What is the employment rate in Wicklow?

The employment rate in Wicklow was 56.5% 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 Wicklow?

In Wicklow, 76.8% of households are owner-occupied and 10.1% rent privately, according to Census 2022. The national averages are 76.2% owner-occupied and 11.0% privately rented.

Census Profile · Wicklow · 2022

County Wicklow — Car-dependent employment profile

Q: Is Wicklow a commuter county?

Yes. 71.3% of Wicklow workers commute by car — 0.2pp above the national figure of 71.1%. An employment rate of 56.5% and limited public transport options underpin the high car-dependency rate. Home ownership at 76.8% and third-level attainment at 55.8% reflect a working-age, car-dependent county profile. IrelandInsights maps journey time and commute mode at electoral division level.

71.3% of Wicklow workers commute by car — 0.2pp above the national figure of 71.1%. An employment rate of 56.5% and limited public transport options underpin the high car-dependency rate. Home ownership at 76.8% and third-level attainment at 55.8% reflect a working-age, car-dependent county profile.

        Wicklow is +0.2pp vs national on car commuting.
      

Key statistics — County Wicklow

Car Commute

71.3%

+0.2pp vs national

Employment Rate

56.5%

National: 55.2%

Owner-Occupied

76.8%

National: 76.2%

Third-Level

55.8%

National: 52.6%

Top electoral divisions — Car Commute in Wicklow

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

Electoral Division	Car Commute Rate
1. COOLBOY	86.3%
2. MONEYSTOWN	82.9%
3. COOLATTIN	81.5%
4. TUCKMILL	80.9%
5. CALARY	79.8%

Explore Wicklow data on the map

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

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

County Wicklow — what stands out

What stands out?

County Wicklow has one of Ireland's highest remote working rates, ranking 2nd nationally — 14.2% in Census 2022.

Why does it matter?

Remote working rates show how much the post-2020 shift to flexible work has taken hold. High rates signal a knowledge-economy workforce and good broadband penetration; low rates point to a more place-dependent workforce — trades, care, hospitality, manufacturing — that cannot be done at home.

How does it compare nationally?

Wicklow14.2%

National avg11.6%

Difference+2.6pp

Rank2 / 26

What's the likely explanation?

Above-average remote working rates reflect the post-2020 shift to flexible work, which has disproportionately benefited counties with affordable housing, quality broadband, and strong natural amenity. Knowledge workers who previously needed to live near Dublin or Cork are increasingly choosing counties where they can work remotely at a fraction of the capital's cost. This is reshaping housing demand in counties that saw population decline for decades.

County Wicklow — census data context

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