Persons who cannot afford a personal car in Ireland

Ireland: Persons who cannot afford a personal car was 6.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling

Latest (2025)
6.5%
Change on year
up 71.1%
World rank
19th
of 47 countries
All-time high
13.0%
in 2003
All-time low
3.8%
in 2024
Years of data
22
2003–2025

Persons who cannot afford a personal car in Ireland, 2003–2025

4681012142003201420252003: 13 Percentage2004: 10.8 Percentage2005: 11.3 Percentage2006: 10.4 Percentage2007: 9.1 Percentage2008: 8.6 Percentage2009: 9.1 Percentage2011: 8.2 Percentage2012: 8 Percentage2013: 7 Percentage2014: 7.2 Percentage2015: 7.1 Percentage2016: 6.4 Percentage2017: 7.1 Percentage2018: 5.8 Percentage2019: 6.6 Percentage2020: 6.6 Percentage2021: 5.6 Percentage2022: 6.3 Percentage2023: 6.3 Percentage2024: 3.8 Percentage2025: 6.5 Percentage

Source: Eurostat. Measured in Percentage.

Analysis

Ireland recorded 6.5% for persons who cannot afford a personal car in 2025.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 71.1% on the previous year and down 8.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, persons who cannot afford a personal car in Ireland peaked at 13.0% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 3.8%, in 2024.

Ireland ranks 19th of 47 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 22 years of available data.

Persons who cannot afford a personal car in Ireland, year by year

Annual values for Persons who cannot afford a personal car in Ireland, 2003 to 2025.
Year Percentage Change
2003 13.0% —
2004 10.8% -16.9%
2005 11.3% +4.6%
2006 10.4% -8.0%
2007 9.1% -12.5%
2008 8.6% -5.5%
2009 9.1% +5.8%
2011 8.2% -9.9%
2012 8.0% -2.4%
2013 7.0% -12.5%
2014 7.2% +2.9%
2015 7.1% -1.4%
2016 6.4% -9.9%
2017 7.1% +10.9%
2018 5.8% -18.3%
2019 6.6% +13.8%
2020 6.6% +0.0%
2021 5.6% -15.2%
2022 6.3% +12.5%
2023 6.3% +0.0%
2024 3.8% -39.7%
2025 6.5% +71.1%

Ireland compared with similar countries

  • Ireland's 6.5% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 5.7%, 1.1× the median. (34 countries reporting)
  • Ireland's 6.5% is above the median for high income countries, which is 5.4%, 1.2× the median. (31 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Persons who cannot afford a personal car in Ireland changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
2025 +71.1% 3.8% 6.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 10.3% 8.6% 13.0% 7
2010s 7.0% 5.8% 8.2% 9
2020s 5.9% 3.8% 6.6% 6

Countries ranked near Ireland

  1. 16 Estonia 7.0% compare
  2. 16 Estonia 7.0% compare
  3. 18 Germany 6.6% compare
  4. 20 Sweden 5.9% compare
  5. 21 European Union (EU6-1958, EU9-1973, EU10-1981, EU12-1986, EU15-1995, EU25-2004, EU27-2007, EU28-2013, EU27-2020) 5.8% compare
  6. 22 Belgium 5.7% compare
  7. 22 Netherlands 5.7% compare
  8. 22 Netherlands 5.7% compare

See the full ranking of 53 places →

More reference data data for Ireland

All data for Ireland →

Frequently asked questions

What is persons who cannot afford a personal car in Ireland?
Persons who cannot afford a personal car in Ireland was 6.5% in 2025, according to Eurostat.
What is the highest persons who cannot afford a personal car recorded in Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 13.0% in 2003.
What is the lowest persons who cannot afford a personal car recorded in Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was 3.8% in 2024.
How does Ireland rank for persons who cannot afford a personal car?
Ireland ranks 19th out of 47 countries with data for 2025.
Is persons who cannot afford a personal car rising or falling in Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is down 8.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Ireland data come from?
The figures come from Eurostat, published as part of Persons who cannot afford a personal car. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Persons who cannot afford a personal car in Ireland. Statizoid, drawing on Eurostat. Retrieved 25 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/persons-who-cannot-afford-a-personal-car/ireland/

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About this data

Indicator
Persons who cannot afford a personal car
Unit
Percentage
Source
Eurostat
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Eurostat)
Coverage
53 places, 998 data points, 2003–2025
Last refreshed