Boston has about 87,327 people of Irish ancestry , which is 13.0% of the city’s population.

For a little more context, older census-based reporting has also put the Boston area’s Irish-descent share at 16.1% in one source, showing that estimates can vary depending on whether the count is for the city proper or the broader metro area.

Quick read

  • Boston city: 87,327 people of Irish ancestry.
  • Share of city population: 13.0%.
  • Metro area estimates: higher in some sources, because the Irish community is especially large in the surrounding suburbs.

Why the number varies

Different sources measure different geographies:

  • City of Boston only.
  • Greater Boston / metro area , which includes surrounding towns with large Irish-American populations.

So the best single answer for “Boston” is about 87,000 people in the city itself.

Would you like the same answer for Greater Boston instead of the city proper?