 0.0980647944373683 |
| 87 | -0.0606876391805025 | 0.11387305364995 |
| 86 | -0.0742854214692906 | 0.128676550624443 |
| 85 | -0.0896247916374309 | 0.142910682330687 |
| 84 | -0.100241779286559 | 0.158183068349621 |
| 83 | -0.115681625678508 | 0.167460373014632 |
| 82 | -0.132025758084736 | 0.190536412416048 |
| 81 | -0.147733541073508 | 0.204502607525468 |
| 80 | -0.16126433921309 | 0.216928167203154 |
| 79 | -0.174024819636805 | 0.228851345761796 |
| 78 | -0.186517363463697 | 0.235717221055396 |
| 77 | -0.204368639227056 | 0.254104370012402 |
| 76 | -0.218569278858697 | 0.263750087498045 |
| 75 | -0.221483089349152 | 0.269812153001175 |
| 74 | -0.246200240406111 | 0.277146917339215 |
| 73 | -0.264520405213912 | 0.310906928538965 |
| 72 | -0.286189777482006 | 0.325208044394415 |
| 71 | -0.303806608723145 | 0.341083287756202 |
| 70 | -0.338437413862571 | 0.369719011541704 |
| 69 | -0.356690594521166 | 0.385192350008256 |
| 68 | -0.371259646973438 | 0.397885846282765 |
| 67 | -0.373168695225805 | 0.411919025541391 |
| 66 | -0.385527270754285 | 0.427861253052384 |
| 65 | -0.398321243252603 | 0.424210616920665 |
| 64 | -0.406727753977937 | 0.436334747926924 |
| 63 | -0.424411569368283 | 0.453784118795049 |
| 62 | -0.42873204699206 | 0.456865389658518 |
| 61 | -0.442899194549098 | 0.47863523815042 |
| 60 | -0.454119039541078 | 0.491228258201121 |
| 59 | -0.470865076842541 | 0.496653974286795 |
| 58 | -0.478802698523435 | 0.513299535364449 |
| 57 | -0.515074615318404 | 0.540160179195996 |
| 56 | -0.513500487812067 | 0.546188752624523 |
| 55 | -0.537614781526173 | 0.57271447571004 |
| 54 | -0.543509386656289 | 0.568327013937057 |
| 53 | -0.553389548664152 | 0.595991467559074 |
| 52 | -0.562532885030751 | 0.605335756373291 |
| 51 | -0.586814639117872 | 0.623454968733474 |
| 50 | -0.596393372454309 | 0.6111633773542 |
| 49 | -0.594651784574957 | 0.61220163166689 |
| 48 | -0.610694488309759 | 0.628746716520736 |
| 47 | -0.625029096239811 | 0.638928307200026 |
| 46 | -0.667497046836322 | 0.684578004883814 |
| 45 | -0.716964841024844 | 0.717668174591506 |
| 44 | -0.706414837524922 | 0.719376270396255 |
| 43 | -0.734615164340586 | 0.74312215128973 |
| 42 | -0.737528974831041 | 0.751696122388079 |
| 41 | -0.757590727518194 | 0.76636565106416 |
| 40 | -0.792388993030634 | 0.799187884175028 |
| 39 | -0.793795660163957 | 0.812216301195567 |
| 38 | -0.828895354347824 | 0.842761073233436 |
| 37 | -0.861349174638059 | 0.905692681412334 |
| 36 | -0.956634126883385 | 0.984432548803814 |
| 35 | -0.942299518953333 | 0.982289056029226 |
| 34 | -0.894506328494956 | 0.959614921523045 |
| 33 | -0.860712825220604 | 0.961289525253192 |
| 32 | -0.831574720316058 | 0.910749984677376 |
| 31 | -0.803005980679762 | 0.87143028909354 |
| 30 | -0.809135030332097 | 0.888846167887062 |
| 29 | -0.737461990681835 | 0.819417097235196 |
| 28 | -0.699816898828146 | 0.78066676691961 |
| 27 | -0.754275012132504 | 0.797178359698853 |
| 26 | -0.674028001383893 | 0.716161031234374 |
| 25 | -0.695128008383736 | 0.706716266196349 |
| 24 | -0.647569262447581 | 0.677243240545773 |
| 23 | -0.635277671068307 | 0.637756084588923 |
| 22 | -0.633067194144514 | 0.644856404404744 |
| 21 | -0.629717986684221 | 0.640100529811128 |
| 20 | -0.64927735825233 | 0.658152758022105 |
| 19 | -0.640435450557157 | 0.645358785523788 |
| 18 | -0.627741954282648 | 0.620809094839843 |
| 17 | -0.606440994835187 | 0.577269397856038 |
| 16 | -0.603895597165365 | 0.571475268949732 |
| 15 | -0.606675439357408 | 0.58701559156549 |
| 14 | -0.618598617916049 | 0.600077500660631 |
| 13 | -0.628143859177883 | 0.616555601365271 |
| 12 | -0.645593230046008 | 0.609153852878024 |
| 11 | -0.641942593914289 | 0.606005597865349 |
| 10 | -0.646430531911081 | 0.622182269898563 |
| 9 | -0.678147526560053 | 0.648205611865036 |
| 8 | -0.732337703267587 | 0.712878807923287 |
| 7 | -0.751997551059505 | 0.725706272496208 |
| 6 | -0.769178985330806 | 0.741146118888157 |
| 5 | -0.775107082535524 | 0.749117232643653 |
| 4 | -0.771255493956188 | 0.734514688116777 |
| 3 | -0.738935641964364 | 0.715993570861359 |
| 2 | -0.736055323548512 | 0.704070392302717 |
| 1 | -0.719811667366093 | 0.685616259196505 |
| 0 | -0.706716266196349 | 0.672989747071202 |
| Male | Female | |
| 100+ | -0.00180171658547681 | 0.00827663556453411 |
| 99 | -0.00213953844525372 | 0.00608079347598424 |
| 98 | -0.00253366394832677 | 0.007488384558388 |
| 97 | -0.00456059510698818 | 0.0137380889642607 |
| 96 | -0.00743208091509185 | 0.0210012589494641 |
| 95 | -0.0101346557933071 | 0.0280392143614829 |
| 94 | -0.0134565707477799 | 0.0349645624869094 |
| 93 | -0.0189743277908027 | 0.0462815947894356 |
| 92 | -0.0232534046813101 | 0.0573734125187773 |
| 91 | -0.035189777060094 | 0.0700980359037073 |
| 90 | -0.0422277324721128 | 0.0851874123070756 |
| 89 | -0.0544456230673774 | 0.102810452658771 |
| 88 | -0.0648617970771653 | 0.106301278543132 |
| 87 | -0.0770233840291338 | 0.124149533468012 |
| 86 | -0.0985313757682632 | 0.141941484749595 |
| 85 | -0.122347816882535 | 0.159395614171402 |
| 84 | -0.135635476700426 | 0.167841160665824 |
| 83 | -0.154722411777821 | 0.184788557297966 |
| 82 | -0.17594888530047 | 0.201735953930107 |
| 81 | -0.193403014722277 | 0.217838795912806 |
| 80 | -0.217557277696325 | 0.232590350456397 |
| 79 | -0.234673585258355 | 0.240979593307524 |
| 78 | -0.246947779496916 | 0.253141180259492 |
| 77 | -0.270201184178226 | 0.273297884559514 |
| 76 | -0.29441175079557 | 0.286022507944444 |
| 75 | -0.311302843784416 | 0.295650430948086 |
| 74 | -0.334443641179133 | 0.31665168989755 |
| 73 | -0.377966357447058 | 0.356120543848151 |
| 72 | -0.415183065665813 | 0.382921078057119 |
| 71 | -0.445924854905511 | 0.418730195193471 |
| 70 | -0.483310474054155 | 0.455665385195745 |
| 69 | -0.512644672211449 | 0.475596874922582 |
| 68 | -0.538600651770975 | 0.4987376723173 |
| 67 | -0.559207785217366 | 0.510617741052788 |
| 66 | -0.554590886467082 | 0.529817283416775 |
| 65 | -0.57581735998973 | 0.527565137684929 |
| 64 | -0.577562772931911 | 0.54130322664919 |
| 63 | -0.610950833406528 | 0.581616635249234 |
| 62 | -0.604419610784175 | 0.569961781086931 |
| 61 | -0.631220144993142 | 0.592258023832206 |
| 60 | -0.633021861578619 | 0.58533267570678 |
| 59 | -0.639665691487565 | 0.608248258528313 |
| 58 | -0.653009654948752 | 0.631051234063254 |
| 57 | -0.66415777632139 | 0.628123444611854 |
| 56 | -0.65948457392781 | 0.650532294643722 |
| 55 | -0.690958310530358 | 0.666184707480052 |
| 54 | -0.683413622328674 | 0.660103914004067 |
| 53 | -0.704302273991545 | 0.680148011017497 |
| 52 | -0.721080759693798 | 0.704133363061657 |
| 51 | -0.727724589602744 | 0.717139504663068 |
| 50 | -0.729582609831517 | 0.730539771767552 |
| 49 | -0.734987759587947 | 0.719053828535137 |
| 48 | -0.736507957956943 | 0.723952245501902 |
| 47 | -0.747149346539916 | 0.711171318473676 |
| 46 | -0.765448030611165 | 0.74562914817092 |
| 45 | -0.779017208645537 | 0.77620202648073 |
| 44 | -0.756608358613669 | 0.765898459757534 |
| 43 | -0.761000042790769 | 0.768544730992453 |
| 42 | -0.748050204832654 | 0.755651196677635 |
| 41 | -0.734987759587947 | 0.755482285747746 |
| 40 | -0.724177460075087 | 0.733692775792136 |
| 39 | -0.69253481254265 | 0.707342670729538 |
| 38 | -0.679528670941239 | 0.71505626986111 |
| 37 | -0.663031703455467 | 0.71212848040971 |
| 36 | -0.694167618198238 | 0.726936338596598 |
| 35 | -0.659034144781441 | 0.696813889433157 |
| 34 | -0.60346244884814 | 0.661004772296806 |
| 33 | -0.579420793160684 | 0.620015719977208 |
| 32 | -0.528184477761187 | 0.583812477337784 |
| 31 | -0.496879652088527 | 0.535672862319575 |
| 30 | -0.48381720684382 | 0.509885793689938 |
| 29 | -0.452399773884569 | 0.465743737345756 |
| 28 | -0.425486632389009 | 0.433256535163877 |
| 27 | -0.434551518959689 | 0.428527029127001 |
| 26 | -0.425542936032305 | 0.404879498942618 |
| 25 | -0.452624988457753 | 0.415689798455478 |
| 24 | -0.43556498453902 | 0.412311579857709 |
| 23 | -0.467545453931233 | 0.429090065559962 |
| 22 | -0.474301891126771 | 0.437591915697681 |
| 21 | -0.484492850563374 | 0.443560101887073 |
| 20 | -0.513601834147484 | 0.460451194875918 |
| 19 | -0.574128250690846 | 0.505831931372615 |
| 18 | -0.711678051263341 | 0.640453942493711 |
| 17 | -0.756326840397188 | 0.706160294220318 |
| 16 | -0.74050551663097 | 0.717477326522845 |
| 15 | -0.752723407226235 | 0.711283925760268 |
| 14 | -0.760774828217584 | 0.727105249526486 |
| 13 | -0.763590010382392 | 0.720968152407206 |
| 12 | -0.766855621693569 | 0.745516540884328 |
| 11 | -0.779749156008387 | 0.726542213093525 |
| 10 | -0.780706317944421 | 0.734706241371467 |
| 9 | -0.791685528387171 | 0.74810650847595 |
| 8 | -0.820794511971281 | 0.776708759270395 |
| 7 | -0.810772463464566 | 0.768263212775972 |
| 6 | -0.792023350246948 | 0.751935156220089 |
| 5 | -0.770684269437707 | 0.743545913368962 |
| 4 | -0.742476144146335 | 0.714436929784853 |
| 3 | -0.716294950013625 | 0.67074530258704 |
| 2 | -0.678684116291797 | 0.634260541731134 |
| 1 | -0.638032885831976 | 0.604363307140878 |
| 0 | -0.606671756516021 | 0.579195578587499 |
The difference in average age between rural and urban areas increased between 2011 and 2016. In 2016 the average age of the population living in rural areas was 2.4 years older than the population in urban areas, compared to a difference of 1.9 years in 2011.
The small rural population in South Dublin was on average 6.5 years older than the urban parts of the county. The counties of Meath, Fingal and Laois had rural populations which were more than 4 years older than their urban counterparts.
Monaghan had the least difference between rural and urban population, with its rural inhabitants on average 0.6 years older than urban dwellers.
| Difference 2011 | Difference 2016 | |
| Monaghan | -0.599999999999994 | 0.600000000000001 |
| Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown | 3.59999999999999 | 0.700000000000003 |
| Wexford | 0.5 | 0.899999999999999 |
| Kerry | 1.2 | 1.2 |
| Waterford City and County | 0.799999999999997 | 1.2 |
| Louth | 0.299999999999997 | 1.3 |
| Tipperary | 0.800000000000004 | 1.40000000000001 |
| Offaly | 1.6 | 2 |
| Wicklow | 1.8 | 2.1 |
| Kilkenny | 1.4 | 2.2 |
| Sligo | 1.09999999999999 | 2.2 |
| Clare | 2.3 | 2.3 |
| State | 1.9 | 2.4 |
| Donegal | 1.4 | 2.4 |
| Carlow | 1.5 | 2.6 |
| Cork County | 2.6 | 2.6 |
| Galway County | 1.90000000000001 | 2.6 |
| Westmeath | 2.3 | 2.7 |
| Limerick City and County | 2.3 | 2.8 |
| Kildare | 2.7 | 2.9 |
| Roscommon | 2.3 | 3 |
| Leitrim | 3.59999999999999 | 3.1 |
| Longford | 2.2 | 3.5 |
| Cavan | 2.9 | 3.59999999999999 |
| Mayo | 3.3 | 3.9 |
| Laois | 4.09999999999999 | 4.3 |
| Fingal | 4.2 | 4.8 |
| Meath | 5.6 | 5.4 |
| South Dublin | 7.3 | 6.5 |
Interactive table: StatBank Link E3012
Longwood in Meath, with a population of 1,581 was the youngest of the small towns with an average age of just 28.9 while Balbriggan in Dublin was the youngest of the large towns at 30.8. The town with the oldest average age was Castlerea in Roscommon with an average age of 44.1 while Killarney in Kerry was the oldest among the larger towns.
The large towns (10,000+ persons) with the oldest populations were Killarney, Wexford and Malahide while Balbriggan, Maynooth and Ashbourne were the youngest.
| Table 3.1 Oldest and youngest settlement populations, top 5 by town size, 2016 | |||||||||
| Town size | Youngest towns | Oldest towns | |||||||
| Settlement Name | Average Age 2011 | Average Age 2016 | Population 2016 | Settlement Name | Average Age 2011 | Average Age 2016 | Population 2016 | ||
| 1,500 - 9,999 | Longwood, Meath | 28.2 | 28.9 | 1,581 | Castlerea, Roscommon | 43.7 | 44.1 | 1,992 | |
| Stamullen, Meath | 27.4 | 29.0 | 3,361 | Ballyshannon, Donegal | 41.5 | 43.8 | 2,299 | ||
| Enfield, Meath | 28.2 | 29.0 | 3,239 | Boyle, Roscommon | 41.4 | 43.6 | 2,568 | ||
| Tullyallen, Louth | 28.2 | 29.1 | 1,547 | Clifden, Galway | 38.2 | 42.3 | 1,597 | ||
| Carrigtwohill, Cork | 28.9 | 29.4 | 5,080 | Daingean Uí Chuis/Dingle, Kerry | 40.6 | 42.3 | 2,050 | ||
| 10,000 or over | Balbriggan, Dublin | 29.5 | 30.8 | 21,722 | Killarney, Kerry | 38.9 | 40.9 | 14,504 | |
| Maynooth, Kildare | 31.3 | 31.9 | 14,585 | Wexford | 38.0 | 39.4 | 20,188 | ||
| Ashbourne, Meath | 31.1 | 32.2 | 12,679 | Malahide, Dublin | 37.3 | 38.6 | 16,550 | ||
| An Uaimh/Navan, Meath | 31.9 | 33.1 | 30,173 | Clonmel, Tipperary | 37.5 | 38.5 | 17,140 | ||
| Portlaoise, Laois | 32.0 | 33.2 | 22,050 | Sligo | 37.4 | 38.5 | 19,199 | ||
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