Where should you live in Ireland?
Employment rates range from under 30% to over 90% within 20km of each other in some parts of Ireland — and those extremes are invisible in county-level data. Census 2022 maps 3,420 electoral divisions, and the variation is sharper than any headline figure suggests. The data is below.
Ireland at a glance — Census 2022
The metrics that predict area quality
Most area guides rely on general reputation and anecdote. Census 2022 lets you measure the actual underlying signals:
- Employment rate — the proportion of working-age adults in employment. Higher means a stronger local economy and more job proximity.
- Education level — third-level qualification rate. Strong predictor of area trajectory and service quality.
- Rental vs ownership split — high rental proportion signals transient population, higher demand pressure, and higher costs. High ownership signals settled communities.
- Population density — urban density determines commute times, amenity access, and green space tradeoffs.
- Unemployment rate — a direct signal of economic stress in the area.
- Median age — tells you whether an area is family-oriented, youthful, or ageing — relevant for schools, services, and community character.
Areas with the highest employment rates
These electoral divisions had the highest employment rates in Census 2022. Employment rate = share of working-age population in employment.
| 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% |
Areas with the highest third-level education rates
Share of residents with a third-level qualification. Closely correlated 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% |
Areas with the lowest unemployment
Electoral divisions with the lowest unemployment rates nationally — indicators of economic health at hyperlocal level.
| Electoral Division | Unemployment Rate |
|---|---|
| 1. USHERS ADublin City | 23.3% |
| 2. OVENSCork City | 25.6% |
| 3. BORRISNOENorth Tipperary | 25.8% |
| 4. RATHMINES WEST ADublin City | 27.1% |
| 5. RATHMINES WEST BDublin City | 28.4% |
| 6. KILMAINHAM BDublin City | 28.6% |
Compare areas by county
Every county has a detailed data profile — population trends, education levels, housing tenure, and economic indicators broken down to electoral division level.
Explore on the live map
IrelandInsights lets you hover any electoral division in Ireland and see its exact Census 2022 figures — employment, education, housing tenure, demographics, and more. Ask the AI analyst to explain what the data means for any area.
Kildare, Meath, and Wicklow lead the commuter belt on the combination of employment, education, and affordability — three metrics that Census 2027 will update. The interactive map lets you compare any two EDs side by side today.
More IrelandInsights reports
- → Pobal Deprivation Index — All 26 Counties Mapped
- → Average Age in Ireland — 38.8 yrs by County
- → Electoral Commission Ireland — 43 Constituencies
- → Average Rent Ireland — €/mo by County
- → House Prices Ireland by County — Official PPR Data
- → Cost of Living Ireland by County — Rent + Census
- → Best Areas to Live in Dublin — Census Data
- → Population of Ireland 1926 — 2.97M by County
- → Fastest Growing Towns — Ashbourne +28%
- → BER Rating Chart Ireland — 11.8% E–G Homes
- → Ireland’s Housing Crisis — Where It’s Worst
- → Dublin Central Bye-Election 2026 — Constituency Profile
- → Galway West Bye-Election 2026 — Constituency Profile
- → House Price-to-Income Ratio Ireland — by County