Living in Newtownforbes, Co. Longford: Schools, Commute & House Prices 2026
On this page
- Who lives in Newtownforbes
- Getting around and commuting
- Getting around Newtownforbes
- Schools in Newtownforbes
- Things to do in and around Newtownforbes
- Where Newtownforbes is
- What it costs: house prices and rent in Newtownforbes
- Before you move: planning and flood
- Recent development in Newtownforbes
- Flood maps
- County context
- Common questions about living in Newtownforbes
- Nearby Longford towns
Leinster house prices & rents › Longford › Living in Newtownforbes
Newtownforbes is a town in Co. Longford, about 106 minutes from Dublin city centre by car and on the rail line, 2 schools, 56.1% of households own their home. Living here costs a median €164,000 to buy.
Official CSO, Department of Education, Transport for Ireland, PPR & RTB data · 15 sales · updated July 2026
How Newtownforbes compares: at €164,000 it is 2% below the County Longford median of €168k.Recent activity in Newtownforbes: latest recorded sale May 2026; 7 new homes approved in the last year; prices -3.5% year on year. This page updates as new official data lands.
Who lives in Newtownforbes — 56.1% own their home, full Census breakdown
Who lives in Newtownforbes
851 people live in Newtownforbes on Census 2022 night. 56% of households own their home and 38% rent, so Newtownforbes leans towards owner occupiers. The most common way to commute is by car (69%). 19% are under 15 and 17% are aged 65 and over. 40% of those who have finished education hold a third level qualification.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Population (2022) | 851 |
| Owner-occupied households | 56% |
| Rented households | 38% |
| Aged under 15 | 19% |
| Aged 25 to 44 | 27% |
| Aged 65 and over | 17% |
| Third level or higher | 40% |
| At work (aged 15+) | 53% |
| Unemployment rate | 7% |
| Commute by car | 69% |
| Commute by public transport | 13% |
| Commute on foot or bike | 12% |
Source: CSO Census 2022 Small Area Population Statistics for the Newtownforbes built-up area, CC-BY 4.0.
Getting around and commuting
Nearest train station: Longford (5.4 km away), on the Maynooth and Sligo lines
Public transport serving Newtownforbes — 2 operators
Getting around Newtownforbes
Newtownforbes is served by 2 public-transport operators running 3 scheduled routes. Operators are Bus Éireann and TFI Local Link Longford Westmeath Roscommon.
| Operator | Mode |
|---|---|
| Bus Éireann | Bus / coach |
| TFI Local Link Longford Westmeath Roscommon | Bus / coach |
Scheduled routes
- 23 - Dublin - Airport - Longford - Sligo
- 469 - Sligo - Drumkeeran - Longford
- 862 - Longford - Cavan
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 Newtownforbes
There are 2 primary schools in and around Newtownforbes, 1 of them in the DEIS programme.
| School | Level | Pupils | DEIS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scoil Mhuire N S | Primary | 317 | DEIS |
| S N Cnoc An Mharcaigh | Primary | 289 |
Source: Department of Education, Data on Individual Schools. CC-BY 4.0.
Things to do in and around Newtownforbes
- Heritage nearby: Corlea Trackway (17 km) · Granard Motte and Bailey Castle (22 km)
- Walking trails in County Longford: Royal Canal Way · Royal Canal Greenway Walking Trail · Aughnacliffe Mass Bridge Trail · Aughnacliffe Waterfall Trail
Where Newtownforbes is
Map © OpenStreetMap contributors
What it costs: house prices and rent in Newtownforbes
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Median sale price (12 mo) | €164,000 (-3.5% YoY) |
| Average monthly rent | — |
| Gross rental yield | — |
| Net yield (est.) | — |
| Longford county median | €168k |
| New build / second-hand | — / €164,000 |
Recent sales in Newtownforbes
| Date | Address | Type | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28 May 26 | CLOONTAGH, NEWTOWNFORBES, CO LONGFORD | Second-hand | €65,000 |
| 30 Apr 26 | 15 CLONGUISH COURT, NEWTOWNFORBES, LONGFORD | Second-hand | €164,000 |
| 21 Apr 26 | A THE BERKELY, NEWTOWNFORBES, LONGFORD | Second-hand | €137,000 |
| 10 Apr 26 | APT 1, MAIN ST, NEWTOWNFORBES | Second-hand | €100,000 |
| 22 Jan 26 | 22 CLONGUISH COURT, NEWTOWNFORBES, LONGFORD | Second-hand | €180,000 |
| 16 Jan 26 | 53 CLONGUISH COURT, NEWTOWNFORBES, LONGFORD | Second-hand | €170,000 |
| 09 Jan 26 | MAIN ST, NEWTOWNFORBES, LONGFORD | Second-hand | €176,000 |
| 19 Dec 25 | 7 LIOS BREAC CLOSE, NEWTOWNFORBES, LONGFORD | Second-hand | €140,000 |
Actual sale prices from the Property Price Register, verifiable at propertypriceregister.ie.
Newtownforbes median price, year by year
| Year | Median | Relative | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | €168,000 | 21 sales | |
| 2024 | €227,500 | 6 sales | |
| 2025 | €170,000 | 11 sales | |
| 2026 | €164,000 | 7 sales |
Maximum legal rent increase in Newtownforbes
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
Newtownforbes compared with County Longford
| County | Median | Relative |
|---|---|---|
| County Longford median | 168000 | |
| Newtownforbes | 164000 |
Local Property Tax in Newtownforbes
The median home (€164,000) falls in LPT Band 1, a base charge of €95 a year before Longford County Council's local adjustment factor. Use the calculator for your exact valuation.
Before you move: planning and flood
Recent development in Newtownforbes
In the 12 months to July 2026, 19 planning grants were recorded in and around Newtownforbes, including 7 new homes approved across those grants.
| Decided | Development | Homes |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-07-04 | proposed construction of a two storey type dwelling house, detached garage, entrance, boundary fence/wall, suitable onsite treatment system with... | 1 |
| 2026-03-03 | changes to previously granted planning 2328 where permission was granted for ‘demolition of existing fire damaged single storey dwelling and domestic... | 1 |
| 2026-03-27 | the construction of a two storey extension to the rear of a single storey dwelling house, internal and external alterations to existing dwelling... | 1 |
| 2025-07-30 | the proposed construction of a bungalow type dwelling house, detached garage, entrance, boundary fence/wall, suitable onsite treatment system with... | 1 |
| 2026-02-24 | renovation and extension of existing two storey dwelling, upgrade of access, install new wastewater treatment system, polishing filter and all... | 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 7 homes approved here in the last year are about 2% of Newtownforbes's roughly 358 households, a supply pipeline that typically eases price pressure.
Flood maps
For the modelled fluvial, coastal and pluvial flood extents around Newtownforbes, open the official OPW flood maps, the authoritative source for Newtownforbes, Longford.
View the official OPW flood maps for Newtownforbes →
Source: Office of Public Works, floodinfo.ie. No OPW flood-extent values are reproduced here.
County context
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Population (2022 Census) | 46,751 |
| Population change 2016 to 2022 | +14.4% |
| Disposable income per person (index, State = 100) | 76.5 |
| 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 Longford towns
Longford · Edgeworthstown · Ballymahon
All Longford 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 Newtownforbes
What's it like to live in Newtownforbes?
Newtownforbes is a town in Co. Longford, about 106 minutes from Dublin city centre by car and on the rail line, 2 schools, 56.1% of households own their home (CSO Census 2022, Department of Education, Transport for Ireland).
How much does it cost to live in Newtownforbes?
A home in Newtownforbes costs a median €164,000 to buy (Property Price Register, RTB via CSO).
How long is the commute from Newtownforbes to Dublin?
About 106 minutes to Dublin city centre by car and on the rail line (OpenStreetMap routing).
What schools are in Newtownforbes?
Schools in Newtownforbes include Scoil Mhuire N S, S N Cnoc An Mharcaigh, among 2 primary and 0 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 Newtownforbes pay as a buy-to-let?
Pre-filled with Newtownforbes'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 Newtownforbes?
Pre-filled with Newtownforbes'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 Newtownforbes property
Pre-filled with Newtownforbes'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 Newtownforbes home
Pre-filled with Newtownforbes'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 Newtownforbes
No RTB rental data for Newtownforbes 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.