For detailed mapping data on the entire Western Region visit the
WDC-AIRO Mapping Tool page here »
| Land Mass | 2,601,501 ha |
|---|---|
| % of Ireland | 37.1% |
| Population Density (2016) | 31.85 persons per sq km |
Human Resource
| Population (2016) | 828,697 |
|---|---|
| Population Change (2011-2016) | 1.0% |
Top 12 Centres of Population in the Western Region (2016)
| Galway City and Suburbs | 79,934 |
|---|---|
| Ennis, Co. Clare | 25,276 |
| Letterkenny, Co. Donegal | 19,274 |
| Sligo, Co. Sligo | 19,199 |
| Castlebar, Co. Mayo | 12,068 |
| Ballina, Co. Mayo | 10,171 |
| Shannon, Co. Clare | 9,729 |
| Tuam, Co. Galway | 8,767 |
| Buncrana, Co. Donegal | 6,785 |
| Ballinasloe, Co. Galway | 6,662 |
| Westport, Co. Mayo | 6,198 |
| Roscommon, Co. Roscommon | 5,876 |
Source: CSO Census of Population 2016
Highest Level of Education (2016)
| Highest level of education completed by persons whose education has ceased (%) |
|---|
| No Formal/Primary (15.7%) |
| Secondary (45.1%) |
| Third Level (39.2%) |
Source: CSO Census of Population 2016
Natural Resources
| Average Farm Size (2010) | 26.33 ha |
|---|---|
| Farming, Fishing & Forestry workers (2016) | 22,733 |
Employment
| Employed (2016) | 333,919 |
|---|---|
| Employment Change (2011-2016) | 7.5% |
| Labour Force Participation Rate (2016) | 59.3% |
Numbers Employed by Sector (2016)
| Total | 333,919 |
|---|---|
| Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing | 22,733 (6.8%) |
| Industry & Construction | 63,920 (19.1%) |
| Services | 232,651 (69.7%) |
Source: CSO Census of Population 2016
Download the 2-page WDC Insights Census 2016: What do people in the Western Region work at?
Agency Assisted Employment (2015)
| Employment in Agency Assisted Irish Owned Companies | 21,896 |
|---|---|
| Employment in Agency Assisted Foreign Owned Companies | 31,183 |
Download a report on ‘Trends in Agency Assisted Employment in the Western Region’ here
Income & Output
| Net Output per Person Engaged (2012)* | €240,630 |
|---|---|
| Avg. Wage in Industry (2012) | €37,379 |
* There are some limitations associated with Net Output figures which relate to the ownership of companies and transfer pricing arrangements which may be applied.
Tourism (2015)
| Revenue Generated by Overseas tourists | €851m |
|---|
Source: Fáilte Ireland, Regional tourism performance in 2015
Enterprise (2015)
| Number of Active Enterprises | 42,266 |
|---|---|
| Percentage of Micro-Enterprises (10 or fewer employees) | 93.1% |
| Percentage Change in Number of Enterprises (20011-2015) | -0.8% |
Source: CSO Business Demography 2015
Labour Catchments in the Western Region (2006)
An updated detailed analysis of Labour Catchments based on Census 2016 data will be published in April 2018.
Download the 2-page WDC Insights Census 2016: Where do People in the Western Region Work?
| Galway city labour catchment | 64,455 |
|---|---|
| Ennis labour catchment | 21,333 |
| Sligo borough labour catchment | 20,321 |
| Letterkenny labour catchment | 17,886 |
| Castlebar labour catchment | 13,757 |
| Roscommon labour catchment | 7,306 |
| Carrick-on-Shannon labour catchment | 6,632 |
* The labour catchment of a town is that area from which it draws most of its workforce. These figures are the number of workers living in the catchment areas of these towns.
To view a larger map of the Western Region in a new window, click here.
Further detail is contained in the report Travel to Work and Labour Catchments in the Western Region: A Profile of Seven Town Labour Catchments available at: https://www.wdc.ie/publications/reports-and-papers/
