Ireland has 5,525,600 people
That is the estimate for April 2026, and it is still about 1,003,000 fewer than lived here before the Famine. The 1841 census found 6,528,799 people in what is now the State.
Only 5 counties have more people than in 1841
Dublin, Kildare, Wicklow, Meath and Louth have grown past their pre-Famine count: Dublin, and the counties within commuting distance of it. Every other county is still smaller than it was, and Leitrim has 23% of the people it had in 1841.
| County | 1841 | 2022 | 2022 against 1841 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dublin | 372,773 | 1,458,154 | 391% |
| Kildare | 114,488 | 247,774 | 216% |
| Wicklow | 126,143 | 155,851 | 124% |
| Meath | 183,828 | 220,826 | 120% |
| Louth | 128,240 | 139,703 | 109% |
| Wexford | 202,033 | 163,919 | 81% |
| Carlow | 86,228 | 61,968 | 72% |
| Cork | 854,118 | 584,156 | 68% |
| Westmeath | 141,300 | 96,221 | 68% |
| Waterford | 196,187 | 127,363 | 65% |
| Limerick | 330,029 | 209,536 | 63% |
| Galway | 440,198 | 277,737 | 63% |
| Laois | 153,930 | 91,877 | 60% |
| Offaly | 146,857 | 83,150 | 57% |
| Donegal | 296,448 | 167,084 | 56% |
| Kerry | 293,880 | 156,458 | 53% |
| Kilkenny | 202,420 | 104,160 | 51% |
| Clare | 286,394 | 127,938 | 45% |
| Longford | 115,491 | 46,751 | 40% |
| Sligo | 180,886 | 70,198 | 39% |
| Tipperary | 435,553 | 167,895 | 39% |
| Mayo | 388,887 | 137,970 | 35% |
| Cavan | 243,158 | 81,704 | 34% |
| Monaghan | 200,442 | 65,288 | 33% |
| Roscommon | 253,591 | 70,259 | 28% |
| Leitrim | 155,297 | 35,199 | 23% |
County figures are from the 2022 census, the most recent count by county.
Where this year's growth came from
The population grew by 66,900 in the year to April 2026. About 72% of that was people moving here.
- Births
- 54,300
- Deaths
- 35,400
- Moved to Ireland
- 110,600
- Left Ireland
- 62,500
Ages
992,400 people are under 15 (18%), 3,642,100 are 15 to 64 (66%) and 891,100 are 65 or over (16%).
Citizenship
At the 2022 census, 84% of people usually living in Ireland were Irish citizens, including those who also hold another citizenship. 631,785 held another citizenship only. The largest groups:
| Polish | 93,680 |
| British | 83,347 |
| Indian | 45,449 |
| Romanian | 43,323 |
| Lithuanian | 31,177 |
| Brazilian | 27,338 |
| Italian | 18,319 |
| Latvian | 18,300 |
Where people living here were born, country by country, is on the migration map. The census was taken on 3 April 2022, weeks after the first arrivals from Ukraine, so it counted 11,791 Ukrainian citizens. There are far more now.
Questions
What is the population of Ireland?
5,525,600 in April 2026, according to the Central Statistics Office's annual estimate. That is up 67,000 on a year earlier. These figures are for the Republic of Ireland; Northern Ireland's population is published by NISRA.
Is the population bigger now than before the Famine?
No. The 1841 census counted 6,528,799 people in what is now the State. Today's population is about 1,003,200 short of that, around 85% of the pre-Famine figure.
When was the population of Ireland at its lowest?
In 1961, when the census counted 2,818,341. It has almost doubled since.
Why is the population growing?
In the year to April 2026 there were 54,300 births and 35,400 deaths, a natural increase of 18,800. 110,600 people moved to Ireland and 62,500 left, adding 48,100. Together that is 66,900 more people than a year before.
What is the population density of Ireland?
About 73 people per square kilometre at the 2022 census, across 70,265 square kilometres.
Which county has the most people, and which the fewest?
Dublin, with 1,458,154 at the 2022 census, and Leitrim, with 35,199. Leitrim is also the county furthest below its 1841 count, at 23% of it.
How many people in Ireland are not Irish citizens?
At the 2022 census, 631,785 people usually living in Ireland held another citizenship, 12.4% of the population. People with Irish and another citizenship are counted as Irish.
Source: Central Statistics Office, adapted, CC BY 4.0.
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