Living in Arklow, Co. Wicklow: Schools, Commute & House Prices 2026
On this page
- Who lives in Arklow
- Getting around and commuting
- Getting around Arklow
- Commute to Dublin from Arklow
- Schools in Arklow
- Things to do in and around Arklow
- Where Arklow is
- What it costs: house prices and rent in Arklow
- Before you move: planning and flood
- Recent development in Arklow
- Flood maps
- County context
- Common questions about living in Arklow
- Nearby Wicklow towns
- Population and demographics
Is Arklow a nice place to live?
Arklow is home to about 5,012 households, 63% owner-occupied and 32% renting, according to Census 2022. The median sale price over the last 12 months was €327,500, versus €477,500 across the Mid-East region, and the median rent is €1,417 a month. The Department of Education dataset lists 10 schools keyed to the town (6 primary, 4 post-primary). The nearest rail station is Arklow, 0.7 km away, and 8 bus and rail routes serve the town. The sections below break each of these down.
Arklow is a town in Co. Wicklow, about 61 minutes from Dublin city centre by car and on the rail line, 10 schools, 63.1% of households own their home. Living here costs a median €327,500 to buy or €1,417 a month to rent (RTB Q4 2025) (a 5.2% gross yield).
Official CSO, Department of Education, Transport for Ireland, PPR & RTB data · 142 sales · PPR sales to Aug 2026 · CSO benchmark to May 2026 · rents Q4 2025 (RTB)
Who lives in Arklow: 63.1% own their home, full Census breakdown
Who lives in Arklow
13,399 people live in Arklow on Census 2022 night. 63% of households own their home and 32% rent, so Arklow leans towards owner occupiers. The most common way to commute is by car (66%). It skews young: 21% are under 15 against 14% aged 65 and over. 30% of those who have finished education hold a third level qualification.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Population (2022) | 13,399 |
| Owner-occupied households | 63% |
| Rented households | 32% |
| Aged under 15 | 21% |
| Aged 25 to 44 | 26% |
| Aged 65 and over | 14% |
| Third level or higher | 30% |
| At work (aged 15+) | 52% |
| Unemployment rate | 8% |
| Commute by car | 66% |
| Commute by public transport | 5% |
| Commute on foot or bike | 23% |
Source: CSO Census 2022 Small Area Population Statistics for the Arklow built-up area, CC-BY 4.0.
Getting around and commuting
Nearest train station: Arklow (in the town), on the Rosslare line
Public transport serving Arklow: Rail + bus
Getting around Arklow
Arklow is served by 5 public-transport operators running 8 scheduled routes. Operators are BIFE Bus, Bus Éireann, Iarnród Éireann / Irish Rail, TFI Local Link Carlow Kilkenny Wicklow and Wexford Bus.
| Operator | Mode |
|---|---|
| BIFE Bus | Bus / coach |
| Bus Éireann | Bus / coach |
| Iarnród Éireann / Irish Rail | Rail |
| TFI Local Link Carlow Kilkenny Wicklow | Bus / coach |
| Wexford Bus | Bus / coach |
Scheduled routes
- 2 - Dublin Airport - Gorey - Wexford
- 183 - Arklow - Glendalough
- 740 - Wexford - Dublin Airport
- 800 - Arklow - Carlow
- 740A - Gorey - Dublin Airport
- BR01 - Gorey - Bray
- UM11 - Gorey - Wicklow - Maynooth
- rail - Dublin - Europort
Source: Transport for Ireland GTFS_All feed (NTA), CC-BY 4.0. Stops matched to the town within a 6 km radius; route list capped.
Commute to Dublin from Arklow
Driving from Arklow to Dublin city centre takes about 62 minutes by car on a clear run. That makes it the 4th-closest to Dublin of the 4 Wicklow towns we have routed, behind Bray at 29 minutes.
| Town | Drive to Dublin |
|---|---|
| Arklow, Wicklow This town | 62 min |
| Leixlip, Kildare Closest routed town | 22 min |
| Wexford, Wexford Farthest routed town | 106 min |
Door-to-centre driving time routed on OpenStreetMap road data via OSRM, no live traffic. Comparison is against the Leinster commuter towns routed so far. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Schools in Arklow
There are 6 primary and 4 post-primary schools in and around Arklow, 3 of them in the DEIS programme.
| School | Level | Pupils | DEIS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glenart College | Post-primary | 629 | DEIS |
| St Marys College | Post-primary | 540 | |
| St Josephs N S | Primary | 500 | |
| Arklow Cbs | Post-primary | 383 | |
| St John'S Senior School | Primary | 323 | DEIS |
| Gaelcholáiste Na Mara | Post-primary | 302 | |
| St Michael'S And St Peter'S Junior School | Primary | 250 | DEIS |
| Gaelscoil An Inbhir Mhoir | Primary | 242 | |
| Carysfort Mxd N S | Primary | 197 | |
| S N Naomh Padraig | Primary | 76 |
Source: Department of Education, Data on Individual Schools. CC-BY 4.0.
Things to do in and around Arklow
- Heritage nearby: Glendalough (26 km) · Aghowle Church (32 km) · St. Peter's Church, Ferns (32 km) · Ferns Abbey (33 km)
- Walking trails in County Wicklow: Wicklow Way · Arklow Loops Glenart Walk · Arklow Loops Kynoch Walk · Arklow Loops Love Lane Walk
- Nature reserves: Wicklow Mountains National Park · Glendalough Nature Reserve · Glenealo Valley Nature Reserve
Full guide: things to do in Arklow →
Where Arklow is
Map © OpenStreetMap contributors
What it costs: house prices and rent in Arklow
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Median sale price (12 mo) | €327,500 (+19.1% YoY) |
| Average monthly rent (Q4 2025) | €1,417 |
| Gross rental yield | 5.2% |
| Net yield (est.) | 4.1% |
| Wicklow county median | €478k |
| New build / second-hand | €395,000 / €310,000 |
What this means: New builds in Arklow sell at about a 27% premium to second-hand homes (€395,000 vs €310,000).
Recent sales in Arklow
| Date | Address | Type | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 05 Aug 26 | 20 WOODLANDS RISE, WOODLANDS ESTATE, ARKLOW | Second-hand | €315,000 |
| 04 Aug 26 | 64 WOODLANDS PARK, ARKLOW, COUNTY WICKLOW | Second-hand | €337,000 |
| 30 Jul 26 | 36 HAWTHORN DR, MOUNTAIN BAY, ARKLOW | Second-hand | €345,000 |
| 30 Jul 26 | 8 PEARSE TERRACE, WEXFORD RD, ARKLOW | Second-hand | €200,000 |
| 29 Jul 26 | 18 FERNHILL, ARKLOW, WICKLOW | Second-hand | €300,000 |
| 29 Jul 26 | 52 ST PETERS PLACE, ARKLOW, CO WICKLOW | Second-hand | €260,000 |
| 28 Jul 26 | 17 ST PETERS PLACE, ARKLOW, CO WICKLOW | Second-hand | €287,000 |
| 21 Jul 26 | 55 KNOCKENRAHAN, ARKLOW, WICKLOW | Second-hand | €355,000 |
Actual sale prices from the Property Price Register, verifiable at propertypriceregister.ie.
Arklow median price, year by year
| Year | Median | Relative | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | €270,000 | 156 sales | |
| 2024 | €280,000 | 177 sales | |
| 2025 | €300,000 | 173 sales | |
| 2026 | €330,000 | 73 sales |
Average rent by size (Q4 2025)
| 1-bed | 2-bed | 3-bed | 4+ bed |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | €1,317 | €1,553 | €1,673 |
Maximum legal rent increase in Arklow
Since 1 March 2026 a rent review is capped at the lower of 2% a year (pro rata) or CPI inflation.
The full March 2026 rent review rules
Arklow compared with County Wicklow
| County | Median | Relative |
|---|---|---|
| County Wicklow median | 478000 | |
| Arklow | 327500 |
Rent or buy in Arklow?
At a glance: €327,500 to buy versus €1,417 a month to rent (RTB Q4 2025), a 5.2% gross yield.
Local Property Tax in Arklow
The median home (€327,500) falls in LPT Band 3, a base charge of €333 a year before Wicklow County Council's local adjustment factor. Use the calculator for your exact valuation.
Renting in Arklow: the March 2026 rent rules
Every rent increase is now capped at the lesser of 2% a year (pro rata) or CPI inflation, nationwide since 1 March 2026. A review needs 90 days' notice on the RTB form, no more than one in any 12 months, and the notice must cite three comparable homes from the RTB Rent Register. Check any rent increase against the legal cap, or see average rents for every Leinster town.
Before you move: planning and flood
Recent development in Arklow
In the 12 months to August 2026, 58 planning grants were recorded in and around Arklow.
| Decided | Development | Homes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-19 | Permission for retention of: (1) alterations to dwelling and (2) alterations to | |
| 2026-06-18 | construction of a garage to the rear of their property and the Planning Permission for the construction of a covered carport to the rear of the... | |
| 2026-06-08 | demolition and removal of the existing 3 bed single storey detached dwelling ‘Woodview Cottage’ (84sqm) and for the construction of a new 4 bed two... | |
| 2026-05-21 | construction of two display buildings (Total Area 174sqm), external landscaping and all associated site works | |
| 2026-05-20 | erect a 6m² extension along with alterations and revisions to the elevations and internal layout of the existing 73m² storage shed and for change of... |
Source: Irish Planning Applications, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (ArcGIS, CC-BY 4.0). Granted applications keyed to the nearest town within 7 km. Homes column shows residential units in the application where recorded.
Flood maps
For the modelled fluvial, coastal and pluvial flood extents around Arklow, open the official OPW flood maps, the authoritative source for Arklow, Wicklow.
View the official OPW flood maps for Arklow →
Source: Office of Public Works, floodinfo.ie. No OPW flood-extent values are reproduced here.
County context
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Population (2022 Census) | 155,851 |
| Population change 2016 to 2022 | +9.4% |
| Disposable income per person (index, State = 100) | 100.7 |
| New dwelling permissions (Mid-East region, 2017) | 657 thousand m² |
Planning permissions are reported at NUTS3 region level; counties in this region share a figure.
Sources: CSO F1001, CIA02, BHQ09. CC-BY 4.0.
Nearby Wicklow towns
Delgany · Greystones · Kilcoole · Newtownmountkennedy · Bray · Wicklow
All Wicklow house prices · All Leinster house prices · Things to do in Arklow
Sources: CSO Census 2022, Department of Education, Transport for Ireland, Property Price Register (PSRA), CSO RPPI, RTB via CSO. CC-BY. Figures verifiable at the official source.
Common questions about living in Arklow
What's it like to live in Arklow?
Arklow is a town in Co. Wicklow, about 61 minutes from Dublin city centre by car and on the rail line, 10 schools, 63.1% of households own their home (CSO Census 2022, Department of Education, Transport for Ireland).
How much does it cost to live in Arklow?
A home in Arklow costs a median €327,500 to buy or €1,417 a month to rent (RTB Q4 2025), a 5.2% gross yield (Property Price Register, RTB via CSO).
How long is the commute from Arklow to Dublin?
About 61 minutes to Dublin city centre by car and on the rail line (OpenStreetMap routing).
What schools are in Arklow?
Schools in Arklow include Glenart College, St Marys College, St Josephs N S, Arklow Cbs, among 6 primary and 4 post-primary in total (Department of Education, 2024/25).
What is the population of Arklow?
Arklow had a population of 13,399 at the 2022 Census (CSO).
Population and demographics
Arklow had a population of 13,399 at the 2022 Census.
| Population (2022 Census) | 13,399 |
|---|---|
| Households | 5,012 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 63% |
| Rented homes | 32% |
Source: CSO Census 2022 (CC BY 4.0). Household tenure from the same release.
Shortlist is full (max 3 towns). View your shortlist to remove a town first.
Median of open-market sales each year (Property Price Register). Latest year is partial.
Could a home in Arklow pay as a buy-to-let?
Pre-filled with Arklow's median price and average rent (RTB Q4 2025). Change any figure and it recalculates instantly.
Illustrative. Assumes ~18% of rent for management, insurance and voids; 25-year mortgage on the borrowed share; ~4% acquisition costs. Not financial advice.
What can you afford to buy in Arklow?
Pre-filled with Arklow's median price. Adjust the income and deposit and it recalculates instantly.
Central Bank of Ireland mortgage measures (since Jan 2023): first-time buyers can borrow up to 4x gross income, movers and second or subsequent buyers up to 3.5x, both with a minimum 10% deposit. Figures are illustrative, not financial advice.
Stamp duty on a Arklow property
Pre-filled with Arklow's median price. Change the purchase price and see your stamp duty and total cost instantly.
Irish residential stamp duty (rates in force since 2 October 2024): 1% on the first €1,000,000; 2% from €1,000,000 to €1,500,000; 6% on any amount above €1,500,000. Figures are illustrative, not legal or financial advice.
Local Property Tax for a Arklow home
Pre-filled with Arklow's median price. Uses the 2026 Revenue valuation bands (valuation date: 1 November 2025).
Revenue LPT 2026-2030 band table (source: revenue.ie). Your local authority can vary the base charge by up to 15%. Figures are illustrative; verify at Revenue's LPT reckoner for your exact property.
Rent cap calculator for Arklow
Pre-filled with Arklow's median rent. From 1 March 2026 all private tenancies in Ireland are covered by national rent control: the annual increase is capped at 2% or CPI inflation, whichever is lower.
Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2025; national rent control from 1 March 2026 (source: rtb.ie). Figures are illustrative, not legal advice.
What a month in Arklow costs
Real figures for Arklow: RTB average rent and an ownership estimate built on the median sale price. Adjust the mortgage rate and deposit and it recalculates instantly.
Average rent by size: 2 bed €1,317 · 3 bed €1,553 · 4+ bed €1,673
Rent: RTB average monthly rents (RIQ02), Q4 2025. Ownership: repayment mortgage on Arklow's median Property Price Register sale price over 30 years, plus Revenue's 2026 LPT band charge divided by 12. Excludes utilities, insurance, management fees and council LPT adjustments. Illustrative, not financial advice.
See the full Arklow house prices page: median, year trend, rents by bedroom, yields and recent sales.
Visiting first? Things to do in Arklow covers attractions, heritage sites and walks nearby.