What is the employment rate in Louth?

The employment rate in Louth was 53.5% according to Census 2022, compared to a national average of 56.1%. IrelandInsights maps employment at electoral division level for every county in Ireland.

What is the housing tenure breakdown in Louth?

In Louth, 66.6% of households are owner-occupied and 15.1% rent privately, according to Census 2022. The national averages are 65.9% owner-occupied and 18.0% privately rented.

Census Profile · Louth · 2022

County Louth — Unemployment — first in Ireland

Louth ranks first of Ireland's 26 counties for unemployment rate at 6.5%. The national average is 5.1% — a gap of 1.5pp that places Louth at the top of this ranking. Census 2022 data mapped at electoral division level shows the figure is not distributed evenly within the county.

        Louth is +1.5pp vs national on unemployment rate.
      

Key statistics — County Louth

Unemployment

6.5%

#1 of 26 counties

National Average

5.1%

unemployment rate

Employment Rate

53.5%

National: 56.1%

Third-Level

36.1%

National: 42.4%

Top electoral divisions — Unemployment in Louth

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

Electoral Division	Unemployment Rate
1. DUNDALK No. 2 URBAN	10.3%
2. DUNDALK RURAL (NORTH)	9.7%
3. DUNDALK No. 1 URBAN	9.6%
4. CASTLETOWN (NORTH)	9.1%
5. DUNDALK RURAL (SOUTH)	8.9%

Explore Louth data on the map

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

Unemployment — first in Ireland — Louth map Employment — Louth Housing — Louth

County Louth — what stands out

What stands out?

County Louth has a notably low housing vacancy rate, ranking 23rd nationally — 8.5% 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?

Louth8.5%

National avg14.2%

Difference-5.7pp

Rank23 / 26

What's the likely explanation?

A low vacancy rate signals high housing demand relative to supply — typical in urban-dominated counties where rental pressure keeps dwellings occupied and new supply struggles to keep up. Low vacancy is a precondition for housing affordability pressure: when vacancy falls below ~3%, rents and prices typically rise faster than incomes.

County Louth — census data context

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