Living in Mullingar, Co. Westmeath: Schools, Commute & House Prices 2026
On this page
- Who lives in Mullingar
- Commuting to Dublin
- Getting around Mullingar
- Commute to Dublin from Mullingar
- Schools in Mullingar
- Things to do in and around Mullingar
- Where Mullingar is
- What it costs: house prices and rent in Mullingar
- Before you move: planning and flood
- Recent development in Mullingar
- Flood maps
- County context
- Common questions about living in Mullingar
- Nearby Westmeath towns
- Population and demographics
Is Mullingar a nice place to live?
Mullingar is home to about 8,171 households, 57% owner-occupied and 38% renting, according to Census 2022. The median sale price over the last 12 months was €350,000, versus €330,000 across the Midland region, and the average rent reported by the RTB is €1,243 a month. The Department of Education dataset lists 15 schools keyed to the town (11 primary, 4 post-primary), and there are 21 visitor attractions within 10 km. The nearest rail station is Mullingar, 0.4 km away, and 16 bus and rail routes serve the town. The sections below break each of these down.
Mullingar is a town in Co. Westmeath, about 63 minutes from Dublin city centre by car and on the rail line, 15 schools, 57.4% of households own their home. Living here costs a median €350,000 to buy or €1,243 a month to rent (RTB Q4 2025) (a 4.3% gross yield).
Official CSO, Department of Education, Transport for Ireland, PPR & RTB data · 438 sales · PPR sales to Sep 2026 · CSO benchmark to Jul 2026 · rents Q4 2025 (RTB)
Who lives in Mullingar: 57.4% own their home, full Census breakdown
Who lives in Mullingar
22,667 people live in Mullingar on Census 2022 night. 57% of households own their home and 38% rent, so Mullingar leans towards owner occupiers. The most common way to commute is by car (68%). It skews young: 22% are under 15 against 13% aged 65 and over. 40% of those who have finished education hold a third level qualification.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Population (2022) | 22,667 |
| Owner-occupied households | 57% |
| Rented households | 38% |
| Aged under 15 | 22% |
| Aged 25 to 44 | 30% |
| Aged 65 and over | 13% |
| Third level or higher | 40% |
| At work (aged 15+) | 54% |
| Unemployment rate | 9% |
| Commute by car | 68% |
| Commute by public transport | 6% |
| Commute on foot or bike | 21% |
Source: CSO Census 2022 Small Area Population Statistics for the Mullingar built-up area, CC-BY 4.0.
Commuting to Dublin
Nearest train station: Mullingar (in the town), on the Maynooth and Sligo lines
Public transport serving Mullingar: Rail + bus
Getting around Mullingar
Mullingar is served by 6 public-transport operators running 16 scheduled routes. Operators are Allen's Bus Hire, Bernard Kavanagh & Sons, Bus Éireann, Iarnród Éireann / Irish Rail, Slieve Bloom Coach Tours and TFI Local Link Longford Westmeath Roscommon.
| Operator | Mode |
|---|---|
| Allen's Bus Hire | Bus / coach |
| Bernard Kavanagh & Sons | Bus / coach |
| Bus Éireann | Bus / coach |
| Iarnród Éireann / Irish Rail | Rail |
| Slieve Bloom Coach Tours | Bus / coach |
| TFI Local Link Longford Westmeath Roscommon | Bus / coach |
Scheduled routes (a sample of 16)
- 23 - Dublin - Airport - Longford - Sligo
- 70 - Galway - Mullingar - Dundalk
- 115 - Dublin - Mullingar
- 167 - Dundalk - Louth - Ardee
- 190 - Drogheda - Navan - Trim
- 816 - Longford - Mullingar
- 818 - Castlepollard - Mullingar
- 819 - Athlone - Mullingar
- 837 - Tullamore - Mullingar
- MU1 - Ballinderry Road - Lough Sheever Corporate Park
- MU2 - Mullingar Business Park - Ardmore Road
- 115C - Enfield - Killucan - Mullingar
- 115X - Connolly Station - Mullingar Stn
- MB01 - Ballymore - Moate
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 Mullingar
Driving from Mullingar to Dublin city centre takes about 63 minutes by car on a clear run. That makes it the closest to Dublin of the 2 Westmeath towns we have routed by road.
| Town | Drive to Dublin |
|---|---|
| Mullingar, Westmeath This town | 63 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 Mullingar
There are 11 primary and 4 post-primary schools in and around Mullingar, 6 of them in the DEIS programme.
| School | Level | Pupils | DEIS |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Finian'S College | Post-primary | 877 | |
| Loreto College | Post-primary | 839 | |
| Colaiste Mhuire, | Post-primary | 835 | |
| Scoil Cholmain Naofa | Primary | 445 | DEIS |
| Holy Family Primary School | Primary | 439 | |
| Scoil Na Mbraithre | Primary | 409 | DEIS |
| Mullingar Educate Together Ns | Primary | 381 | DEIS |
| Mullingar Community College | Post-primary | 375 | DEIS |
| Scoil Na Maighdine Mhuire | Primary | 307 | DEIS |
| Presentation Convent (Jnr) | Primary | 277 | DEIS |
| St. Colmcille'S N.S. | Primary | 239 | |
| Kilpatrick Ns | Primary | 224 | |
| Gaelscoil An Mhuilinn | Primary | 179 | |
| Gaelscoil An Choillín | Primary | 154 |
Showing the 14 largest of 15.
Source: Department of Education, Data on Individual Schools. CC-BY 4.0.
Things to do in and around Mullingar
- Heritage nearby: Hill of Uisneach (15 km) · Fore (19 km) · Loughcrew Megalithic Cemetery (29 km) · Granard Motte and Bailey Castle (30 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 Mullingar →
Where Mullingar is
Map © OpenStreetMap contributors
What it costs: house prices and rent in Mullingar
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Median sale price (12 mo) | €350,000 (+6.7% YoY) |
| Average monthly rent (Q4 2025) | €1,243 |
| Gross rental yield | 4.3% |
| Net yield (est.) | 3.3% |
| Westmeath county median | €330k |
| New build / second-hand | €385,000 / €321,000 |
What this means: New builds in Mullingar sell at about a 20% premium to second-hand homes (€385,000 vs €321,000).
Recent sales in Mullingar
| Date | Address | Type | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Sep 26 | 218 Ardmore Hills, Mullingar | New | €427,313 |
| 25 Sep 26 | 3 INIS GLORA, BALLINALACK, MULLINGAR | Second-hand | €230,000 |
| 25 Sep 26 | 9 GORT NA DTOBAR, IRISHTOWN, MULLINGAR | Second-hand | €790,000 |
| 24 Sep 26 | 132 THE MEADOW, PETITSWOOD MANOR, MULLINGAR | Second-hand | €430,000 |
| 23 Sep 26 | 136 BELVEDERE HILLS, MULLINGAR, WESTMEATH | Second-hand | €382,000 |
| 22 Sep 26 | TULLANISKEY, MULLINGAR, CO WESTMEATH | Second-hand | €1,020,000 |
| 21 Sep 26 | 23 THE MOORINGS, BALLYMAHON RD, MULLINGAR | Second-hand | €395,000 |
| 18 Sep 26 | 19 BELLVIEW HEIGHTS, DUBLIN ROAD, MULLINGAR | Second-hand | €345,000 |
Actual sale prices from the Property Price Register, verifiable at propertypriceregister.ie.
Mullingar median price, year by year
| Year | Median | Relative | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | €250,000 | 463 sales | |
| 2024 | €300,000 | 379 sales | |
| 2025 | €335,196 | 424 sales | |
| 2026 | €366,000 | 296 sales |
Average rent by size (Q4 2025)
| 1-bed | 2-bed | 3-bed | 4+ bed |
|---|---|---|---|
| €796 | €1,185 | €1,353 | €1,493 |
Maximum legal rent increase in Mullingar
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
Mullingar compared with County Westmeath
| County | Median | Relative |
|---|---|---|
| Mullingar | 350000 | |
| County Westmeath median | 330000 |
Rent or buy in Mullingar?
At a glance: €350,000 to buy versus €1,243 a month to rent (RTB Q4 2025), a 4.3% gross yield.
Local Property Tax in Mullingar
The median home (€350,000) falls in LPT Band 3, a base charge of €333 a year before Westmeath County Council's local adjustment factor. Use the calculator for your exact valuation.
Renting in Mullingar: 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 Mullingar
In the 12 months to September 2026, 85 planning grants were recorded in and around Mullingar, including 588 new homes approved across those grants.
| Decided | Development | Homes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-10 | the following Large-scale Residential Development (LRD) comprising of 278 no. residential units, 1 no. childcare facility and all ancillary... | 278 |
| 2025-11-06 | the development of 104 no. residential units (a Large-scale Residential Development - LRD) and supporting infrastructure at Ardmore Road, Ballinderry... | 100 |
| 2026-07-08 | development comprising 93 no. residential units and a childcare facility at Saunders Bridge, Ardmore Road, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, on a site of... | 73 |
| 2026-08-28 | Demolition of an existing residential dwelling house (169 sq.m); Construction of 58 no. two-storey dwelling house units, consisting of; o 43 no. 3... | 50 |
| 2026-09-09 | the change of house type on sites 8, 21, 22 and 77 (4 no. units), from a B Type house( a 4 bed 3 storey semi-detached dwelling ), to an A1 Type house... | 20 |
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 588 homes approved here in the last year are about 7% of Mullingar's roughly 8,171 households, a supply pipeline that typically eases price pressure.
Flood maps
For the modelled fluvial, coastal and pluvial flood extents around Mullingar, open the official OPW flood maps, the authoritative source for Mullingar, Westmeath.
View the official OPW flood maps for Mullingar →
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
Kinnegad · Kilbeggan · Athlone · Moate · Castlepollard
All Westmeath house prices · All Leinster house prices · Things to do in Mullingar
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 Mullingar
What's it like to live in Mullingar?
Mullingar is a town in Co. Westmeath, about 63 minutes from Dublin city centre by car and on the rail line, 15 schools, 57.4% of households own their home (CSO Census 2022, Department of Education, Transport for Ireland).
How much does it cost to live in Mullingar?
A home in Mullingar costs a median €350,000 to buy or €1,243 a month to rent (RTB Q4 2025), a 4.3% gross yield (Property Price Register, RTB via CSO).
How long is the commute from Mullingar to Dublin?
About 63 minutes to Dublin city centre by car and on the rail line (OpenStreetMap routing).
What schools are in Mullingar?
Schools in Mullingar include St Finian'S College, Loreto College, Colaiste Mhuire,, Scoil Cholmain Naofa, among 11 primary and 4 post-primary in total (Department of Education, 2024/25).
What is the population of Mullingar?
Mullingar had a population of 22,667 at the 2022 Census (CSO).
Population and demographics
Mullingar had a population of 22,667 at the 2022 Census.
| Population (2022 Census) | 22,667 |
|---|---|
| Households | 8,171 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 57% |
| Rented homes | 38% |
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 296 sales recorded to July 2026. Over the 12 months to 25 September 2026 the median was €350,000.
Could a home in Mullingar pay as a buy-to-let?
Pre-filled with Mullingar'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 Mullingar?
Pre-filled with Mullingar'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 Mullingar property
Pre-filled with Mullingar'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 Mullingar home
Pre-filled with Mullingar'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 Mullingar
Pre-filled with Mullingar'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 Mullingar costs
Real figures for Mullingar: 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 €796 · 2 bed €1,185 · 3 bed €1,353 · 4+ bed €1,493
Rent: RTB average monthly rents (RIQ02), Q4 2025. Ownership: repayment mortgage on Mullingar'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 Mullingar
- Mullingar house prices: median, year trend and the latest sales recorded on the Property Price Register.
- Things to do in Mullingar: attractions, heritage sites and walks nearby.
- What's on in Co. Westmeath: festivals, markets and gigs, grouped by week and refreshed every Monday.
- Planning applications in Co. Westmeath: what has been lodged, granted and refused in the last 12 months.
Weighing it against somewhere else? See Mullingar vs Athlone for a family, side by side on price, rent, yield and rail access.