Living in Athlone, Co. Westmeath: Schools, Commute & House Prices 2026
On this page
- Who lives in Athlone
- Getting around and commuting
- Getting around Athlone
- Commute to Dublin from Athlone
- Schools in Athlone
- Things to do in and around Athlone
- Where Athlone is
- What it costs: house prices and rent in Athlone
- Before you move: planning and flood
- Recent development in Athlone
- Flood maps
- County context
- Common questions about living in Athlone
- Nearby Westmeath towns
- Population and demographics
Is Athlone a nice place to live?
Athlone is home to about 8,439 households, 51% owner-occupied and 43% renting, according to Census 2022. The median sale price over the last 12 months was €300,000, versus €321,500 across the Midland region, and the median rent is €1,323 a month. The Department of Education dataset lists 12 schools keyed to the town (9 primary, 3 post-primary), and there are 21 visitor attractions within 10 km. The nearest rail station is Athlone, 0.6 km away, and 23 bus and rail routes serve the town. The sections below break each of these down.
Athlone is a town in Co. Westmeath, about 104 minutes from Dublin city centre by car and on the rail line, 12 schools, 50.6% of households own their home. Living here costs a median €300,000 to buy or €1,323 a month to rent (RTB Q4 2025) (a 5.3% gross yield).
Official CSO, Department of Education, Transport for Ireland, PPR & RTB data · 285 sales · PPR sales to Aug 2026 · CSO benchmark to May 2026 · rents Q4 2025 (RTB)
Who lives in Athlone: 50.6% own their home, full Census breakdown
Who lives in Athlone
22,869 people live in Athlone on Census 2022 night. 51% of households own their home and 43% rent, so Athlone leans towards owner occupiers. The most common way to commute is by car (65%). It skews young: 20% are under 15 against 13% aged 65 and over. 42% of those who have finished education hold a third level qualification.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Population (2022) | 22,869 |
| Owner-occupied households | 51% |
| Rented households | 43% |
| Aged under 15 | 20% |
| Aged 25 to 44 | 32% |
| Aged 65 and over | 13% |
| Third level or higher | 42% |
| At work (aged 15+) | 54% |
| Unemployment rate | 9% |
| Commute by car | 65% |
| Commute by public transport | 11% |
| Commute on foot or bike | 20% |
Source: CSO Census 2022 Small Area Population Statistics for the Athlone built-up area, CC-BY 4.0.
Getting around and commuting
Nearest train station: Athlone (in the town), on the Galway and Westport lines
Public transport serving Athlone: Rail + bus
Getting around Athlone
Athlone is served by 11 public-transport operators running 23 scheduled routes. Operators are Bus Éireann, Citylink, Farrelly's Coaches, Flagline Coaches, Iarnród Éireann / Irish Rail, Roscommon Coaches, TFI Local Link Galway, TFI Local Link Laois Offaly, TFI Local Link Longford Westmeath Roscommon, Walshs Coaches and Westlink Coaches.
| Operator | Mode |
|---|---|
| Bus Éireann | Bus / coach |
| Citylink | Bus / coach |
| Farrelly's Coaches | Bus / coach |
| Flagline Coaches | Bus / coach |
| Iarnród Éireann / Irish Rail | Rail |
| Roscommon Coaches | Bus / coach |
| TFI Local Link Galway | Bus / coach |
| TFI Local Link Laois Offaly | Bus / coach |
| TFI Local Link Longford Westmeath Roscommon | Bus / coach |
| Walshs Coaches | Bus / coach |
| Westlink Coaches | Bus / coach |
Scheduled routes (a sample of 23)
- 70 - Galway - Mullingar - Dundalk
- 72 - Limerick - Birr - Athlone
- 73 - Waterford - Athlone - Longford
- A1 - Bellanamulla - Station - Creggan
- A2 - Bellanamulla - Station - Creggan
- 190 - Drogheda - Navan - Trim
- 440 - Knock Airport - Westport - Dooagh
- 461 - Sligo - Roscommon - Athlone
- 466 - Athlone - Longford
- 548 - Loughrea - Athlone
- 721 - Castlebar - Dublin Airport
- 760 - Galway - Dublin Airport
- 763 - Dublin Airport - Athlone - Galway
- 815 - Tullamore - Athlone
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 Athlone
Driving from Athlone to Dublin city centre takes about 92 minutes by car on a clear run. That makes it the 2nd-closest to Dublin of the 2 Westmeath towns we have routed, behind Mullingar at 63 minutes.
| Town | Drive to Dublin |
|---|---|
| Athlone, Westmeath This town | 92 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 Athlone
There are 9 primary and 3 post-primary schools in and around Athlone, 6 of them in the DEIS programme.
| School | Level | Pupils | DEIS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athlone Community College | Post-primary | 1161 | |
| Our Lady'S Bower | Post-primary | 638 | |
| Marist College | Post-primary | 608 | |
| St Marys Ns | Primary | 573 | DEIS |
| S N An Cusan | Primary | 413 | |
| Corr Na Madadh N S | Primary | 306 | DEIS |
| Scoil Na Gceithre Maistri | Primary | 235 | DEIS |
| Cluain Buinne N S | Primary | 164 | |
| S N Phoil Naofa | Primary | 125 | DEIS |
| St Peters N S Snr | Primary | 112 | DEIS |
| Sn Deaghan O Ceallaigh | Primary | 77 | DEIS |
| Athlone N S | Primary | 56 |
Source: Department of Education, Data on Individual Schools. CC-BY 4.0.
Things to do in and around Athlone
- Heritage nearby: Clonmacnoise (11 km) · Corlea Trackway (22 km) · Hill of Uisneach (26 km)
- Walking trails in County Westmeath: Royal Canal Way · National Famine Way · Royal Canal Greenway Walking Trail · Westmeath Way
- Nature reserve: Scragh Bog Nature Reserve
Full guide: things to do in Athlone →
Where Athlone is
Map © OpenStreetMap contributors
What it costs: house prices and rent in Athlone
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Median sale price (12 mo) | €300,000 (+6.0% YoY) |
| Average monthly rent (Q4 2025) | €1,323 |
| Gross rental yield | 5.3% |
| Net yield (est.) | 4.1% |
| Westmeath county median | €322k |
| New build / second-hand | €380,450 / €276,000 |
What this means: New builds in Athlone sell at about a 38% premium to second-hand homes (€380,450 vs €276,000).
Recent sales in Athlone
| Date | Address | Type | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 04 Aug 26 | 194 Cornamaddy Court, Cornamaddy, Athlone | New | €352,422 |
| 31 Jul 26 | Brittas, Glasson, Athlone | Second-hand | €270,000 |
| 31 Jul 26 | NO 15 SPRINGWELL COURT, ATHLONE, WESTMEATH | Second-hand | €364,000 |
| 30 Jul 26 | 193 Cornamaddy Court, Cornamaddy, Athlone | New | €352,422 |
| 29 Jul 26 | 1 CLOUGHAN BOY AVE, ATHLONE, WESTMEATH | Second-hand | €332,000 |
| 28 Jul 26 | 116 Cornamaddy Court, Cornamaddy, Athlone | New | €422,907 |
| 27 Jul 26 | 195 Cornamaddy Court, Cornamaddy, Athlone | New | €352,422 |
| 24 Jul 26 | 100 Cornamaddy Court, Athlone | New | €312,775 |
Actual sale prices from the Property Price Register, verifiable at propertypriceregister.ie.
Athlone median price, year by year
| Year | Median | Relative | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | €245,000 | 291 sales | |
| 2024 | €251,000 | 248 sales | |
| 2025 | €314,750 | 266 sales | |
| 2026 | €295,000 | 153 sales |
Average rent by size (Q4 2025)
| 1-bed | 2-bed | 3-bed | 4+ bed |
|---|---|---|---|
| €1,046 | €1,219 | €1,458 | €1,689 |
Maximum legal rent increase in Athlone
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
Athlone compared with County Westmeath
| County | Median | Relative |
|---|---|---|
| County Westmeath median | 322000 | |
| Athlone | 300000 |
Rent or buy in Athlone?
At a glance: €300,000 to buy versus €1,323 a month to rent (RTB Q4 2025), a 5.3% gross yield.
Local Property Tax in Athlone
The median home (€300,000) falls in LPT Band 2, a base charge of €235 a year before Westmeath County Council's local adjustment factor. Use the calculator for your exact valuation.
Renting in Athlone: 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 Athlone
In the 12 months to August 2026, 69 planning grants were recorded in and around Athlone, including 218 new homes approved across those grants.
| Decided | Development | Homes |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-09-04 | for a residential development, on lands located in the townlands of Lissywollen, Kilnafaddoge & Retreat, Athlone, County Westmeath. The proposed... | 63 |
| 2026-07-28 | proposed development which consists of 75 no. dwellings, comprised of 58 no. 2 storey, 3 & 4 bedroom, semi-detached and terraced houses, and, 17 no... | 58 |
| 2026-08-07 | to construct 49 no. residential units (comprising of 12 no. 1 bed apartments and 37 no. 2, 3 and 4 bed semi-detached and terraced houses) and a... | 47 |
| 2025-12-19 | construction of new housing development consisting of 1 Terrace , 3 No Bed , two storeys (3 houses) & 4 Blocks of Semi Detached two storeys 3No Beds... | 11 |
| 2026-07-03 | development at this site: Our Lady’s Bower Convent, a Protected Structure RPS No. 224 & 223, in the townlands of Aghacocara and Loughanaskin. Lower... | 10 |
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.
What this means: The 218 homes approved here in the last year are about 3% of Athlone's roughly 8,439 households, a supply pipeline that typically eases price pressure.
Flood maps
For the modelled fluvial, coastal and pluvial flood extents around Athlone, open the official OPW flood maps, the authoritative source for Athlone, Westmeath.
View the official OPW flood maps for Athlone →
Source: Office of Public Works, floodinfo.ie. No OPW flood-extent values are reproduced here.
County context
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Population (2022 Census) | 96,221 |
| Population change 2016 to 2022 | +8.4% |
| Disposable income per person (index, State = 100) | 80.6 |
| New dwelling permissions (Midland region, 2017) | 168 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 Westmeath towns
Mullingar · Kinnegad · Moate · Kilbeggan · Castlepollard
All Westmeath house prices · All Leinster house prices · Things to do in Athlone
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 Athlone
What's it like to live in Athlone?
Athlone is a town in Co. Westmeath, about 104 minutes from Dublin city centre by car and on the rail line, 12 schools, 50.6% of households own their home (CSO Census 2022, Department of Education, Transport for Ireland).
How much does it cost to live in Athlone?
A home in Athlone costs a median €300,000 to buy or €1,323 a month to rent (RTB Q4 2025), a 5.3% gross yield (Property Price Register, RTB via CSO).
How long is the commute from Athlone to Dublin?
About 104 minutes to Dublin city centre by car and on the rail line (OpenStreetMap routing).
What schools are in Athlone?
Schools in Athlone include Athlone Community College, Our Lady'S Bower, Marist College, St Marys Ns, among 9 primary and 3 post-primary in total (Department of Education, 2024/25).
What is the population of Athlone?
Athlone had a population of 22,869 at the 2022 Census (CSO).
Population and demographics
Athlone had a population of 22,869 at the 2022 Census.
| Population (2022 Census) | 22,869 |
|---|---|
| Households | 8,439 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 51% |
| Rented homes | 43% |
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 Athlone pay as a buy-to-let?
Pre-filled with Athlone'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 Athlone?
Pre-filled with Athlone'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 Athlone property
Pre-filled with Athlone'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 Athlone home
Pre-filled with Athlone'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 Athlone
Pre-filled with Athlone'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 Athlone costs
Real figures for Athlone: 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: 1 bed €1,046 · 2 bed €1,219 · 3 bed €1,458 · 4+ bed €1,689
Rent: RTB average monthly rents (RIQ02), Q4 2025. Ownership: repayment mortgage on Athlone'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 Athlone house prices page: median, year trend, rents by bedroom, yields and recent sales.
Visiting first? Things to do in Athlone covers attractions, heritage sites and walks nearby.
Weighing it against somewhere else? See Athlone vs Mullingar for a family and Athlone vs Tullamore for an investor, side by side on price, rent, yield and rail access.