Living in Drogheda, Co. Louth: Schools, Commute & House Prices 2026
On this page
- Who lives in Drogheda
- Commuting to Dublin
- Getting around Drogheda
- Commute to Dublin from Drogheda
- Schools in Drogheda
- Things to do in and around Drogheda
- Where Drogheda is
- What it costs: house prices and rent in Drogheda
- Before you move: planning and flood
- Recent development in Drogheda
- Flood maps
- County context
- Common questions about living in Drogheda
- Nearby Louth towns
- Population and demographics
Is Drogheda a nice place to live?
Drogheda is home to about 15,751 households, 62% owner-occupied and 32% renting, according to Census 2022. The median sale price over the last 12 months was €380,062, versus €402,475 across the Mid-East region, and the average rent reported by the RTB is €1,462 a month. The Department of Education dataset lists 21 schools keyed to the town (14 primary, 7 post-primary), and there are 37 visitor attractions within 10 km. The nearest rail station is Drogheda, 1.2 km away, and 25 bus and rail routes serve the town. The sections below break each of these down.
Drogheda is a town in Co. Louth, about 42 minutes from Dublin city centre by car and on the rail line, 21 schools, 62.5% of households own their home. Living here costs a median €380,062 to buy or €1,462 a month to rent (RTB Q4 2025) (a 4.6% gross yield).
Official CSO, Department of Education, Transport for Ireland, PPR & RTB data · 792 sales · PPR sales to Sep 2026 · CSO benchmark to Jul 2026 · rents Q4 2025 (RTB)
Who lives in Drogheda: 62.5% own their home, full Census breakdown
Who lives in Drogheda
44,135 people live in Drogheda on Census 2022 night. 62% of households own their home and 32% rent, so Drogheda leans towards owner occupiers. The most common way to commute is by car (56%). It skews young: 20% are under 15 against 13% aged 65 and over. 36% of those who have finished education hold a third level qualification.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Population (2022) | 44,135 |
| Owner-occupied households | 62% |
| Rented households | 32% |
| Aged under 15 | 20% |
| Aged 25 to 44 | 29% |
| Aged 65 and over | 13% |
| Third level or higher | 36% |
| At work (aged 15+) | 55% |
| Unemployment rate | 8% |
| Commute by car | 56% |
| Commute by public transport | 15% |
| Commute on foot or bike | 26% |
Source: CSO Census 2022 Small Area Population Statistics for the Drogheda built-up area, CC-BY 4.0.
Commuting to Dublin
Nearest train station: Drogheda (in the town), on several Dublin intercity lines
Public transport serving Drogheda: Rail + bus
Getting around Drogheda
Drogheda is served by 6 public-transport operators running 25 scheduled routes. Operators are Bus Éireann, Iarnród Éireann / Irish Rail, Matthews Coach Hire, Pat Keenan Coach Hire, Streamline Coaches and TFI Local Link Louth Meath Fingal.
| Operator | Mode |
|---|---|
| Bus Éireann | Bus / coach |
| Iarnród Éireann / Irish Rail | Rail |
| Matthews Coach Hire | Bus / coach |
| Pat Keenan Coach Hire | Bus / coach |
| Streamline Coaches | Bus / coach |
| TFI Local Link Louth Meath Fingal | Bus / coach |
Scheduled routes (a sample of 25)
- D1 - Drogheda - Laytown
- D2 - Drogheda - Coast Road - Laytown
- D4 - Southgate SC - Ballymakenny
- D5 - Colpe Road - Termonabbey
- 100 - Drogheda - Dundalk - Newry
- 101 - Dublin - Airport - Drogheda
- 105 - Blanchardstown - Ashbourne - Ashbourne - Drogheda
- 163 - Brú na Bóinne - Drogheda
- 168 - Dundalk - Annagassan
- 173 - Drogheda West St - Dominck St
- 182 - Drogheda - Collon - Ardee - Monaghan
- 188 - Athboy - Navan - Drogheda
- 190 - Drogheda - Navan - Trim
- 901 - Dundalk - Drogheda - Dublin
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 Drogheda
Driving from Drogheda to Dublin city centre takes about 42 minutes by car on a clear run. That makes it the closest to Dublin of the 2 Louth towns we have routed by road.
| Town | Drive to Dublin |
|---|---|
| Drogheda, Louth This town | 42 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 Drogheda
There are 14 primary and 7 post-primary schools in and around Drogheda, 8 of them in the DEIS programme.
| School | Level | Pupils | DEIS |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Oliver'S Community College | Post-primary | 1517 | DEIS |
| St. Joseph'S C.B.S. | Post-primary | 1057 | |
| Ballymakenny College | Post-primary | 1003 | |
| Our Lady'S College | Post-primary | 973 | |
| St Marys Parish Primary School | Primary | 967 | |
| St Mary'S Diocesan School | Post-primary | 915 | |
| Sacred Heart Secondary School | Post-primary | 706 | |
| St Brigid'S And St Patrick'S National School | Primary | 575 | DEIS |
| Drogheda Grammar School | Post-primary | 553 | |
| St Pauls Senior Ns | Primary | 466 | DEIS |
| S N Tulach Aluinn | Primary | 411 | |
| Presentation Convent | Primary | 385 | DEIS |
| Le Cheile Educate Together Ns | Primary | 383 | |
| Aston Village Educate Together National School | Primary | 375 |
Showing the 14 largest of 21.
Source: Department of Education, Data on Individual Schools. CC-BY 4.0.
Things to do in and around Drogheda
- Heritage nearby: Mellifont Abbey (8 km) · Newgrange Passage Tomb (8 km) · Knowth Passage Tomb Cemetery (9 km) · Skreen Church (20 km)
- Walking trails in County Louth: Tain Way · Annaloughan Loop · Barnavave Loop · Boyne Valley Camino
Full guide: things to do in Drogheda →
Where Drogheda is
Map © OpenStreetMap contributors
What it costs: house prices and rent in Drogheda
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Median sale price (12 mo) | €380,062 (+2.7% YoY) |
| Average monthly rent (Q4 2025) | €1,462 |
| Gross rental yield | 4.6% |
| Net yield (est.) | 3.6% |
| Louth county median | €402k |
| New build / second-hand | €411,250 / €295,000 |
What this means: New builds in Drogheda sell at about a 39% premium to second-hand homes (€411,250 vs €295,000).
Recent sales in Drogheda
| Date | Address | Type | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Sep 26 | 11 Ushers Mill Crescent, Ushers Mill, Drogheda | New | €431,718 |
| 24 Sep 26 | 16 Ushers Mill Row, Ushers Mill, Drogheda | New | €374,449 |
| 21 Sep 26 | 10 SHELDUCK ST, ASTON VILLAGE, DROGHEDA | Second-hand | €355,000 |
| 21 Sep 26 | 19 Ushers Mill Crescent, Ushers Mill, Drogheda | New | €427,313 |
| 21 Sep 26 | 5 SHAMROCK VILLAS, DROGHEDA, LOUTH | Second-hand | €525,000 |
| 21 Sep 26 | 98 Gort Mell, Slane Road, Drogheda | New | €370,044 |
| 18 Sep 26 | 2 beaulieu banks, drogheda | New | €400,882 |
| 18 Sep 26 | 7 UPPER MAGDALENE STREET, DROGHEDA, CO LOUTH | Second-hand | €262,000 |
Actual sale prices from the Property Price Register, verifiable at propertypriceregister.ie.
Drogheda median price, year by year
| Year | Median | Relative | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | €315,000 | 625 sales | |
| 2024 | €320,000 | 546 sales | |
| 2025 | €374,999 | 837 sales | |
| 2026 | €399,749 | 506 sales |
Average rent by size (Q4 2025)
| 1-bed | 2-bed | 3-bed | 4+ bed |
|---|---|---|---|
| €1,165 | €1,390 | €1,597 | €1,989 |
Maximum legal rent increase in Drogheda
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
Drogheda compared with County Louth
| County | Median | Relative |
|---|---|---|
| County Louth median | 402000 | |
| Drogheda | 380062 |
Rent or buy in Drogheda?
At a glance: €380,062 to buy versus €1,462 a month to rent (RTB Q4 2025), a 4.6% gross yield.
Local Property Tax in Drogheda
The median home (€380,062) falls in LPT Band 3, a base charge of €333 a year before Louth County Council's local adjustment factor. Use the calculator for your exact valuation.
Renting in Drogheda: 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 Drogheda
In the 12 months to September 2026, 147 planning grants were recorded in and around Drogheda, including 697 new homes approved across those grants.
| Decided | Development | Homes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-12 | Permission for development at a site of (c. 3.63ha). The proposed development comprises 99no. 2-storey dwellings (51no. 3-bed and 48no. 4-bed... | 99 |
| 2026-08-28 | Permission will consist of the construction of 97 no. residential units on a site of Circa 3.76 Hectares. The 97 units consist of 22 no. 2-bed 2... | 97 |
| 2026-08-21 | Retention and completion of revisions consisting of alterations to material finishes on all dwellings types A1,A2,B1,B3,B4 on plot numbers 69 -131 &... | 81 |
| 2026-05-20 | Permission for development at a site (c. 2.33ha). The proposed development comprises: 79no. dwellings (8no. 2-bed, 62no. 3- bed and 9no. 4-bed... | 79 |
| 2026-07-03 | Permission for a residential development on lands to the east of Ballymakenny Road and south of Listoke Avenue, in the townland of Greenbatter. The... | 72 |
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 697 homes approved here in the last year are about 4% of Drogheda's roughly 15,751 households, a supply pipeline that typically eases price pressure.
Flood maps
For the modelled fluvial, coastal and pluvial flood extents around Drogheda, open the official OPW flood maps, the authoritative source for Drogheda, Louth.
View the official OPW flood maps for Drogheda →
Source: Office of Public Works, floodinfo.ie. No OPW flood-extent values are reproduced here.
County context
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Population (2022 Census) | 139,703 |
| Population change 2016 to 2022 | +8.4% |
| Disposable income per person (index, State = 100) | 92.2 |
| 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 Louth towns
All Louth house prices · All Leinster house prices · Things to do in Drogheda
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 Drogheda
What's it like to live in Drogheda?
Drogheda is a town in Co. Louth, about 42 minutes from Dublin city centre by car and on the rail line, 21 schools, 62.5% of households own their home (CSO Census 2022, Department of Education, Transport for Ireland).
How much does it cost to live in Drogheda?
A home in Drogheda costs a median €380,062 to buy or €1,462 a month to rent (RTB Q4 2025), a 4.6% gross yield (Property Price Register, RTB via CSO).
How long is the commute from Drogheda to Dublin?
About 42 minutes to Dublin city centre by car and on the rail line (OpenStreetMap routing).
What schools are in Drogheda?
Schools in Drogheda include St Oliver'S Community College, St. Joseph'S C.B.S., Ballymakenny College, Our Lady'S College, among 14 primary and 7 post-primary in total (Department of Education, 2024/25).
What is the population of Drogheda?
Drogheda had a population of 44,135 at the 2022 Census (CSO).
Population and demographics
Drogheda had a population of 44,135 at the 2022 Census.
| Population (2022 Census) | 44,135 |
|---|---|
| Households | 15,751 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 62% |
| 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.
Each point is the median of that calendar year's open-market sales on the Property Price Register. 2026 is a part year, covering the 506 sales recorded to July 2026. Over the 12 months to 25 September 2026 the median was €380,062.
Could a home in Drogheda pay as a buy-to-let?
Pre-filled with Drogheda'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 Drogheda?
Pre-filled with Drogheda's median price. Adjust the income and deposit and it recalculates instantly.
Assumes 4x gross income for a first-time buyer or 3.5x otherwise, plus your deposit, with no minimum deposit applied (the Central Bank's 10% floor can cap the price lower; the affordability calculator applies it), and a 3.7% rate over 30 years unless you change them.
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 Drogheda property
Pre-filled with Drogheda's median price. Change the purchase price, tick new build if it applies, 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. New builds: duty is charged on the price net of 13.5% VAT. Figures are illustrative, not legal or financial advice.
Local Property Tax for a Drogheda home
Pre-filled with Drogheda's median price. Uses the 2026 Revenue valuation bands (valuation date: 1 November 2025) and your local authority's 2026 adjustment factor.
Revenue LPT 2026-2030 band table and Local Adjustment Factors (source: revenue.ie). Each local authority can vary the base charge by up to 15%. Figures are illustrative; verify at Revenue's LPT service for your exact property.
Rent cap calculator for Drogheda
Pre-filled with Drogheda's average rent (RTB). From 1 March 2026 all private tenancies in Ireland are covered by national rent control: for a standard tenancy the annual increase is capped at 2% or CPI inflation, whichever is lower. This computes the 2% leg as an illustrative cap.
No figure for this tenancy type: it follows CPI with no 2% cap and this widget holds no CPI series. Use the official RTB Rent Calculator.
Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2025; national rent control from 1 March 2026 (source: rtb.ie). Illustrative, not legal advice: if CPI is below 2% the lawful ceiling is lower, and the RTB Rent Calculator at rtb.ie is the official tool.
What a month in Drogheda costs
Real figures for Drogheda: 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 €1,165 · 2 bed €1,390 · 3 bed €1,597 · 4+ bed €1,989
Rent: RTB average monthly rents (RIQ02), Q4 2025. Ownership: repayment mortgage on Drogheda'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.
More on Drogheda
- Drogheda house prices: median, year trend and the latest sales recorded on the Property Price Register.
- Things to do in Drogheda: attractions, heritage sites and walks nearby.
- What's on in Co. Louth: festivals, markets and gigs, grouped by week and refreshed every Monday.
- Planning applications in Co. Louth: what has been lodged, granted and refused in the last 12 months.
Weighing it against somewhere else? See Drogheda vs Dundalk for a family, side by side on price, rent, yield and rail access.