The preliminary Census 2016 results were released today. Exciting times for data nerds like me!
The CSO published changes showing population changes since the last census, showing that the population had grown everywhere in the country apart from small decreases in Mayo, Sligo and Donegal of -0.2%, -0.1% and -1.5% respectively. I thought it would be more interesting to look at population changes over two census periods, i.e. 2006-2016.
The table below shows population change in each area between 2006 and 2016. Limerick City was the only area to show a decrease, with the population changing by -2.5% compared to a national increase of 12.2%.
Table and CSV file link below. Note that the Limerick City boundaries correspond to the historical (pre-local authority merger) boundaries of the city, but includes the addition of the Limerick North Rural electoral division.
| 2006 | 2011 | 2016 | Ch 06-16 | %ch | |
| Carlow | 50349 | 54612 | 56875 | 6526 | 13.0% |
| Dublin City | 506211 | 527612 | 553165 | 46954 | 9.3% |
| Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown | 194038 | 206261 | 217274 | 23236 | 12.0% |
| Fingal | 239992 | 273991 | 296214 | 56222 | 23.4% |
| South Dublin | 246935 | 265205 | 278749 | 31814 | 12.9% |
| Kildare | 186335 | 210312 | 222130 | 35795 | 19.2% |
| Kilkenny | 87558 | 95419 | 99118 | 11560 | 13.2% |
| Laois | 67059 | 80559 | 84732 | 17673 | 26.4% |
| Longford | 34391 | 39000 | 40810 | 6419 | 18.7% |
| Louth | 111267 | 122897 | 128375 | 17108 | 15.4% |
| Meath | 162831 | 184135 | 194942 | 32111 | 19.7% |
| Offaly | 70868 | 76687 | 78003 | 7135 | 10.1% |
| Westmeath | 79346 | 86164 | 88396 | 9050 | 11.4% |
| Wexford | 131749 | 145320 | 149605 | 17856 | 13.6% |
| Wicklow | 126194 | 136640 | 142332 | 16138 | 12.8% |
| Clare | 110950 | 117196 | 118627 | 7677 | 6.9% |
| Cork City | 119418 | 119230 | 125622 | 6204 | 5.2% |
| Cork County | 361877 | 399802 | 416574 | 54697 | 15.1% |
| Kerry | 139835 | 145502 | 147554 | 7719 | 5.5% |
| Limerick City | 59790 | 57106 | 58319 | -1471 | -2.5% |
| Limerick County | 124265 | 134703 | 136856 | 12591 | 10.1% |
| North Tipperary | 66023 | 70322 | 71370 | 5347 | 8.1% |
| South Tipperary | 83221 | 88432 | 89071 | 5850 | 7.0% |
| Waterford City | 45748 | 46732 | 48369 | 2621 | 5.7% |
| Waterford County | 62213 | 67063 | 68032 | 5819 | 9.4% |
| Galway City | 72414 | 75529 | 79504 | 7090 | 9.8% |
| Galway County | 159256 | 175124 | 179048 | 19792 | 12.4% |
| Leitrim | 28950 | 31798 | 31972 | 3022 | 10.4% |
| Mayo | 123839 | 130638 | 130425 | 6586 | 5.3% |
| Roscommon | 58768 | 64065 | 64436 | 5668 | 9.6% |
| Sligo | 60894 | 65393 | 65357 | 4463 | 7.3% |
| Cavan | 64003 | 73183 | 76092 | 12089 | 18.9% |
| Donegal | 147264 | 161137 | 158755 | 11491 | 7.8% |
| Monaghan | 55997 | 60483 | 61273 | 5276 | 9.4% |
| State | 4239848 | 4588252 | 4757976 | 518128 | 12.2% |
