Back to Top

 Skip navigation

A couple review their household finances. The woman sits a table with the kitchen in the background while the man stands close to her. A laptop, calculator and many documents are in front of them.

More than two-thirds (68%) of all households owned their main residence in 2023, either with or without a mortgage. The median value of the residence was €340,000, an increase of €80,000 or 30.8% from the 2020 value of €260,000. How do we know this? Because you told us.

The information you give us means we can create a very accurate picture of Ireland, our lives and our economy.

About the Household Finance and Consumption Survey

The  Household Finance and Consumption Survey (HFCS) is a voluntary nationwide survey of individuals carried out by the Central Statistics Office (CSO). It is part of an EU-wide programme and has been undertaken by the CSO previously in 2013, 2018, 2020 and 2023.

  • The purpose of the HFCS is to gather information on household economic well-being in Ireland.
  • Detailed information on household assets and liabilities is collected by the HFCS.

Why is it important?

  • The statistics we produce are used by our National government to make policy decisions and to plan for our futures.
  • The HFCS also tells us about the types and levels of debt taken on by households (e.g. mortgages, term loans, credit card debt, etc.)
  • Specialist research bodies, such as the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) can see what is happening and make proposals for policy improvements.

This survey is vitally important and we depend on your information. If you have been chosen to take part, please do so because your voice matters.

How do I know my information is secure?

Protecting your confidentiality is at the heart of everything we do. Your confidentiality is guaranteed by law under the Statistics Act, 1993, which means no individual, household or enterprise can be identified from the data we publish. The information you provide is generalised, so nobody is identifiable from the data you provide and it is only used for statistical purposes. We’d like to thank you for your trust in us.

Because confidentiality is so important to our work, we have developed a Trust & Transparency page.

Further information on the Household Finance and Consumption Survey


Contact Us

If you have any questions about your participation, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Email: CSOTakePart@cso.ie

Phone: 021 453 5110

Learn More


Further Information and Resources