Employment rates by degree of urbanisation in Ireland

Ireland: Employment rates by degree of urbanisation was 68.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)
68.5%
Change on year
up 0.3%
World rank
10th
of 45 countries
All-time high
68.5%
in 2025
All-time low
47.1%
in 1992
Years of data
34
1992–2025

Employment rates by degree of urbanisation in Ireland, 1992–2025

02040601992200820251992: 47.1 Percentage1993: 47.5 Percentage1994: 48.7 Percentage1995: 50.2 Percentage1996: 51.1 Percentage1997: 52.4 Percentage1998: 55.4 Percentage1999: 58 Percentage2000: 59.9 Percentage2001: 60.6 Percentage2002: 60.6 Percentage2003: 60.6 Percentage2004: 60.9 Percentage2005: 63 Percentage2006: 64.1 Percentage2007: 67.1 Percentage2008: 65.1 Percentage2009: 59.4 Percentage2010: 56.8 Percentage2011: 55.8 Percentage2012: 55.5 Percentage2013: 57 Percentage2014: 58.2 Percentage2015: 59.6 Percentage2016: 61 Percentage2017: 62 Percentage2018: 62.9 Percentage2019: 63.7 Percentage2020: 62.1 Percentage2021: 64.2 Percentage2022: 67.1 Percentage2023: 67.9 Percentage2024: 68.3 Percentage2025: 68.5 Percentage

Source: Eurostat. Measured in Percentage.

Analysis

The most recent figure for employment rates by degree of urbanisation in Ireland is 68.5%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.

That represents a change of up 0.3% on the previous year and up 14.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, employment rates by degree of urbanisation in Ireland peaked at 68.5% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 47.1%, in 1992.

Ireland ranks 10th of 45 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.

Employment rates by degree of urbanisation in Ireland, year by year

Annual values for Employment rates by degree of urbanisation in Ireland, 1992 to 2025.
Year Percentage Change
1992 47.1%
1993 47.5% +0.8%
1994 48.7% +2.5%
1995 50.2% +3.1%
1996 51.1% +1.8%
1997 52.4% +2.5%
1998 55.4% +5.7%
1999 58.0% +4.7%
2000 59.9% +3.3%
2001 60.6% +1.2%
2002 60.6% +0.0%
2003 60.6% +0.0%
2004 60.9% +0.5%
2005 63.0% +3.4%
2006 64.1% +1.7%
2007 67.1% +4.7%
2008 65.1% -3.0%
2009 59.4% -8.8%
2010 56.8% -4.4%
2011 55.8% -1.8%
2012 55.5% -0.5%
2013 57.0% +2.7%
2014 58.2% +2.1%
2015 59.6% +2.4%
2016 61.0% +2.3%
2017 62.0% +1.6%
2018 62.9% +1.5%
2019 63.7% +1.3%
2020 62.1% -2.5%
2021 64.2% +3.4%
2022 67.1% +4.5%
2023 67.9% +1.2%
2024 68.3% +0.6%
2025 68.5% +0.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 51.3% 47.1% 58.0% 8
2000s 62.1% 59.4% 67.1% 10
2010s 59.2% 55.5% 63.7% 10
2020s 66.4% 62.1% 68.5% 6

Countries ranked near Ireland

  1. 7 Denmark 69.3% compare
  2. 8 Sweden 69.0% compare
  3. 9 Cyprus 68.8% compare
  4. 10 Estonia 68.5% compare
  5. 10 Estonia 68.5% compare
  6. 13 Germany 67.6% compare

See the full ranking of 47 places →

More work & labour data for Ireland

All data for Ireland →

Frequently asked questions

What is employment rates by degree of urbanisation in Ireland?
Employment rates by degree of urbanisation in Ireland was 68.5% in 2025, according to Eurostat.
What is the highest employment rates by degree of urbanisation recorded in Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 68.5% in 2025.
What is the lowest employment rates by degree of urbanisation recorded in Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was 47.1% in 1992.
How does Ireland rank for employment rates by degree of urbanisation?
Ireland ranks 10th out of 45 countries with data for 2025.
Is employment rates by degree of urbanisation rising or falling in Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is up 14.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Ireland data come from?
The figures come from Eurostat, published as part of Employment rates by degree of urbanisation. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Employment rates by degree of urbanisation in Ireland. Statizoid, drawing on Eurostat. Retrieved 31 August 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/employment-rates-by-degree-of-urbanisation/ireland/

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About this data

Indicator
Employment rates by degree of urbanisation
Unit
Percentage
Source
Eurostat
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Eurostat)
Coverage
47 places, 1,327 data points, 1992–2025
Last refreshed