What is the employment rate in Kerry?

The employment rate in Kerry was 53.1% 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 Kerry?

In Kerry, 80.4% of households are owner-occupied and 8.5% rent privately, according to Census 2022. The national averages are 76.2% owner-occupied and 11.0% privately rented.

Census Profile · Kerry · 2022

County Kerry — Car-dependent employment profile

Q: Is Kerry a commuter county?

Yes. 75.3% of Kerry workers commute by car — 4.2pp above the national figure of 71.1%. An employment rate of 53.1% and limited public transport options underpin the high car-dependency rate. Home ownership at 80.4% and third-level attainment at 51.8% reflect a working-age, car-dependent county profile. IrelandInsights maps journey time and commute mode at electoral division level.

75.3% of Kerry workers commute by car — 4.2pp above the national figure of 71.1%. An employment rate of 53.1% and limited public transport options underpin the high car-dependency rate. Home ownership at 80.4% and third-level attainment at 51.8% reflect a working-age, car-dependent county profile.

        Kerry is +4.2pp vs national on car commuting.
      

Key statistics — County Kerry

Car Commute

75.3%

+4.2pp vs national

Employment Rate

53.1%

National: 55.2%

Owner-Occupied

80.4%

National: 76.2%

Third-Level

51.8%

National: 52.6%

Top electoral divisions — Car Commute in Kerry

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

Electoral Division	Car Commute Rate
1. CORDAL	88.5%
2. LACKABAUN	87%
3. HEADFORT	86.9%
4. BLENNERVILLE	86.2%
5. LEITRIM	86%

Explore Kerry data on the map

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

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

County Kerry — what stands out

What stands out?

County Kerry has one of Ireland's highest housing vacancy rates, ranking 3rd nationally — 25.2% 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?

Kerry25.2%

National avg14.4%

Difference+10.8pp

Rank3 / 26

What's the likely explanation?

Kerry's car commute profile reflects a tourism-dependent economy with dispersed settlement and limited public transport. The county has few large employers outside hospitality and retail — and those jobs are concentrated in towns that many residents must drive to. The Wild Atlantic Way draws visitors but does not generate the volume of year-round, high-income employment that would reduce car dependence. Rail connections are limited to Tralee and Killarney, leaving the bulk of the county road-dependent.

County Kerry — census data context

County-level figures aggregate all electoral divisions within Kerry. The map reveals the internal variation those county averages suppress — the gap between the most and least deprived EDs in Kerry is typically far wider than the county-to-national difference highlighted above. View the full Kerry 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 Kerry · Electoral Division averages · cso.ie/census