What is the employment rate in Galway?

The employment rate in Galway was 55.7% 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 Galway?

In Galway, 81.6% of households are owner-occupied and 8.4% rent privately, according to Census 2022. The national averages are 76.2% owner-occupied and 11.0% privately rented.

Census Profile · Galway · 2022

County Galway — Car-dependent employment profile

Q: Is Galway a commuter county?

Yes. 76.7% of Galway workers commute by car — 5.6pp above the national figure of 71.1%. An employment rate of 55.7% and limited public transport options underpin the high car-dependency rate. Home ownership at 81.6% and third-level attainment at 53.5% reflect a working-age, car-dependent county profile. IrelandInsights maps journey time and commute mode at electoral division level.

76.7% of Galway workers commute by car — 5.6pp above the national figure of 71.1%. An employment rate of 55.7% and limited public transport options underpin the high car-dependency rate. Home ownership at 81.6% and third-level attainment at 53.5% reflect a working-age, car-dependent county profile.

        Galway is +5.6pp vs national on car commuting.
      

Key statistics — County Galway

Car Commute

76.7%

+5.6pp vs national

Employment Rate

55.7%

National: 55.2%

Owner-Occupied

81.6%

National: 76.2%

Third-Level

53.5%

National: 52.6%

Top electoral divisions — Car Commute in Galway

The electoral divisions within County Galway with the highest car commute rate, Census 2022.

Electoral Division	Car Commute Rate
1. BALLYNAKILL	86.6%
2. AILLE	85.7%
3. MOYNE	85.5%
4. CARROWBROWNE	85.2%
5. MOUNTAIN	85.1%

Explore Galway data on the map

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

Car-dependent employment profile — Galway map Employment — Galway Housing — Galway

County Galway — what stands out

What stands out?

County Galway has a housing vacancy rate of 17.3%, ranking 9th nationally — 17.3% in Census 2022.

Why does it matter?

Housing vacancy is a barometer of housing demand and population pressure. A high rate signals supply vastly exceeding demand — whether from rural depopulation, seasonal use, or post-2008 ghost estates. A low rate signals the opposite: demand that supply cannot match, which directly drives rent and price inflation.

How does it compare nationally?

Galway17.3%

National avg14.4%

Difference+2.9pp

Rank9 / 26

What's the likely explanation?

Galway's elevated Irish speakers rate reflects the active Gaeltacht areas of Connemara and South Galway — some of the largest Irish-speaking communities in Ireland, where the language is used daily in homes, schools, and public life. At the same time, Galway city is a university city with a significant tech sector (Apple, Boston Scientific), lifting third-level rates and diversifying the economy well beyond traditional Gaeltacht patterns. The county straddles two quite different Irelands: Gaeltacht west and professional east.

County Galway — census data context

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

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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 Galway · Electoral Division averages · cso.ie/census