Home ownership rate in Ireland — 65.93% by county (Census 2022)
Ireland's home ownership rate has fallen from 80% in the 1990s to 65.93% in Census 2022 — the fastest drop of any EU country in that period. In Dublin it is 58.5%. The data is below.
Ireland home ownership — Census 2022 overview
Areas with the highest home ownership rates
These electoral divisions had the highest share of owner-occupied homes in Census 2022. High-ownership EDs cluster in rural Ireland, established suburbs, and towns with little rental infrastructure.
| Electoral Division | Owner Occupied % |
|---|---|
| 1. BORRISNOENorth Tipperary | 97.5% |
| 2. LICKEENKerry | 97.3% |
| 3. KILCRONATCork | 96.9% |
| 4. CREGGARoscommon | 96.6% |
| 5. CASTLETOWNClare | 96.2% |
| 6. BALLYLANEENWaterford | 95.9% |
Areas with the lowest home ownership rates
Electoral divisions with the lowest owner-occupancy in Census 2022. Low-ownership EDs sit in urban cores — Dublin inner city, Cork city centre, and areas with high student or transient populations.
| Electoral Division | Owner Occupied % |
|---|---|
| 1. CUSTOM HOUSELimerick City | 1.5% |
| 2. SHANNON ALimerick City | 2.8% |
| 3. CUSTOM HOUSE BWaterford City | 3.2% |
| 4. ROYAL EXCHANGE BDublin City | 3.9% |
| 5. SHANNON BLimerick City | 4.2% |
| 6. CENTRE ACork City | 5.6% |
The long decline in Irish home ownership
In the 1990s, Ireland had one of the highest home ownership rates in Europe — about 80%. Census 2022 puts it at 65.93%. The fall has not been even: the highest county rate is Meath at 75.2%, but Dublin is the lowest at 58.5%, and the lowest electoral division, CUSTOM HOUSE (Limerick City), is at 1.5%.
Three factors drive the decline: rising prices relative to income, a structural shift toward build-to-rent in Dublin, and demographic change as younger cohorts delay or drop homeownership. Census 2022 shows the steepest falls in EDs with a median age below 35.
What home ownership data reveals about an area
- Stability and tenure mix: High-ownership areas (above 75%) tend to have more settled communities, lower population turnover, and less rental pressure. They can also signal limited housing supply and fewer options for new arrivals.
- Rental pressure: In urban areas, low ownership rates point directly to high rental demand. Dublin EDs below 40% owner-occupancy consistently show the highest private renting rates — and the sharpest housing pressure.
- Affordability signal: High ownership in counties such as Meath (75.2%) and Roscommon (74.1%) suggests that purchase prices are affordable relative to income. Low ownership in commuter-belt towns shows recent price rises outpacing wages.
- Investment and vacancy: Some EDs with lower ownership have more vacant homes — especially coastal and rural areas with holiday home stock. Census 2022 tracks vacancy separately from ownership tenure.
The 17-point gap between Meath's 75.2% and Dublin's 58.5% is not a rural–urban curiosity. It is the same housing crisis viewed from a different angle. Where ownership falls, renting pressure spikes. The map shows where the tipping points are.
Map home ownership by area
IrelandInsights maps owner-occupancy, private renting, and social housing rates for every electoral division in Ireland from Census 2022. Add unemployment, education, and age layers to get a full picture of housing tenure.
Average rent by county → · House prices by county → · Cost of living →
← Housing crisis by area · Cheapest areas to buy →
More IrelandInsights reports
- → Average Rent Ireland — €/mo by County
- → House Prices Ireland by County — Official PPR Data
- → Cost of Living Ireland by County — Rent + Census
- → House Price-to-Income Ratio Ireland — by County
- → BER Rating Chart Ireland — E–G Homes by County
- → Ireland’s Housing Crisis — Where It’s Worst
- → Empty Homes in Ireland — Vacancy by County
- → Cheapest Areas to Buy in Ireland — House Prices
- → Pobal Deprivation Index — All 26 Counties Mapped
- → Average Age in Ireland — by County
- → Fastest Growing Towns in Ireland — Census 2022
- → Religion in Ireland by County — Census 2022
- → Unemployment Rate Ireland — By Area, Census 2022
- → Education in Ireland — Third-Level by County
- → Working from Home in Ireland — Census 2022
- → Young Population in Ireland — Census 2022
- → Rural Ireland — Census 2022 Data by Area