South-West: population, economy and official figures
South-West is a regional area in Southern, Ireland. South-West had 780,376 residents on 1 January 2025, 43.2% of Southern and 14.34% of Ireland; 3rd largest of 8 regional areas in Ireland.
780,376
63.9
40.7
16.9%
12,253
In depth
- Economy, jobs and prices in South-West: GDP per person was 138,000 purchasing power standards (PPS) in 2024, 346% of the EU average (222% for Ireland); 2nd highest of 8 regional areas in Ireland.
- Health in South-West: 54.4% of residents of the South-West described their health as very good in Census 2022, compared with 53.2% nationally (the 2nd highest of 8 NUTS 3 regions).
- Education in South-West: In Census 2022, 35.5% of residents aged 15+ in the South-West had a third-level degree (ordinary bachelor degree or higher), against 36.0% across Ireland; that is the 2nd highest of 8 NUTS 3 regions.
- Poverty and living standards in South-West: Social housing was home to 10.4% of households in the South-West in Census 2022 (23,029 rented from the council and 3,928 from voluntary or co-operative bodies), against 10.4% nationally.
- Government and politics in South-West: The South-West is covered by 3 local authorities: Cork City Council, Cork County Council and Kerry County Council.
Is the population of South-West growing?
That is 14.9% more people than in 2015 (679,100).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow densely populated is South-West?
There were 63.9 people per square kilometre in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the median age in South-West?
The median age was 40.7 years in 2025, against 39.6 for Ireland; 2nd highest of 8 regional areas in Ireland.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow old is the population of South-West?
16.9% of residents were 65 or older and 17.7% were under 15 in 2025.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many births and deaths are there in South-West?
In 2024 there were 7,258 live births and 5,400 deaths, a natural increase of 1,858.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow big is South-West?
It covers 12,253 km².
Source: Eurostat · saved copyAre people moving to South-West?
Net migration added 11.3 people per 1,000 residents in 2024, while births minus deaths gave a natural change of +2.4 per 1,000.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyMore figures
- Households in the South-West paid €9.7 billion in current taxes on income in 2024, 29.4% of total household income (Ireland: 31.0%). Source: Central Statistics Office (CSO), Ireland · saved copy
Figures come from Ireland's own official statistics and from Eurostat's regional statistics for NUTS 3 areas. Comparisons with the EU average use purchasing power standards (PPS), which adjust for price differences.
Other regional areas in Southern
- Mid-West 540,371
- South-East 485,195
Up a level: Southern · all regions of Ireland · how local power works in Ireland
Sources
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_pjangrp3: Population on 1 January (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 4c748d3cba3a…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_d3dens: Population density, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 f4b59fe9d121…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3gdp: GDP per person, PPS (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 3bf0fc662f56…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3gdp: GDP, million euros (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 096e15e5fdb3…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3empers: Employment, thousand people (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 664e4e3a6dc0…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_pjanind3: Median age of the population (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7bf6ade55a0d…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_pjanind3: Share of people aged 65 or over (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 17aa0d08ab9c…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_fagec3: Live births (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 cfda9b5f4ebd…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset reg_area3: Area, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 75302b0aafe9…)
- Central Statistics Office (CSO), Ireland: Estimates of Household Income by Region and County, 2000-2024 (PxStat table CIRGDP07, County Incomes and Regional GDP), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 e9c131e91ab7…)
- Central Statistics Office (CSO), Ireland: Persons on the Live Register by age group, sex and county, monthly 2022-2026 (PxStat table LRM15), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 d22c9fc2ec84…)
- Central Statistics Office (CSO), Ireland: Mean and median annual earnings by sex and NUTS 3 region, 2011-2025 (PxStat table NEA05), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 692c97378d3e…)
- Office of the Attorney General, Irish Statute Book: S.I. No. 573 of 2014: Local Government Act 1991 (Regional Assemblies) (Establishment) Order 2014, read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b6dea72d3d80…)
- Central Statistics Office (CSO), Ireland: Census 2022 Small Area Population Statistics (SAPS), all themes, by administrative county and city, read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 32250e98c48a…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3empers: Employment (thousand persons) by NUTS 3 region and industry, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 222a97c302d3…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_gind3: Population change: demographic balance and crude rates by NUTS 3 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7548e948e15c…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3gva: Gross value added at basic prices by NUTS 3 region and industry, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c656e8563bdf…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.