What is the best county to live in Ireland?

Census 2022 data shows Kildare, Meath, and Wicklow with the strongest combination of employment rates, third-level education levels, and owner-occupancy rates among commuter counties. Kildare and Meath have the highest employment rates outside Dublin; Wicklow has the highest third-level attainment outside the capital. The right county depends on which metrics matter most — IrelandInsights maps all 3,420 electoral divisions so you can compare employment, education, housing tenure, and age at area level.

What are the most affordable places to live in Ireland in 2026?

Outside Dublin, counties like Longford, Leitrim, and Roscommon have the lowest property prices and rents. Midland towns such as Mullingar, Tullamore, and Athlone offer a balance of affordability and amenity. Census 2022 data shows population growth in these areas as remote working expands options beyond the capital.

Where do most people in Ireland live?

About 1.4 million people — more than a quarter of Ireland's 5.15 million population — live in the Greater Dublin Area (Dublin, Kildare, Meath, Wicklow). Cork city and county is home to around 560,000 people, making it the second most populous county.

How do I compare areas in Ireland by census data?

IrelandInsights.ie maps all 3,420 electoral divisions with Census 2022 data. You can explore home ownership, education, unemployment, age, and more at neighbourhood level — far more detailed than county-level comparisons.

Ireland · Census 2022 · Area Intelligence

Where should you live in Ireland?

Employment rates range from under 30% to over 90% within 20km of each other in parts of Ireland. County-level data hides that gap completely. Census 2022 covers 3,420 electoral divisions. The variation is sharper than any headline figure suggests. The data is below.

Niall Thomas · 4 min read

Ireland at a glance — Census 2022

Population

5.15M

+7.6% since 2016

Electoral Divisions

3,420

Mapped and searchable

Counties

Republic of Ireland

Third-Level Qualified

40.9%

National average, Census 2022

Source: CSO Census 2022 — Small Area Population Statistics (SAPS) across all 3,420 Electoral Divisions, Republic of Ireland.

Third-level education attainment by electoral division, Census 2022 Switch to unemployment → Switch to rental costs →

Metrics that show area quality

Most area guides use reputation and anecdote. Census 2022 gives you the real signals:

Employment rate — share of working-age adults in work. Higher means a stronger local economy and more jobs nearby.
Education level — third-level qualification rate. A strong predictor of where an area is headed.
Rental vs ownership split — high renting signals a transient population and cost pressure. High ownership signals settled communities.
Population density — determines commute times, amenity access, and green space.
Unemployment rate — a direct sign of economic stress in the area.
Median age — shows whether an area skews young, family-oriented, or ageing. Relevant for schools, services, and community feel.

Areas with the highest employment rates

These electoral divisions had the highest employment rates in Census 2022. Employment rate is the share of working-age residents in work.

Electoral Division	Employment Rate
1. USHERS ADublin City	76.7%
2. OVENSCork City	74.4%
3. BORRISNOENorth Tipperary	74.2%
4. RATHMINES WEST ADublin City	72.9%
5. RATHMINES WEST BDublin City	71.6%
6. KILMAINHAM BDublin City	71.4%

Explore employment rate on the map →

Areas with the highest third-level education rates

Share of residents with a third-level qualification. This tracks closely with income levels and area development.

Electoral Division	Third Level %
1. DUN LAOGHAIRE-GLENAGEARYDun Laoghaire/Rathdown	84.2%
2. BLACKROCK-CENTRALDun Laoghaire/Rathdown	83.3%
3. BLACKROCK-BOOTERSTOWNDun Laoghaire/Rathdown	83.2%
4. RATHMINES EAST BDublin City	83.1%
5. BLACKROCK-SEAPOINTDun Laoghaire/Rathdown	82.7%
6. CLONSKEAGH-MILLTOWNDun Laoghaire/Rathdown	81.7%

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Areas with the lowest unemployment

Electoral divisions with the lowest unemployment rates in Ireland — a direct sign of economic health at neighbourhood level.

Electoral Division	Unemployment Rate
1. KILTORCANKilkenny	0%
2. ILLIONGalway	0%
3. LOUGHBRINKerry	0%
4. BARROOSKYMayo	0%
5. NEALSTOWNLaois	0%
6. WILLIAMSTOWNCork	0.5%

Compare areas by county

Every county has a detailed data profile — population trends, education, housing tenure, and economic indicators, all broken down to electoral division level.

Dublin Cork Galway Limerick Waterford Meath Kildare Wicklow Louth Wexford Kilkenny Tipperary Clare Kerry Mayo Roscommon Sligo Donegal Cavan Monaghan Leitrim Offaly Westmeath Longford Laois Carlow

Explore on the live map

Hover any electoral division and see its Census 2022 figures — employment, education, housing tenure, demographics, and more. Ask the AI analyst what the data means for any area.

Open census map Explore housing costs Dublin census data Cork census data

Kildare, Meath, and Wicklow lead the commuter belt on employment, education, and affordability. Census 2027 will update those figures. The map lets you compare any two EDs side by side today.

Data: CSO Census 2022 · Small Area Population Statistics (SAPS) · 3,420 Electoral Divisions · cso.ie/census