🇮🇪 Ireland Population 2026
As of 2026, the population of Ireland is 5,356,950, ranking #125 in the world (0.07% of the global population), based on UN World Population Prospects 2024. The population is growing at 0.88% per year. The biggest city is Dublin with 1,024,027 inhabitants.
Live estimate
5,357,953
Growth rate
0.88%
Density
78
people / km² (203 / mi²)
Median age
39.2
Fertility rate
1.60
births per woman
Life expectancy
82.9
years
Ireland population 1950–2100
By 2050, the population of Ireland is projected to reach 5,970,042, and 5,286,120 by 2100. The population is expected to peak in 2053 at 5,977,056, then decline.
Ireland population by year
| Year | Population | Growth | Density /km² | Median age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 5,356,950 | 0.88% | 78.4 | 39.2 |
| 2025 | 5,308,039 | 0.96% | 77.6 | 39.0 |
| 2024 | 5,255,018 | 1.05% | 76.9 | 38.7 |
| 2023 | 5,196,630 | 1.19% | 76.0 | 38.4 |
| 2022 | 5,110,016 | 2.19% | 74.7 | 38.0 |
| 2021 | 5,028,426 | 1.02% | 73.6 | 37.6 |
| 2020 | 4,982,606 | 0.81% | 72.9 | 37.3 |
| 2019 | 4,933,491 | 1.18% | 72.2 | 36.9 |
| 2018 | 4,872,556 | 1.31% | 71.3 | 36.5 |
| 2017 | 4,810,260 | 1.26% | 70.4 | 36.1 |
| 2016 | 4,753,503 | 1.11% | 69.5 | 35.7 |
| 2015 | 4,702,487 | 1.05% | 68.8 | 35.4 |
| 2014 | 4,658,239 | 0.84% | 68.1 | 35.0 |
| 2013 | 4,624,686 | 0.60% | 67.6 | 34.6 |
| 2012 | 4,600,132 | 0.46% | 67.3 | 34.2 |
| 2011 | 4,579,602 | 0.43% | 67.0 | 33.8 |
| 2010 | 4,559,080 | 0.46% | 66.7 | 33.3 |
| 2009 | 4,533,752 | 0.65% | 66.3 | 32.8 |
| 2008 | 4,486,000 | 1.47% | 65.6 | 32.5 |
| 2007 | 4,393,513 | 2.71% | 64.3 | 32.4 |
| 2006 | 4,268,778 | 3.06% | 62.4 | 32.4 |
| 2005 | 4,155,284 | 2.32% | 60.8 | 32.4 |
| 2004 | 4,066,064 | 2.02% | 59.5 | 32.3 |
| 2003 | 3,992,935 | 1.61% | 58.4 | 32.1 |
| 2002 | 3,928,443 | 1.65% | 57.5 | 31.9 |
| 2001 | 3,862,981 | 1.72% | 56.5 | 31.7 |
| 2000 | 3,802,585 | 1.43% | 55.6 | 31.5 |
| 1999 | 3,752,938 | 1.19% | 54.9 | 31.3 |
| 1998 | 3,711,074 | 1.05% | 54.3 | 31.0 |
| 1997 | 3,672,292 | 1.05% | 53.7 | 30.6 |
| 1996 | 3,638,509 | 0.80% | 53.2 | 30.3 |
| 1995 | 3,610,697 | 0.74% | 52.8 | 29.9 |
| 1994 | 3,590,156 | 0.40% | 52.5 | 29.6 |
| 1993 | 3,576,122 | 0.38% | 52.3 | 29.2 |
| 1992 | 3,558,421 | 0.61% | 52.0 | 28.9 |
| 1991 | 3,534,260 | 0.75% | 51.7 | 28.6 |
| 1990 | 3,514,018 | 0.40% | 51.4 | 28.2 |
| 1989 | 3,511,070 | -0.23% | 51.4 | 27.8 |
| 1988 | 3,525,096 | -0.57% | 51.6 | 27.3 |
| 1987 | 3,540,381 | -0.30% | 51.8 | 26.9 |
| 1986 | 3,541,867 | 0.21% | 51.8 | 26.5 |
| 1985 | 3,531,270 | 0.39% | 51.7 | 26.3 |
| 1984 | 3,515,954 | 0.48% | 51.4 | 26.0 |
| 1983 | 3,497,608 | 0.56% | 51.2 | 25.8 |
| 1982 | 3,475,536 | 0.70% | 50.8 | 25.7 |
| 1981 | 3,448,826 | 0.84% | 50.4 | 25.6 |
| 1980 | 3,415,240 | 1.12% | 50.0 | 25.5 |
| 1979 | 3,375,801 | 1.21% | 49.4 | 25.5 |
| 1978 | 3,329,183 | 1.58% | 48.7 | 25.4 |
| 1977 | 3,277,756 | 1.53% | 47.9 | 25.4 |
| 1976 | 3,228,402 | 1.50% | 47.2 | 25.4 |
| 1975 | 3,180,118 | 1.51% | 46.5 | 25.4 |
| 1974 | 3,132,177 | 1.52% | 45.8 | 25.4 |
| 1973 | 3,084,434 | 1.55% | 45.1 | 25.6 |
| 1972 | 3,037,153 | 1.54% | 44.4 | 25.7 |
| 1971 | 2,993,120 | 1.38% | 43.8 | 26.0 |
| 1970 | 2,961,404 | 0.75% | 43.3 | 26.2 |
| 1969 | 2,940,752 | 0.65% | 43.0 | 26.4 |
| 1968 | 2,922,794 | 0.57% | 42.8 | 26.7 |
| 1967 | 2,905,420 | 0.62% | 42.5 | 26.9 |
| 1966 | 2,888,887 | 0.52% | 42.3 | 27.2 |
| 1965 | 2,873,153 | 0.57% | 42.0 | 27.6 |
| 1964 | 2,857,166 | 0.55% | 41.8 | 27.9 |
| 1963 | 2,843,034 | 0.45% | 41.6 | 28.2 |
| 1962 | 2,831,496 | 0.37% | 41.4 | 28.5 |
| 1961 | 2,824,692 | 0.11% | 41.3 | 28.8 |
| 1960 | 2,827,690 | -0.33% | 41.4 | 29.1 |
| 1959 | 2,839,218 | -0.49% | 41.5 | 29.3 |
| 1958 | 2,854,000 | -0.55% | 41.7 | 29.3 |
| 1957 | 2,869,099 | -0.51% | 42.0 | 29.3 |
| 1956 | 2,883,754 | -0.51% | 42.2 | 29.3 |
| 1955 | 2,899,538 | -0.58% | 42.4 | 29.2 |
| 1954 | 2,915,174 | -0.50% | 42.6 | 29.1 |
| 1953 | 2,929,080 | -0.45% | 42.8 | 29.0 |
| 1952 | 2,941,462 | -0.39% | 43.0 | 28.8 |
| 1951 | 2,936,864 | 0.70% | 43.0 | 28.8 |
| 1950 | 2,912,654 | 0.95% | 42.6 | 29.0 |
| Year | Population | Growth | Density /km² | Median age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | 5,402,888 | 0.83% | 79.0 | 39.4 |
| 2028 | 5,446,621 | 0.78% | 79.7 | 39.6 |
| 2029 | 5,487,474 | 0.71% | 80.3 | 39.7 |
| 2030 | 5,525,094 | 0.65% | 80.8 | 39.9 |
| 2031 | 5,560,659 | 0.63% | 81.3 | 40.1 |
| 2032 | 5,595,090 | 0.60% | 81.8 | 40.2 |
| 2033 | 5,627,708 | 0.56% | 82.3 | 40.3 |
| 2034 | 5,658,298 | 0.53% | 82.8 | 40.4 |
| 2035 | 5,686,868 | 0.48% | 83.2 | 40.5 |
| 2036 | 5,714,200 | 0.48% | 83.6 | 40.6 |
| 2037 | 5,741,480 | 0.47% | 84.0 | 40.7 |
| 2038 | 5,768,256 | 0.46% | 84.4 | 40.8 |
| 2039 | 5,793,365 | 0.41% | 84.7 | 40.9 |
| 2040 | 5,817,570 | 0.42% | 85.1 | 41.0 |
| 2041 | 5,841,486 | 0.40% | 85.4 | 41.1 |
| 2042 | 5,863,238 | 0.34% | 85.8 | 41.3 |
| 2043 | 5,882,468 | 0.31% | 86.0 | 41.4 |
| 2044 | 5,900,432 | 0.30% | 86.3 | 41.6 |
| 2045 | 5,916,936 | 0.26% | 86.5 | 41.8 |
| 2046 | 5,930,830 | 0.21% | 86.7 | 42.0 |
| 2047 | 5,942,852 | 0.20% | 86.9 | 42.2 |
| 2048 | 5,954,176 | 0.18% | 87.1 | 42.4 |
| 2049 | 5,963,614 | 0.13% | 87.2 | 42.6 |
| 2050 | 5,970,042 | 0.08% | 87.3 | 42.9 |
| 2051 | 5,973,837 | 0.04% | 87.4 | 43.1 |
| 2052 | 5,976,152 | 0.03% | 87.4 | 43.4 |
| 2053 | 5,977,056 | -0.00% | 87.4 | 43.7 |
| 2054 | 5,976,541 | -0.01% | 87.4 | 44.0 |
| 2055 | 5,973,922 | -0.07% | 87.4 | 44.3 |
| 2056 | 5,970,264 | -0.05% | 87.3 | 44.6 |
| 2057 | 5,965,128 | -0.12% | 87.3 | 44.9 |
| 2058 | 5,956,855 | -0.15% | 87.1 | 45.2 |
| 2059 | 5,946,216 | -0.20% | 87.0 | 45.4 |
| 2060 | 5,933,916 | -0.21% | 86.8 | 45.7 |
| 2061 | 5,921,730 | -0.20% | 86.6 | 45.9 |
| 2062 | 5,910,040 | -0.20% | 86.4 | 46.1 |
| 2063 | 5,898,066 | -0.21% | 86.3 | 46.3 |
| 2064 | 5,884,666 | -0.24% | 86.1 | 46.5 |
| 2065 | 5,870,132 | -0.25% | 85.9 | 46.6 |
| 2066 | 5,855,126 | -0.26% | 85.6 | 46.8 |
| 2067 | 5,839,786 | -0.26% | 85.4 | 46.9 |
| 2068 | 5,824,169 | -0.27% | 85.2 | 47.0 |
| 2069 | 5,808,103 | -0.28% | 85.0 | 47.1 |
| 2070 | 5,791,492 | -0.29% | 84.7 | 47.2 |
| 2071 | 5,774,752 | -0.29% | 84.5 | 47.2 |
| 2072 | 5,758,135 | -0.29% | 84.2 | 47.2 |
| 2073 | 5,741,398 | -0.29% | 84.0 | 47.2 |
| 2074 | 5,724,554 | -0.29% | 83.7 | 47.2 |
| 2075 | 5,708,189 | -0.28% | 83.5 | 47.2 |
| 2076 | 5,692,411 | -0.28% | 83.3 | 47.2 |
| 2077 | 5,676,940 | -0.27% | 83.0 | 47.2 |
| 2078 | 5,661,974 | -0.26% | 82.8 | 47.2 |
| 2079 | 5,647,278 | -0.26% | 82.6 | 47.2 |
| 2080 | 5,633,972 | -0.21% | 82.4 | 47.3 |
| 2081 | 5,622,558 | -0.19% | 82.2 | 47.3 |
| 2082 | 5,610,963 | -0.22% | 82.1 | 47.4 |
| 2083 | 5,598,162 | -0.24% | 81.9 | 47.4 |
| 2084 | 5,584,764 | -0.24% | 81.7 | 47.6 |
| 2085 | 5,571,102 | -0.25% | 81.5 | 47.7 |
| 2086 | 5,557,425 | -0.24% | 81.3 | 47.8 |
| 2087 | 5,543,234 | -0.27% | 81.1 | 48.0 |
| 2088 | 5,527,772 | -0.29% | 80.9 | 48.1 |
| 2089 | 5,511,287 | -0.31% | 80.6 | 48.3 |
| 2090 | 5,493,730 | -0.33% | 80.4 | 48.5 |
| 2091 | 5,475,498 | -0.33% | 80.1 | 48.7 |
| 2092 | 5,457,090 | -0.34% | 79.8 | 48.8 |
| 2093 | 5,438,248 | -0.35% | 79.5 | 49.0 |
| 2094 | 5,418,987 | -0.36% | 79.3 | 49.2 |
| 2095 | 5,399,259 | -0.37% | 79.0 | 49.3 |
| 2096 | 5,378,261 | -0.41% | 78.7 | 49.5 |
| 2097 | 5,356,070 | -0.42% | 78.3 | 49.6 |
| 2098 | 5,333,306 | -0.43% | 78.0 | 49.7 |
| 2099 | 5,309,954 | -0.45% | 77.7 | 49.8 |
| 2100 | 5,286,120 | -0.46% | 77.3 | 49.9 |
States & provinces of Ireland by population
| # | State / province | Population | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dublin | 592,713 | 11.1% |
| 2 | Cork | 584,156 | 10.9% |
| 3 | Fingal | 330,506 | 6.2% |
| 4 | South Dublin | 301,075 | 5.6% |
| 5 | Galway | 276,451 | 5.2% |
| 6 | Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown | 233,860 | 4.4% |
| 7 | Kildare | 222,504 | 4.2% |
| 8 | Meath | 220,296 | 4.1% |
| 9 | Wexford | 163,527 | 3.1% |
| 10 | Donegal | 159,192 | 3.0% |
| 11 | Kerry | 156,458 | 2.9% |
| 12 | Wicklow | 155,851 | 2.9% |
| 13 | Louth | 139,100 | 2.6% |
| 14 | Mayo | 137,231 | 2.6% |
| 15 | Clare | 127,938 | 2.4% |
| 16 | Carlow | 127,938 | 2.4% |
| 17 | Westmeath | 95,840 | 1.8% |
| 18 | Laoighis | 91,657 | 1.7% |
| 19 | Offaly | 83,150 | 1.6% |
| 20 | Cavan | 81,704 | 1.5% |
| 21 | Roscommon | 70,259 | 1.3% |
| 22 | Sligo | 70,198 | 1.3% |
| 23 | Longford | 46,751 | 0.9% |
| 24 | Leitrim | 35,199 | 0.7% |
| 25 | Kilkenny | 27,184 | 0.5% |
| 26 | Monaghan | 7,894 | 0.1% |
State populations: GeoNames (latest official figures, reference dates vary by country).
Biggest cities in Ireland
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dublin capital | Leinster | 1,024,027 |
| 2 | Cork | Munster | 224,004 |
| 3 | Limerick | Munster | 102,287 |
| 4 | Galway | Connacht | 85,910 |
| 5 | Tallaght | Leinster | 81,022 |
| 6 | Waterford | Munster | 60,079 |
| 7 | Drogheda | Leinster | 44,135 |
| 8 | Dundalk | Leinster | 43,112 |
| 9 | Swords | Leinster | 40,776 |
| 10 | Navan | Leinster | 33,886 |
| 11 | Bray | Leinster | 33,512 |
| 12 | Dún Laoghaire | Leinster | 31,239 |
| 13 | Ennis | Munster | 27,923 |
| 14 | Carlow | Leinster | 27,351 |
| 15 | Douglas | Munster | 26,883 |
FAQ
What is the population of Ireland in 2026?
The population of Ireland is 5,356,950 in 2026, according to UN World Population Prospects 2024 (medium variant).
What is the biggest city in Ireland?
Dublin is the biggest city in Ireland with 1,024,027 inhabitants and it is also the capital.
Is the population of Ireland growing or shrinking?
The population of Ireland is growing at 0.88% per year, and is projected to peak in 2053 at 5,977,056.
Neighboring countries
Sources
- Country data: United Nations World Population Prospects 2024, medium variant (CC BY 3.0 IGO). Retrieved 2026-07-07.
- City and state data: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Retrieved 2026-07-07.
Explore more: countries by population · by density · by median age · world population