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The NI Statistics and Research Agency have published the first results of Census 2021.
Results record a Northern Ireland population of 1.903 million – the highest ever, although only a modest 5% increase!
Over the last ten years the population increased by over 90,000 people from 1.811 million to 1.903 million. The 2021 Census recorded 967,000 females and 936,000 males.
Perhaps more revealing is that population increase was greatest in the older over 65 age group, almost 25% and that the 0-4 age group has decreased by 9% since 2011!
The number of people aged 65 or more rose by over 60,000 to nearly one-third of a million people .
This demonstrates the scale of population change due to ageing. This looks set to continue as the ‘baby boom’ generation of the 1950s and 1960s reach retirement age. In contrast, and in line with the recent falling birth rate, the number of young children (aged 0 to 4) decreased by nine per cent from the last Census.
Census 2021 also recorded 769,000 occupied households – again the highest ever. This was 65,000 or nine per cent more households than the 2011 Census.
The Registrar General Siobhán Carey said: “I would like to thank the public for their support last year. The statistics released today help us to understand our society in terms of ageing and household structure. The data will inform decisions on public policy for years to come. More Census statistics on local areas and equality factors such as ethnicity, religion and sexual orientation will be published this Autumn.”
You can view an interactive animation Census Through the Ages at : nicensus2021
