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Introduction

Census 2022 Results

CSO statistical publication, , 11am
Census Results 2022 Branding

This publication contains preliminary data from Census 2022 as published in June 2022, which has now been superseded.  To view the final data with complete and up-to-date Census 2022 information, please refer to the Census 2022 Main Results publications. 

Key Findings

The preliminary population on Sunday 3 April 2022 was 5,123,536 persons. This is the first time that a census has recorded a population of over five million people in over 170 years. The population increased by 361,671 persons, or 8%, since April 2016.

  • Population growth occurred in every county between 2016 and 2022.

  • The population increase of 361,671 was made up of a natural increase of 171,338 and estimated net inward migration of 190,333.

  • The housing stock in Ireland increased by over 120,000 units (6%) between 2016 and 2022.

  • The number of occupied households increased by over 150,000 (9%) while the number of vacant dwellings fell by over 16,500 (-9%).

  • At a State level Census vacancy rate has fallen to less than 8% in 2022, down from over 9% in 2016 and 12% in 2011.

Statistician's Comment

Commenting on the release, Deirdre Lynch, Statistician, said: “This Preliminary Census publication is based on the Census of Population taken on the night of Sunday, 3 April 2022. This is the first publication by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) providing insights into Ireland’s Census of Population and housing figures for 2022. This release includes an analysis of geographical changes of the population, components of population change and housing.  The population increased by 7.6% compared with the 2016 census with 5,123,536 persons present in Ireland on Census Night. This is the first time that a census has recorded a population of over five million people in over 170 years.  The housing stock in Ireland increased by over 120,000 units (6%) between 2016 and 2022. The number of occupied households increased by over 150,000 (9%) while the number of vacant dwellings fell by over 16,500 (-9%). Our analysis shows where these changes have occurred across the country, with some interesting trends compared with the previous census six years ago”.

Preliminary population count of 5.12 million

The preliminary population enumerated on Census Night, Sunday 3 April 2022 was 5,123,536 persons. This is the first time that a census has recorded a population of over five million people in over 170 years.  The population increased by 361,671 persons, or 7.6%, since April 2016. The average annual population increase in the six years since Census 2016 was 1.2%.

Table 1.1 Change in population 2006-2022
Census Year Population Actual change since previous censusAverage annual percentage change since previous census
20064,239,848322,6452.1%
20114,588,252348,4041.6%
20164,761,865173,6130.8%
20225,123,536361,6711.2%

Highest population on record

The Census 2022 population of 5,123,536 persons is the highest figure on record for a census since 1841. The graph below shows the change in population over time.  

Year Population
18416528799
18515111557
18614402111
18714053187
18813870020
18913468694
19013221823
19113139688
19262971992
19362968420
19462955107
19512960593
19562898264
19612818341
19662884002
19712978248
19793368217
19813443405
19863540643
19913525719
19963626087
20023917203
20064239848
20114588252
20164761865
20225123536

Sex ratio lowest since 1871

Figure 1.2 below represents the sex ratio from 1841 to 2022.  Based on the preliminary population figures, the sex ratio has declined to the lowest level since 1871.  The sex ratio declined from 97.8 in 2016 to 97.5 in 2022.

Males per 1,000 females
1841975
1851953
1861971
1871967
1881977
1891993
1901999
19111025
19261029
19361050
19461024
19511036
19561019
19611011
19661010
19711009
19791011
19811009
1986999
1991989
1996986
2002987
20061001
2011981
2016978
2022975

The Preliminary Population Count is based on summaries sent to the Central Statistics Office (CSO) by Census Enumerators across the country prior to the return of the collected census forms. These summaries include counts of males and females from which the sex ratio can be calculated.

Housing stock growth, vacancy decline

The housing stock grew by 120,945 (6%) to over 2.1 million between 2016 and 2022.  This represents a marked increase compared with the intercensal period between 2011 and 2016 when the housing stock only increased by 8,800 or less than one percent. 

The number of dwellings categorised as vacant declined from 183,312 in 2016 to 166,752 in 2022.  This represents a fall of 9%.

Year% Housing stock change % Population change
19968.52.8
2002168
200621.28.2
201112.78.2
20160.43.8
202267.6