What is the employment rate in Cork?

The employment rate in Cork was 56.8% according to Census 2022, compared to a national average of 55.2%. IrelandInsights maps employment at electoral division level for every county in Ireland.

What is the housing tenure breakdown in Cork?

In Cork, 79.3% of households are owner-occupied and 9.9% rent privately, according to Census 2022. The national averages are 76.2% owner-occupied and 11.0% privately rented.

Census Profile · Cork · 2022

County Cork — Unemployment — #30 in Ireland

Cork records one of the lowest unemployment rate figures in Ireland at 3.1%, against a national average of 4.3%. The gap reflects a highly active labour market relative to most Irish counties. Electoral division data shows the pattern is not uniform — certain EDs within Cork diverge sharply from the headline county figure.

        Cork is -1.2pp vs national on unemployment rate.
      

Key statistics — County Cork

Unemployment

3.1%

#30 of 30 counties

National Average

4.3%

unemployment rate

Owner-Occupied

79.3%

National: 76.2%

Unemployment

3.1%

National: 4.3%

Top electoral divisions — Unemployment in Cork

The electoral divisions within County Cork with the highest unemployment rate, Census 2022.

Electoral Division	Unemployment Rate
1. BANDON	7.7%
2. DOUCE	6.7%
3. SKIBBEREEN URBAN	6.7%
4. BUTTEVANT	6.6%
5. FERMOY URBAN	6.6%

Explore Cork data on the map

Every electoral division in County Cork is mapped. Hover to inspect Census 2022 figures or ask the AI analyst for a plain-language explanation.

Unemployment — #30 in Ireland — Cork map Employment — Cork Housing — Cork

County Cork — what stands out

What stands out?

County Cork has the lowest unemployment rate in Ireland — 3.1% in Census 2022.

Why does it matter?

Unemployment rate captures active labour market weakness — those who want work but cannot find it. Even small differences from the national average are meaningful: a sustained 1–2pp gap compounds over years, affecting household income, local business, and social outcomes.

How does it compare nationally?

Cork3.1%

National avg4.3%

Difference-1.2pp

Rank26 / 26

What's the likely explanation?

Below-average unemployment points to a tight local labour market — typically the result of major anchor employers (pharmaceuticals, technology, food processing, financial services), proximity to a large city employment hub, or a strong local business ecosystem. Counties with large tech or pharma campuses consistently outperform the national average, driven by the high employment density these sectors generate.

County Cork — census data context

County-level figures aggregate all electoral divisions within Cork. The map reveals the internal variation those county averages suppress — the gap between the most and least deprived EDs in Cork is typically far wider than the county-to-national difference highlighted above. View the full Cork area guide →

Compare counties

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Ireland census guides

→ Where to live in Ireland → Housing crisis by area → Home ownership rates → Education levels → Unemployment by area → Commuter towns → Deprivation map → Population growth

Data: CSO Census 2022 · County Cork · Electoral Division averages · cso.ie/census