Mayo’s population highest since 1956

Mayo’s population highest since 1956


130,552 now resident in county, increase of 5.4 per cent on 2006 census

Michael Duffy

THE population of Co Mayo is at its highest in 55 years according to preliminary results released today from the 2011 Census, which took place on April 10 last.
The figures show that 130,552 people are now living in Co Mayo which is up 5.4 per cent on the 2006 total of 123,839. The county’s population is as its highest since 1956, when 133,052 lived in Co Mayo.
However, Mayo’s increase is the smallest of all rural counties in the Western Region. Co Galway has increased by 10 per cent; Co Leitrim by 9.8 per cent; Co Roscommon by 8.7 per cent; Co Sligo by 7.2 and Co Mayo by 5.2 per cent. Galway City increased by 4.1 per cent. Overall, the population of Connacht stands at 542,039, up 7.5 per cent on the 2006 figure.
Mayo is also placed a high fourth in the country on the list for the number of vacant dwellings that exist in each county. Leitrim tops the list followed by Donegal and Kerry, with Mayo fourth on the list with almost a quarter of the housing stock in the county vacant at 24.8 per cent.
Nationally, the Census show that the population of the Republic of Ireland stands at 4,581,269, up 8.1 on the 2006, and the highest total since the first Census was conducted in 1926.

See next week’s Mayo News for comment and analysis of the preliminary results of Census 2011.