Living in Clara, Co. Offaly: Schools, Commute & House Prices 2026
On this page
- Who lives in Clara
- Getting around and commuting
- Getting around Clara
- Schools in Clara
- Things to do in and around Clara
- Where Clara is
- What it costs: house prices and rent in Clara
- Before you move: planning and flood
- Recent development in Clara
- Flood maps
- County context
- Common questions about living in Clara
- Nearby Offaly towns
Leinster house prices & rents › Offaly › Living in Clara
Clara is a town in Co. Offaly, about 85 minutes from Dublin city centre by car and on the rail line, 4 schools, 65.6% of households own their home. Living here costs a median €187,000 to buy.
Official CSO, Department of Education, Transport for Ireland, PPR & RTB data · 31 sales · updated July 2026
How Clara compares: at €187,000 it is 33% below the County Offaly median of €278k.Recent activity in Clara: latest recorded sale Jun 2026; 29 new homes approved in the last year; prices +1.1% year on year. This page updates as new official data lands.
Who lives in Clara — 65.6% own their home, full Census breakdown
Who lives in Clara
3,403 people live in Clara on Census 2022 night. 66% of households own their home and 30% rent, so Clara leans towards owner occupiers. The most common way to commute is by car (72%). It skews young: 21% are under 15 against 15% aged 65 and over. 26% of those who have finished education hold a third level qualification.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Population (2022) | 3,403 |
| Owner-occupied households | 66% |
| Rented households | 30% |
| Aged under 15 | 21% |
| Aged 25 to 44 | 27% |
| Aged 65 and over | 15% |
| Third level or higher | 26% |
| At work (aged 15+) | 49% |
| Unemployment rate | 9% |
| Commute by car | 72% |
| Commute by public transport | 7% |
| Commute on foot or bike | 16% |
Source: CSO Census 2022 Small Area Population Statistics for the Clara built-up area, CC-BY 4.0.
Getting around and commuting
Nearest train station: Clara (in the town), on the Galway and Westport lines
Public transport serving Clara — Rail + bus
Getting around Clara
Clara is served by 3 public-transport operators running 5 scheduled routes. Operators are Bus Éireann, Iarnród Éireann / Irish Rail and TFI Local Link Laois Offaly.
| Operator | Mode |
|---|---|
| Bus Éireann | Bus / coach |
| Iarnród Éireann / Irish Rail | Rail |
| TFI Local Link Laois Offaly | Bus / coach |
Scheduled routes
- 73 - Waterford - Athlone - Longford
- 815 - Tullamore - Athlone
- 840 - Banagher - Tullamore
- rail - Dublin - Galway
- rail - Dublin - Westport
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.
Schools in Clara
There are 3 primary and 1 post-primary schools in and around Clara, 3 of them in the DEIS programme.
| School | Level | Pupils | DEIS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ardscoil Chiaráin Naofa | Post-primary | 331 | DEIS |
| S N Phroinsiais Naofa | Primary | 186 | DEIS |
| Clara Convent N S | Primary | 180 | DEIS |
| S N Mhanachain | Primary | 176 |
Source: Department of Education, Data on Individual Schools. CC-BY 4.0.
Things to do in and around Clara
- Heritage nearby: Hill of Uisneach (17 km) · Clonmacnoise (25 km) · Sierkieran Monastic Site (32 km) · Corlea Trackway (34 km)
- Walking trails in County Offaly: Grand Canal Way · Slieve Bloom Way · Derryounce Bog Lake Walk · Derryounce Bog Oak Walk
- Nature reserves: Clara Bog Nature Reserve · Raheenmore Bog Nature Reserve · Mongan Bog Nature Reserve
Where Clara is
Map © OpenStreetMap contributors
What it costs: house prices and rent in Clara
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Median sale price (12 mo) | €187,000 (+1.1% YoY) |
| Average monthly rent | — |
| Gross rental yield | — |
| Net yield (est.) | — |
| Offaly county median | €278k |
| New build / second-hand | — / €187,000 |
Recent sales in Clara
| Date | Address | Type | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08 Jun 26 | CLOUGHATANNY, CLARA, CO OFFALY | Second-hand | €35,000 |
| 08 May 26 | RIVER ST, CLARA, OFFALY | Second-hand | €117,500 |
| 13 Apr 26 | RIVER STREET, CLARA, CO. OFFALY | Second-hand | €160,000 |
| 13 Apr 26 | RIVER ST, CLARA, OFFALY | Second-hand | €202,500 |
| 27 Mar 26 | RAHEEN, CLARA, OFFALY | Second-hand | €318,000 |
| 09 Mar 26 | KILCOURSEY, CLARA, CO. OFFALY | Second-hand | €325,000 |
| 06 Mar 26 | RIVER ST, CLARA, OFFALY | Second-hand | €187,000 |
| 04 Mar 26 | THE SQUARE, CLARA, CO OFFALY | Second-hand | €300,000 |
Actual sale prices from the Property Price Register, verifiable at propertypriceregister.ie.
Clara median price, year by year
| Year | Median | Relative | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | €180,000 | 34 sales | |
| 2024 | €190,000 | 31 sales | |
| 2025 | €180,000 | 37 sales | |
| 2026 | €187,000 | 13 sales |
Maximum legal rent increase in Clara
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
Clara compared with County Offaly
| County | Median | Relative |
|---|---|---|
| County Offaly median | 278000 | |
| Clara | 187000 |
Local Property Tax in Clara
The median home (€187,000) falls in LPT Band 1, a base charge of €95 a year before Offaly County Council's local adjustment factor. Use the calculator for your exact valuation.
Before you move: planning and flood
Recent development in Clara
In the 12 months to July 2026, 36 planning grants were recorded in and around Clara, including 29 new homes approved across those grants.
| Decided | Development | Homes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-22 | an as built dormer dwelling and for a separate as built single storey living accommodation with attached garage to the rear of site | 2 |
| 2026-01-21 | construction of a single storey extension to an existing school comprising classroom accommodation together with additional parking, upgraded... | 1 |
| 2025-10-01 | THE CHANGE OF USE OF PART OF THE ADJOINING STORES OF THE EXISTING PREMISES KNOWN AS MACE FOR THE EXPANSION OF SHOP, NEW TOILET FACILITIES, STORAGE... | 1 |
| 2025-08-12 | DWELLING HOUSE, DOMESTIC GARAGE, SEPTIC TANK/ETS, PERCOLATION AREA AND ASSOCIATED SITE WORKS | 1 |
| 2026-03-18 | demolishing an existing cottage and shed building, and permission to construct a new single storey dwelling house, new domestic garage, entrance... | 1 |
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 29 homes approved here in the last year are about 2% of Clara's roughly 1,231 households, a supply pipeline that typically eases price pressure.
Flood maps
For the modelled fluvial, coastal and pluvial flood extents around Clara, open the official OPW flood maps, the authoritative source for Clara, Offaly.
View the official OPW flood maps for Clara →
Source: Office of Public Works, floodinfo.ie. No OPW flood-extent values are reproduced here.
County context
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Population (2022 Census) | 83,150 |
| Population change 2016 to 2022 | +6.7% |
| Disposable income per person (index, State = 100) | 76.7 |
| 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 Offaly towns
Tullamore · Edenderry · Birr · Banagher
All Offaly house prices · All Leinster house prices
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 Clara
What's it like to live in Clara?
Clara is a town in Co. Offaly, about 85 minutes from Dublin city centre by car and on the rail line, 4 schools, 65.6% of households own their home (CSO Census 2022, Department of Education, Transport for Ireland).
How much does it cost to live in Clara?
A home in Clara costs a median €187,000 to buy (Property Price Register, RTB via CSO).
How long is the commute from Clara to Dublin?
About 85 minutes to Dublin city centre by car and on the rail line (OpenStreetMap routing).
What schools are in Clara?
Schools in Clara include Ardscoil Chiaráin Naofa, S N Phroinsiais Naofa, Clara Convent N S, S N Mhanachain, among 3 primary and 1 post-primary in total (Department of Education, 2024/25).
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 Clara pay as a buy-to-let?
Pre-filled with Clara's median price. 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 Clara?
Pre-filled with Clara's median price. Adjust the income and deposit and it recalculates instantly.
Central Bank rules: 3.5x gross income for most buyers; first-time buyers can borrow up to 90% LTV. Figures are illustrative, not financial advice.
Stamp duty on a Clara property
Pre-filled with Clara's median price. Change the purchase price and see your stamp duty and total cost instantly.
Irish residential stamp duty: 1% on the first €1,000,000; 2% on any amount above. Figures are illustrative, not legal or financial advice.
Local Property Tax for a Clara home
Pre-filled with Clara'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 Clara
No RTB rental data for Clara yet -- starting from a typical Leinster rent. From 1 March 2026 all private tenancies 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). RPZ_CAP_PCT = 2.0% per annum -- flagged for Bryan to verify the exact statutory rate before publishing. Figures are illustrative, not legal advice.