Cork's 2026 population is now estimated at 232,271.In 2016, the population of Cork was 208,669.Cork has grown by 2,475 in the last year, which represents a 1.08% annual change.These population values and projections come from CSO SAP2016T1T1SET settlement population (Census 2016), CSO SAP2022T1T1TOWN22 town population (Census 2022) and World Population Review Internal Projections.
Some cities can link their beginnings back a few hundred years, but there are few cities in existence today that have been around for thousands of years. Cork in Ireland is one of the oldest cities in the country and dates back to 915 when the Vikings inhabited it as a center for trade. Today, the Vikings have left - but the city still thrives with a growing population due to businesses such as information technology, brewing, and food processing.
The city of Cork covers a total surface area of 37.3 square kilometers - in the city proper. The area expands considerably when looking at the metropolitan area which comes to 820 square kilometers. The population density is approximately 3,300 individuals per square kilometer in the city, and this density drops to about 480 per square kilometer when looking at the metropolitan area.
The population of Cork is quite substantial when compared to other areas of Ireland. The current population according to the most recent census of 2016 shows that the metropolitan population is 417,211, with 206,953 males and 210,258 females. The population has grown by 4.2% since the last census in 2011. The majority of the population is classified as single with 215,813 making up that demographic. 167,195 are married, 8,933 are separated, 9,006 are divorced, and 16,264 are widowed.
The ethnicities represented in Cork are in line with the rest of Ireland, and the majority of the city is Irish born. 352,452 were born in the country, with 22,176 born in the United Kingdom. Other nationalities represented in the Cork population are Polish at 12,378 and Lithuanian with 2,378 residents in the city. Other EU nationalities make up 9,967 people, and those of different ethnicities total 13,759 people.
The primary religion of Ireland is Roman Catholicism, and the majority of the population, 342,426 people, claim Catholicism as their religion, with other religions only making up 29,636 people. Those that claim no religion has climbed to 37,808 people, while 7,341 people declined to answer the question.
The total number of homes in Cork total 146,442 structures. The majority of families live in homes that are classified as standalone houses or bungalows. The second most popular form of a home is a flat or apartment style dwelling with 7,504 households. 390 people live in a mobile home of some , and 97 people live in bed-sits. 1,511 declined to answer as to which type of dwelling they reside in. 16,330 of these homes are said to have been built before 1919.
There is a total of 312,620 people that are above the age of 15 and therefore eligible for employment. Most of the population, 179,890 people, are currently working while 1,827 people are seeking their first job. Those that are unemployed make up a total of 16,460 people. Students within Cork total 35,933 people and 45,612 are retired. 45,612 people are not currently working as they are looking after the home, and 12,926 people are unable to work due to a permanent disability. The final category in this area of the census is ‘other’. It is unclear as to what exactly this means, but 1,007 people claim it as their employment status.
City | 2026 Pop.↓ | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Dublin | 1,327,053 | 1.24% |
| Cork | 232,271 | 1.08% |
| Limerick | 108,067 | 1.38% |
| Galway | 90,140 | 1.21% |
| Waterford | 64,905 | 1.95% |
| Drogheda | 46,390 | 1.25% |
| Dundalk | 46,088 | 1.68% |
| Swords | 41,828 | 0.64% |
| Bray | 34,134 | 0.46% |
| Naas | 29,952 | 3.42% |
| Ennis | 29,840 | 1.67% |
| Carlow | 29,618 | 2.01% |
| Tralee | 27,803 | 1.61% |
| Kilkenny | 27,641 | 0.42% |
| Balbriggan | 26,226 | 1.9% |
| Greystones-Delgany | 25,036 | 3.27% |
| Letterkenny | 25,036 | 2.65% |
| Athlone | 23,942 | 1.15% |
| Mullingar | 23,906 | 1.34% |
| Wexford | 22,463 | 1.07% |
