Population expected to grow 18% by 2042

NEW FIGURES show that the southeast of Ireland is projected to see significant population growth of 18.4% by 2042, slightly outpacing the national average of 17.3%. These projections highlight two major trends: a rapidly expanding elderly population and a rise in the number of young people aged 15 and under.

The number of people aged 65 and over is estimated to grow by 62.5% across Carlow, Kilkenny and Wexford, which mirrors the national trend, where the elderly population is set to increase by 64.6% by 2042.

The CSO (Central Statistics Office) reports that the number of people aged 65 years and over is set to reach over 1 million nationally by 2030. The increase is most likely driven by higher life expectancy and the ageing of Ireland’s post-war baby boomer generation.

Despite concerns over declining birth rates in Ireland and other European countries, the southeast is projected to see an 18.4% increase in residents aged 15 and younger, closely tracking national growth of 17.3%.

The mid-east, comprised of Kildare, Louth, Meath and Wicklow, will see the largest projected regional growth. This ‘commuter belt’ region, which accounted for 14.9% of the total population in 2022, is projected to increase rapidly to between 15.5% and 16.1% of the population of Ireland.

Overall, what this means is that the republic’s total population is expected to grow from 5.18 million as of 2022 to somewhere between 5.77 million and 6.4 million by 2042.