Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Ireland
Ireland: Share of population living in urban and rural areas was 64.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
64.6%
Change on year
up 0.4%
World rank
122nd
of 236 countries
All-time high
64.6%
in 2025
All-time low
41.0%
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Ireland, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Ireland stood at 64.6%. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 3.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Ireland peaked at 64.6% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 41.0%, in 1950.
That places Ireland 122nd out of 236 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Ireland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 41.0% | — |
| 1951 | 41.6% | +1.5% |
| 1952 | 42.0% | +1.1% |
| 1953 | 42.4% | +0.9% |
| 1954 | 42.8% | +0.8% |
| 1955 | 43.1% | +0.7% |
| 1956 | 43.4% | +0.7% |
| 1957 | 43.7% | +0.7% |
| 1958 | 44.1% | +0.8% |
| 1959 | 44.4% | +0.9% |
| 1960 | 44.9% | +1.0% |
| 1961 | 45.4% | +1.2% |
| 1962 | 46.1% | +1.5% |
| 1963 | 46.9% | +1.8% |
| 1964 | 47.8% | +1.9% |
| 1965 | 48.6% | +1.8% |
| 1966 | 49.3% | +1.5% |
| 1967 | 50.0% | +1.4% |
| 1968 | 50.7% | +1.3% |
| 1969 | 51.3% | +1.2% |
| 1970 | 51.8% | +1.1% |
| 1971 | 52.3% | +0.9% |
| 1972 | 52.8% | +0.8% |
| 1973 | 53.2% | +0.8% |
| 1974 | 53.6% | +0.7% |
| 1975 | 53.9% | +0.7% |
| 1976 | 54.3% | +0.7% |
| 1977 | 54.6% | +0.6% |
| 1978 | 54.9% | +0.6% |
| 1979 | 55.2% | +0.5% |
| 1980 | 55.4% | +0.4% |
| 1981 | 55.7% | +0.4% |
| 1982 | 55.8% | +0.3% |
| 1983 | 56.0% | +0.3% |
| 1984 | 56.1% | +0.3% |
| 1985 | 56.3% | +0.2% |
| 1986 | 56.4% | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 56.6% | +0.2% |
| 1988 | 56.7% | +0.2% |
| 1989 | 56.8% | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 56.9% | +0.2% |
| 1991 | 57.1% | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 57.2% | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 57.5% | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 57.7% | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 57.9% | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 58.2% | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 58.4% | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 58.6% | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 58.9% | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 59.1% | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 59.4% | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 59.6% | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 59.9% | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 60.2% | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 60.5% | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 60.8% | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 61.1% | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 61.4% | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 61.6% | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 61.9% | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 62.1% | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 62.3% | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 62.4% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 62.5% | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 62.6% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 62.7% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 62.9% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 63.1% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 63.3% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 63.5% | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 63.7% | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 63.9% | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 64.1% | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 64.3% | +0.4% |
| 2025 | 64.6% | +0.4% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 64.6% is below the median for high income countries, which is 81.3%, 79% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 64.6% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 69.6%, 93% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 42.9% | 41.0% | 44.4% | 10 |
| 1960s | 48.1% | 44.9% | 51.3% | 10 |
| 1970s | 53.7% | 51.8% | 55.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 56.2% | 55.4% | 56.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 57.8% | 56.9% | 58.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 60.4% | 59.1% | 61.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 62.6% | 61.9% | 63.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 64.0% | 63.5% | 64.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
- 119 Montenegro 65.6% compare
- 120 Tuvalu 65.4% compare
- 121 Gambia 65.0% compare
- 123 North Korea 64.2% compare
- 124 Congo 64.1% compare
- 125 South Africa 63.8% compare
More population data for Ireland
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.1157 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.4488 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -1.68 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.4488 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.5% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 217,052 people (2100)
- Population density 76.73 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.5% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.1844 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.5372 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban and rural areas in Ireland?
- Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Ireland was 64.6% in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 64.6% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 41.0% in 1950.
- How does Ireland rank for share of population living in urban and rural areas?
- Ireland ranks 122nd out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urban and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.