Census 2016: More people, but living in limited housing

The Census 2016 figures show we are squeezing our growing population, which now stands at 4.76m people, into a limited number of homes.

The average Irish household now consists of 2.75 persons, compared with 2.73 in 2011. That’s an increase of 3.7% in the number of people living in a private household.

This is a reversal of a long-term decline in average household size, which has fallen steadily, from 3.15 persons per private household in 1996 to 2.73 in 2011.