Demographics
- Leitrim has the fastest growing population of any county in Connacht. As measured by census, the population rose by 12.2% between 2002 and 2006 to 29,000.
- 2005 HEA statistics identified that Leitrim has the highest rate of participation in higher education in the Republic with 75% of 17-19 year olds being admitted to a higher course.
- The county town is Carrick-on-Shannon (3,505 inhabitants). It is a highly developed, prospering river port on the River Shannon and many tourists hire cruising boats here to explore the Shannon and the Shannon-Erne Waterway -a 63 km canal linking the two river systems. It is amongst the fastest growing towns in Ireland having grown by 25% in the past few years.
- According to 2008 statistics, Leitrim county has the third highest suicide rate in Ireland and the lowest male life expectancy at 72.8 years (average is 75.6).
| Historical population | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1659 | 4,275 | — |
| 1821 | 124,783 | +2818.9% |
| 1831 | 141,524 | +13.4% |
| 1841 | 155,297 | +9.7% |
| 1851 | 111,897 | −27.9% |
| 1861 | 104,744 | −6.4% |
| 1871 | 95,562 | −8.8% |
| 1881 | 90,372 | −5.4% |
| 1891 | 78,618 | −13.0% |
| 1901 | 69,343 | −11.8% |
| 1911 | 63,582 | −8.3% |
| 1926 | 55,907 | −12.1% |
| 1936 | 50,908 | −8.9% |
| 1946 | 44,591 | −12.4% |
| 1951 | 41,209 | −7.6% |
| 1956 | 37,056 | −10.1% |
| 1961 | 33,470 | −9.7% |
| 1966 | 30,572 | −8.7% |
| 1971 | 28,360 | −7.2% |
| 1979 | 27,844 | −1.8% |
| 1981 | 27,609 | −0.8% |
| 1986 | 27,035 | −2.1% |
| 1991 | 25,301 | −6.4% |
| 1996 | 25,057 | −1.0% |
| 2002 | 25,799 | +3.0% |
| 2006 | 28,950 | +12.2% |
| 2011 | 31,798 | +9.8% |
Read more about this topic: County Leitrim