Population of Louth nears 70,000 people

August 1966

THE preliminary report of the Census of Population, taken last April, shows that the population of the county of Louth has increased by 1,784 persons since the previous census was taken in 1961.

The percentage increase in the county is about 2.6%, which is very close to being the same as the increase in the country as a whole during the same period.

The total population of the county is now 69,162 persons; this is almost the highest since before the beginning of the century; the population of Louth was 71,038 in 1891 but had fallen to 65,829 in 1901 and never again reached the 70,000 mark.

However, in 1956 it was 69,194 (plus 32 on the present year).

This year’s figures show that Dundalk has only increased by 44 persons since 1961. However, the surrounding districts have increased from 1,362 to 1,676.

The population of the urban area is now 19,834 (Dundalk, with surrounding districts, not in Urban area, is 21,510).

In 1956 the Urban area of Dundalk had reached the record figure of 20,150.

Since 1961 the population of Drogheda has increased by 738 to a total of 17,823.

The Ardee rural area population has increased by 283 since 1961 to a present total of 12,009 and the Louth rural area by 295 to a total of 5,305.