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CENSUS: Midlands Population Rises To 270,000

Tuesday, 30 May 2023 11:51

By Kamron Clarke X @kamron_clarke

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Ireland's population has jumped to over 5 million.

The population of the midlands has jumped by seven percent.

New figures from the Census show there were just over 270,000 people in the region last year, compared to 250,000 in 2016.

Westmeath is responsible for the most people in the region, at over 96,000, a jump of 8%. 

The county is split almost evenly, with just slightly more women than men.

The average age of the population in Westmeath is 38, in line with the national population.

Non-Irish people accounted for 11% of the county's total population.

In 2022, 82% of people in Westmeath stated that their health was good or very good compared with 87% in 2016.  Nationally, 83% of people stated that their health was good/very good, compared to 87% in 2016.

The proportion of separated and divorced people in Westmeath remained steady at 7% of the population (aged 15 and over), the same as in 2016.  The national comparison was 6% in both 2022 and 2016.

The population in Laois has also increased by 8%, to just under 91,000, with less than 1,000 more men than women in the county.

The average age of people in Laois is younger than the national average, at 37.

Non-Irish people account for 10% of the county's population.

The proportion of separated and divorced people in Laois remained steady at 7% of the population (aged 15 and over), compared to 6% in 2016.  The national comparison was 6% in both 2022 and 2016.

In 2022, 84% of people in Laois stated that their health was good or very good compared with 87% in 2016.  This is a similar trend to the national figures, which showed a 4% decrease in the good/very good categories, from 87% to 83%.

83,000 people live in Offaly, the fewest in the region - that's a jump of 7%.

41,600 of those are men, 100 more than the number of women in the county.

The average person in Offaly is older than the national average, at 39.

Non-Irish people accounted for 9% of the county's total population.

The proportion of separated and divorced people in Offaly remained steady at 6% of the population (aged 15 and over), the same as in 2016.  The national comparison was 6% in both 2022 and 2016.

In 2022, 83% of people in Offaly stated that their health was good or very good compared with 86% in 2016.  This is a similar trend to the national figures, which showed a 4% decrease in the good/very good categories, from 87% to 83%.

Overall, Ireland's population grew to over 5.1 million, an 8% rise from the 2016 Census.

Seven in ten people in the midlands own their home.

That's 4% more than the national average of 66%

Around 24% of residents in the midlands rent their home.

Senior Statistician in the Census Division, Cormac Halpin says three in ten homes have solar panels installed:

One in ten people in the midlands are non-Irish.

New figures from the Census also show over 7,500 people in the region have dual-citizenship.

12% of the population in Ireland are non-Irish.

Mr. Halpin, says the number of Indian citizens grew by the largest amount:

More than three point six million people identify as Roman Catholic.

As a proportion of the population, it represents a decline from 79% in 2016 to 69 per cent last year.

Parish Priest in Abbeyleix and Raheen in Laois, Father Paddy Byrne, says the figures are still impressive given negative commentary around religion:

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