Census of Population 2022 Profile 2 - Housing in Ireland

Housing Stock

The census collects data about both population and housing. Information on housing is collected in two parts. Initially, census enumerators identify all habitable dwellings in their area and then confirm whether each habitable dwelling is occupied or unoccupied. Then, in dwellings which are occupied on Census Night, the occupants complete the census form. This provides additional information about the dwelling and household such as the year the property was built and whether the householders own or rent their accommodation. See the Background Notes for further information on the conduct of the census and the definition of the housing stock.

• The total stock of habitable permanent housing in Census 2022 was 2,112,121, over 5% higher than in Census 2016.

• The number of occupied households increased by 8% to 1.85 million while the number of vacant dwellings fell by nearly 20,000 (-11%) to 163,433.

• Between the 2016 and 2022 censuses, the number of dwellings that were temporarily unoccupied on Census Night as the residents were away from home fell by over 30% to just under 35,000.

• The number of holiday homes that were not occupied on Census Night rose by 8% from 62,148 to 66,956.

Changes in Housing Stock by County

The housing stock increased in all counties between 2016 and 2022. The largest increases were in the east of Ireland, primarily around Dublin.

• The fastest growth in the housing stock was recorded in Meath and Kildare, up by over 11% in both counties.

• Growth of the housing stock was slowest in Tipperary, up 2% in six years.

• In counties such as Tipperary, Donegal and Leitrim, the number of occupied dwellings increased at more than twice the rate of the housing stock. 

Changes in Population and Housing

The housing stock increased rapidly and at a much faster rate than the population in the 1990s and 2000s.

• Over the 20-year period from 1991 to 2011, the number of homes went up by over 70% while the population grew by 30%.

• That trend has reversed over the last two censuses as population growth has been ahead of housing growth.

In counties such as Kildare, Meath and Fingal, the population grew at a similar rate to that of the housing stock. The increase in the housing stock was mainly driven by new dwelling completions in these areas.

• In some counties, the population was growing at a much faster rate than the housing stock and the number of vacant dwellings was declining as the occupied housing stock increased.

• For example, in Leitrim, the housing stock grew by less than 3%, but the population increased by almost 10% and the number of vacant dwellings fell by over 20%.

Table 1.3 above collates the data from tables FY003B - Population, actual and percentage change, 2006 to 2022 and F2020 - Housing stock, actual and percentage, 2016 to 2022.