Exploring the map and switching data layers

This guide shows you how to navigate the map, switch between data categories, and read what the colours mean.

The layer toggle

The toolbar on the left controls which data the map shows. It groups data into categories — Demographics, Housing, Economics, Transport, Energy, Elections, Weather, and more.

Click any category icon to activate it.
Some categories have sub-metrics. Demographics, for example, includes Population, Income, and Disability. A secondary menu appears — click the metric you want.
The map recolours immediately to show that metric across all areas.

The colour scale legend at the bottom shows what the values mean. Darker or more saturated colours mark higher values for most metrics.

Hovering over an area

Move your cursor over any area to see a popup card. The card shows:

The area name and geography type — Electoral Division, county, constituency, or postal district.
The metric value for that location.
Comparison to the national average — as a difference (+ or −).
A confidence indicator — whether the data comes from direct observation, a derived figure, or an estimate.

At county zoom level, the card also shows context metrics and highlights what stands out for that area.

Zoom levels

The map shows different boundary types depending on how far you zoom in:

Zoomed out — county-level data across all 26 counties.
Zoomed in — Electoral Division (ED) detail appears. Ireland has 3,420 EDs. Each covers a few hundred to a couple of thousand households.

Some metrics only make sense at county level. If a hover card shows a data note, zoom out for better coverage.

Clicking on the map

Click a county to open its full profile in the Rankings panel. The panel shows rank, context metrics, and area insights. On mobile, tap to get the same card.

When the Weather category is active, click anywhere to open the Weather panel for that location.

The map works best on desktop. On mobile, tap to select an area — touch screens do not support hover.

Try it now

Open the map and explore a metric that interests you.

Population map → Energy ratings map Housing map

Explore more

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