Preliminary Results of the 2022 Census became available on Thursday and revealed that Ireland’s population had hit 5.1 million - the highest it’s been since before the famine.
The results also provided an insight into the growth of each county, showing just how the country is developing.
The likes of Longford and Meath saw the biggest growth, but what is the full breakdown of where people are living in 2022?
Read more: Ireland's population is at the highest point since before the famine at 5.1 million
Carlow
In the 2022 Census, the population of Co Carlow was 61,931. In 2016, it was 56,932. This is an increase of 8.8%, or 4,999 people.
Cavan
Co Cavan saw a 6.6% increase in its population, jumping from 76,176 in 2016 to 81,201 in 2022. It did not see a higher percentage increase than the national rate.
Clare
118,817 people lived in Co Clare in 2016, with that number increasing to 127,419 in 2022. This is an increase of 7.2%.
Cork
The 2022 Census recorded an increase of 38,363 people living in Co Cork from 2016, which recorded 542,868 residents, to 2022, 581,231 - an increase of 7.1%.
Donegal
In the 2016 Census, Co Donegal saw a fall in population, with 159,192 people recorded. This was not the case in the 2022 Census, with the number increasing by just 4.5% to 166,321.
Dublin
Co Dublin recorded a 7.7% increase in population, growing from 1,347,359 in 2016 to 1,450,701 in 2022. Fingal, to the north of the county, saw one of the greatest growths in this year’s Census.
Galway
The 2022 Census recorded 276,451 people living in Galway, which is an increase of 7.1 or 18,393 from the 2016 Census, when the county had a population of 258,058.
Kerry
Co Kerry saw a 5.1% increase in population from 2016, which stood at 147,707, to 2022, which is 155,258.
Kildare
Co Kildare was one of the counties that saw large growth at 11% or 24,473 people. In 2016, the Census recorded a population of 222,504. In 2022, it recorded a population of 246,977.
Kilkenny
Like Donegal, Co Kilkenny saw an increase of just 4.5%, or 4,453, as the population increased from 99,232 in 2016 to 103,685 in 2022. This was one of two counties in Leinster that did not see a higher percentage increase than the national average.
Laois
There was an increase of 8.2% in Co Laois, with a population of 84,697 recorded in 2016 and a population of 91,657 in 2022.
Leitrim
Co Leitrim saw a higher percentage increase than the national average in the 2022 Census at 9.5%. In 2016, 32,044 people lived in the county, while 35,087 live there this year. This is an increase of 3,043.
Limerick
There was an increase of just 5.4 in Co Limerick, with a population of 194,899 recorded in the 2016 Census and 205,444 recorded in 2022.
Longford
Co Longford had the highest growth in the 2022 Census, increasing in population by 14.1%. 40,873 people lived there in 2016, while 46,634 were recorded on Census night.
Louth
In 2016, Co Louth had a population of 128,884, while it had a population of 139,100 in 2022. This is an increase of 7.9%.
Mayo
Despite having a drop in population in the 2016 Census at 130,507, Co Mayo saw a growth of 5.3% or 6,724 people in the 2022 Census. The county’s population was recorded at 137,231.
Meath
Co Meath had one of the largest growths in population in the 2022 Census. The county saw an increase of 12.9%, or 25,252 people. In 2016, the population was 195,044. In 2022, it stands at 220,296.
Monaghan
Co Monaghan was one of the counties that did not see a higher percentage increase than the national rate, with a growth of just 5.6%. The 2022 Census recorded a population of 64,832, while the 2016 Census recorded 61,386.
Offaly
Co Offaly was one of two counties in Leinster that did not see an increase in population greater than the national average. The county saw an increase of 6.0%, growing from 77,961 in 2016 to 82,668.
Roscommon
This county saw a higher percentage increase than the national rate at 8.4%. Co Roscommon recorded a population of 64,544 in 2016 and 69,995 in 2022.
Sligo
Co Sligo was one of the counties that saw a fall in population in the 2016 Census. However, the 2022 Census recorded a 6.5% increase at 69,819, up from 65,535 in 2016.
Tipperary
The 2022 Census recorded an increase of just 5.1% in Co Tipperary at 167,661, up from 159,553 in 2016.
Waterford
Co Waterford had a higher percentage increase than that of the State overall at 9.4%, according to the CSO. In 2016, a population of 116,176 was recorded, while a population of 127,085 was recorded in 2022.
Westmeath
There was an increase of 8.0% in the population of Co Westmeath, with 88,770 recorded in 2016 and 95,840 recorded in 2022.
Wexford
Co Wexford’s population grew from 149,722 in 2016 to 163,527 in 2022. This is an increase of 9.2%.
Wicklow
Once again, there was an increase of 9.2% in Wicklow. In 2016, the Census recorded a population of 142,425, while the 2022 Census recorded 155,485.
These results are preliminary, given the fact the Census was only completed and collected just over two months ago. Further detail is expected to come between April and December 2023 and will include themed publications on topics such as housing and commuting
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