Census 2022: Population exceeds 5m for first time since 1851

PRELIMINARY Census results were released today, with the population now above 5.1 million.

According to the Central Statistics Office (CSO), the population on April 3, 2022, was 5.1m, an increase of 7.6 per cent from Census 2016.

This is an increase of 361,671 in the past five years.

It’s the highest population recorded in a census since 1841 and the first time the population has exceeded 5 million in a census since 1851, the CSO said.

Longford saw the biggest percentage increase of 14.1 per cent followed by Meath on 12.9 per cent.

According to preliminary results, Dublin’s population has increased by 7.1 per cent, rising in the past five years from 1,347,359 to 1,450,701.

Dublin also recorded the largest inward migration at 46,559.

A further breakdown of population stats for constituencies show that Dublin Mid-West experienced a 10.5 per cent increase in population since the 2016 census, jumping from 114,986 to 130,415.

The population of Dublin South-West rose from 150,564 to 158,636 (5.4 per cent increase) while Dublin South Central increased from 119,392 to 127,169 (6.5 per cent).

The national housing stock has increased to 2.1m, an increase of six percent (120,945).

Read more on the Central Statistic’s website HERE and see The Echo Newspaper next week for analysis of local results.