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Living in Swords

Swords, a city in Ireland, had a population of 40,776 in April 2022. The foreign population count was 7,122 in April 2022. Annual PM2.5 was 6 µg/m³ at the end of 2024.

Lower unemployment than 73% of Irish cities that publish it and cleaner air than 83% of Irish cities that publish it.

Which Ireland-wide rules apply when you move to Swords?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Visa and entry rulesPassport-specific entry and national residence context.BenefitsCountry-wide eligibility and official application routes.Taxes in IrelandNational rates and thresholds that apply in Swords.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

No city-level rent or cost figure is published for Swords yet. Ireland has country-level context; it is not substituted for this city.

Work and income

What is the unemployment rate in Swords?

The unemployment rate is 7 % (April 2022). Source: CSO Census 2022 F7115 — unemployment rate by town5

Unemployment across cities in IrelandUnemployment in Swords is 7.0%. Of 62 cities with data, 17 have unemployment of 6 to under 8%.
unemployment rate, % · measured cities in Ireland per band6 cities: 4% to under 6%64–617 cities: 6% to under 8%176–8Swords 7.0%11 cities: 8% to under 10%118–1013 cities: 10% to under 12%1310–127 cities: 12% to under 14%712–145 cities: 14% to under 16%514–163 cities: 16% to under 18%316–18

Unemployment rate (%)

MetricValuePeriodSource
Unemployment rate7 %country median 9.5%3 Apr 2022CSO Census 2022 F7115 — unemployment rate by town5Official

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Swords. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.

Country-level information

Intreo employment service — Public employment service

Department of Social Protection, Ireland

Job Search
Open official service
Open the Ireland service overview

Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in Swords. Sources checked through 10 Aug 2026.

Mobility and administration

MetricValuePeriodSource
Destinations from nearest airport144 count3 Aug 2026OpenFlights7Official
Nearest airportDUB3 Aug 2026OurAirports8Official
Distance to nearest airport5 km3 Aug 2026OurAirports8Official

Language courses and integration

No exact city-level course record is currently published for Swords. These verified national programmes may still apply; use the official programme page to check local availability.

Country-level information

Education and Training Board adult English language skills and ESOL — State Language Course

The 16 Education and Training Boards across Ireland

For adult migrants, refugees, adults who need to improve English.

Englishfree
Open official information

Local Authority Integration Teams (LAITs) — Newcomer Adaptation

Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration

For new arrivals, people who applied for International Protection, refugees, people from Ukraine.

EnglishIn Person
Open official information
Open the full Ireland section
National programme information is not treated as proof of a course location in Swords.

Climate and air quality

Is the air quality good in Swords?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 6 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics — IE 2024 PM2.5 station data6

Annual mean at the measuring site(s) serving the city; current-day readings differ.

Temperature through the yearAverage daytime high and night-time low, °C
Swords average monthly daytime high and night-time low temperature, °C0°10°20°JFMAMJJASOND20°2°Daytime highNight-time low
Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm
Swords average monthly precipitation, mm0255075100625251555764617363788372JFMAMJJASONDmm
Sunshine through the yearAverage monthly sunshine, hours
Swords average monthly sunshine, hours05010015020054751071571901671531531251026748JFMAMJJASONDhours
Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits
Swords annual air pollutant levels against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limitsCity valueWHO guidelineEU limit5256.0PM2.5µg/m³

City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.

PM2.5 across cities in IrelandAnnual PM2.5 in Swords is 6.0 µg/m³. Of 58 cities with data, 22 have annual PM2.5 of 7 to under 8 µg/m³.
annual PM2.5, µg/m³ · measured cities in Ireland per band10 cities: 5 µg/m³ to under 6 µg/m³105–64 cities: 6 µg/m³ to under 7 µg/m³46–7Swords 6.022 cities: 7 µg/m³ to under 8 µg/m³227–812 cities: 8 µg/m³ to under 9 µg/m³128–94 cities: 9 µg/m³ to under 10 µg/m³49–103 cities: 10 µg/m³ to under 11 µg/m³310–111 city: 11 µg/m³ to under 12 µg/m³111–122 cities: 12 µg/m³ to under 13 µg/m³212–13

Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)

MetricValuePeriodSource
PM2.5 — annual mean6 µg/m³country median 7.031 Dec 2024EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics — IE 2024 PM2.5 station data6Official
Average daytime high by monthJan 8 · Feb 8.5 · Mar 10.1 · Apr 12.3 · May 14.8 · Jun 17.7 · Jul 19.5 · Aug 19.1 · Sep 16.9 · Oct 13.6 · Nov 10.3 · Dec 8.3 °C31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI9Official
Average night-time low by monthJan 2.3 · Feb 2.2 · Mar 3 · Apr 4 · May 6.6 · Jun 9 · Jul 11.3 · Aug 11.2 · Sep 9.5 · Oct 7.1 · Nov 4.3 · Dec 2.6 °C31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI10Official
Average temperature by monthJan 5.2 · Feb 5.3 · Mar 6.6 · Apr 8.2 · May 10.7 · Jun 13.3 · Jul 15.4 · Aug 15.1 · Sep 13.2 · Oct 10.4 · Nov 7.3 · Dec 5.5 °C31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI11Official
Average precipitation by monthJan 61.8 · Feb 52.4 · Mar 51.4 · Apr 55 · May 57 · Jun 64 · Jul 61 · Aug 73.4 · Sep 63.3 · Oct 78.4 · Nov 82.7 · Dec 72.1 mm31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI12Official
Average sunshine by monthJan 53.5 · Feb 74.5 · Mar 106.8 · Apr 156.9 · May 190.2 · Jun 167.4 · Jul 152.9 · Aug 153.4 · Sep 125.3 · Oct 101.8 · Nov 66.9 · Dec 47.6 hours31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI13Official

Cities of a similar size in Ireland

Closest published populations, for a like-for-like comparison.

All Ireland cities
Ennis27,923 residentsNaas26,180 residentsTralee26,079 residentsBalbriggan24,322 residentsPortlaoise23,494 residentsLetterkenny22,549 residents

Population and city profile

How many people live in Swords?

The published population was 40,776 people in April 2022. Source: CSO Census 2022 F5134 — Built Up Areas / Towns by Size4

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population
Swords residents by nationalityBy nationalityNational passport82.5%Foreign residents17.5%

Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Foreign-resident share19.94 %31 Dec 2022Central Statistics Office Ireland (CSO)1Official
Foreign residents7,122 people3 Apr 2022CSO Census 2022 F5003 — population by citizenship and town of usual residence3Official
Population Female20,616 people31 Dec 2022Central Statistics Office Ireland (CSO)4Official
Population Male20,160 people31 Dec 2022Central Statistics Office Ireland (CSO)4Official
Population40,776 people3 Apr 2022CSO Census 2022 F5134 — Built Up Areas / Towns by Size4Official

International community in Swords

Named groups from exact city-grain official distributions. Citizenship, birthplace, language and ancestry answer different questions and stay separate.

Country of birth

Usually resident population by birthplace or citizenship; source-native CSO table · 2022

Published groupPeopleShare
Total40,458100.0%
Ireland30,18474.6%
Other EU272020 (Exec Ireland & Poland)3,3648.3%
Rest of World3,2898.1%
United Kingdom1,5593.9%
Poland1,3373.3%
India7251.8%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source2

Citizenship

Population Usually Resident and Present in the State · 2022

Published groupPeopleShare
All citizenships40,669100.0%
Ireland32,53580.0%
Poland1,1382.8%
Citizenship not stated9332.3%
Romania7221.8%
Latvia6521.6%
Other EU27 (2020)5881.4%
India5031.2%
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the)4601.1%
Lithuania3981.0%
Show 17 more groups
Published groupPeopleShare
Italy3120.8%
Other Asia(1)3050.7%
Africa(1)2970.7%
Spain2940.7%
Croatia2190.5%
Rest of Europe(1)2030.5%
Brazil2000.5%
China1770.4%
Multiple/Dual citizenship1310.3%
France1180.3%
Other America(1)1070.3%
Ukraine1020.3%
Germany830.2%
No citizenship790.2%
Other countries520.1%
United States of America (the)390.1%
Australia220.1%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source3

Citizenship

Usually resident population by birthplace or citizenship; source-native CSO table · 2022

Published groupPeopleShare
Total40,458100.0%
Ireland32,39080.1%
Other EU272020 (Exec Ireland & Poland)3,3858.4%
Rest of World1,6254.0%
Poland1,1352.8%
Not stated9662.4%
India5021.2%
United Kingdom4551.1%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source2

Is Swords a good place to live?

There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile
Remote worker54%strong on work, weak on safety · range 44–64%
Skilled employee56%strong on work, weak on safety · range 46–66%
Student59%strong on cost, weak on safety · range 47–71%
Family51%strong on family, weak on safety · range 39–63%
Retirement62%strong on air quality, weak on admin · range 50–74%
Foreign residents7,122 people3 Apr 2022Official source · CSO Census 2022 F5003 — population by citizenship and town of usual residence
Population40,776 people3 Apr 2022Official source · CSO Census 2022 F5134 — Built Up Areas / Towns by Size
Unemployment rate7 %3 Apr 2022Official source · CSO Census 2022 F7115 — unemployment rate by town
PM2.5 — annual mean6 µg/m³31 Dec 2024Official source · EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics — IE 2024 PM2.5 station data
Foreign-resident share19.94 %31 Dec 2022Official source · Central Statistics Office Ireland (CSO)
Destinations from nearest airport144 count3 Aug 2026Official source · OpenFlights
Every value keeps its source, geographic scope and verification date · Last checked 2026-08-07

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Swords when the national insurance or residence conditions are met.

Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.

Open the official coverage guide
Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

How many people live in Swords?

The published population was 40,776 people in April 2022. Source: CSO Census 2022 F5134 — Built Up Areas / Towns by Size.

Is the air quality good in Swords?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 6 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics — IE 2024 PM2.5 station data.

What is the unemployment rate in Swords?

The unemployment rate is 7 % (April 2022). Source: CSO Census 2022 F7115 — unemployment rate by town.

How many foreign residents live in Swords?

7,122 people residents hold a foreign nationality. Source: CSO Census 2022 F5003 — population by citizenship and town of usual residence.

Is Swords a good place to live?

Swords may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.

How many people born in Ireland live in Swords?

The official country of birth distribution records 30,184 people (74.6%) in the source-defined population for 2022. This is a country of birth measure, not a general estimate of ethnicity or migration status.

Cite this page

Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.

APA citation
ImmigrationDB. (2026, September 12). Swords, Ireland: jobs, air quality, climate [ImmigrationDB compilation; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/ie/swords/ Retrieved 2026-09-12. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_swords-ireland-jobs-air-quality-climate_726c55337853,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Swords, Ireland: jobs, air quality, climate},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-09-12},
  version = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  snapshot = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/ie/swords/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-09-12. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Swords, Ireland: jobs, air quality, climate](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/ie/swords/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; retrieved 2026-09-12; built 2026-09-12.

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.

Sources

JSON Markdown
  1. Central Statistics Office Ireland (CSO) cso.ie · checked 2026-08-03
  2. Central Statistics Office Ireland country_of_birth distribution ws.cso.ie · checked 2026-08-28
  3. CSO Census 2022 F5003 — population by citizenship and town of usual residence CSO Census 2022 F5003 · ws.cso.ie · checked 2026-07-27
  4. CSO Census 2022 F5134 — Built Up Areas / Towns by Size CSO Census 2022 F5134 · ws.cso.ie · checked 2026-07-14
  5. CSO Census 2022 F7115 — unemployment rate by town CSO Census 2022 F7115 · ws.cso.ie · checked 2026-07-27
  6. EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics — IE 2024 PM2.5 station data EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics · air.discomap.eea.europa.eu · checked 2026-07-29
  7. OpenFlights raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-08-03
  8. OurAirports davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-08-03
  9. World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-03
  10. World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-03
Show 3 more sources
  1. World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-03
  2. World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-03
  3. World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-03

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