Living in Rathnew, Co. Wicklow: Schools, Commute & House Prices 2026
On this page
- Who lives in Rathnew
- Getting around and commuting
- Getting around Rathnew
- Schools in Rathnew
- Things to do in and around Rathnew
- Where Rathnew is
- What it costs: house prices and rent in Rathnew
- Before you move: planning and flood
- Recent development in Rathnew
- Flood maps
- County context
- Common questions about living in Rathnew
- Nearby Wicklow towns
Leinster house prices & rents › Wicklow › Living in Rathnew
Rathnew is a town in Co. Wicklow, about 43 minutes from Dublin city centre by car and on the rail line, 6 schools, 52.4% of households own their home. Living here costs a median €407,500 to buy.
Official CSO, Department of Education, Transport for Ireland, PPR & RTB data · 142 sales · updated July 2026
How Rathnew compares: at €407,500 it is 17% below the County Wicklow median of €492k.Recent activity in Rathnew: latest recorded sale Jun 2026; 6 new homes approved in the last year; prices -2.4% year on year. This page updates as new official data lands.
Who lives in Rathnew — 52.4% own their home, full Census breakdown
Who lives in Rathnew
3,482 people live in Rathnew on Census 2022 night. 52% of households own their home and 44% rent, so Rathnew leans towards owner occupiers. The most common way to commute is by car (69%). It skews young: 28% are under 15 against 7% aged 65 and over. 26% of those who have finished education hold a third level qualification.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Population (2022) | 3,482 |
| Owner-occupied households | 52% |
| Rented households | 44% |
| Aged under 15 | 28% |
| Aged 25 to 44 | 31% |
| Aged 65 and over | 7% |
| Third level or higher | 26% |
| At work (aged 15+) | 55% |
| Unemployment rate | 11% |
| Commute by car | 69% |
| Commute by public transport | 7% |
| Commute on foot or bike | 18% |
Source: CSO Census 2022 Small Area Population Statistics for the Rathnew built-up area, CC-BY 4.0.
Getting around and commuting
Nearest train station: Wicklow (2.1 km away), on the Rosslare line
Public transport serving Rathnew — 4 operators
Getting around Rathnew
Rathnew is served by 4 public-transport operators running 7 scheduled routes. Operators are BIFE Bus, Bus Éireann, TFI Local Link Carlow Kilkenny Wicklow and Wexford Bus.
| Operator | Mode |
|---|---|
| BIFE Bus | Bus / coach |
| Bus Éireann | Bus / coach |
| TFI Local Link Carlow Kilkenny Wicklow | Bus / coach |
| Wexford Bus | Bus / coach |
Scheduled routes
- 131 - Bray - Wicklow
- 133 - Dublin - Wicklow
- 183 - Arklow - Glendalough
- 740 - Wexford - Dublin Airport
- 740A - Gorey - Dublin Airport
- BR01 - Gorey - Bray
- UM11 - Gorey - Wicklow - Maynooth
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 Rathnew
There are 5 primary and 1 post-primary schools in and around Rathnew, 3 of them in the DEIS programme.
| School | Level | Pupils | DEIS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coláiste Chill Mhantáin | Post-primary | 933 | DEIS |
| St Coen'S National School | Primary | 328 | DEIS |
| Scoil Na Coróine Mhuire | Primary | 309 | |
| Gaelscoil Chill Mhantáin | Primary | 285 | |
| Nuns Cross N S | Primary | 194 | |
| Glenealy 1 N S | Primary | 116 | DEIS |
Source: Department of Education, Data on Individual Schools. CC-BY 4.0.
Things to do in and around Rathnew
- Heritage nearby: Glendalough (16 km) · Tully Church (28 km) · Kilmashogue Megalithic Tomb (32 km) · The Dwyer McAllister Cottage (33 km)
- Walking trails in County Wicklow: Wicklow Way · Arklow Loops Glenart Walk · Arklow Loops Kynoch Walk · Arklow Loops Love Lane Walk
- Nature reserves: Wicklow Mountains National Park · Glendalough Nature Reserve · Glenealo Valley Nature Reserve
Where Rathnew is
Map © OpenStreetMap contributors
What it costs: house prices and rent in Rathnew
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Median sale price (12 mo) | €407,500 (-2.4% YoY) |
| Average monthly rent | — |
| Gross rental yield | — |
| Net yield (est.) | — |
| Wicklow county median | €492k |
| New build / second-hand | €425,000 / €375,000 |
What this means: New builds in Rathnew sell at about a 13% premium to second-hand homes (€425,000 vs €375,000).
Recent sales in Rathnew
| Date | Address | Type | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Jun 26 | BALLYNABARNEY, RATHNEW, WICKLOW | Second-hand | €542,000 |
| 04 Jun 26 | 53 The Drive, Hawks Bay, Rathnew | New | €378,854 |
| 29 May 26 | 89 THE OAKS, RATHNEW, WICKLOW | Second-hand | €340,000 |
| 25 May 26 | 21 KIRVIN HILL, RATHNEW, WICKLOW | Second-hand | €486,000 |
| 06 May 26 | 26 KIRVIN HILL, RATHNEW, WICKLOW | Second-hand | €440,000 |
| 04 May 26 | 2 WOODSIDE, RATHNEW, WICKLOW | Second-hand | €350,000 |
| 17 Apr 26 | 54 SAUNDERS LANE, RATHNEW, WICKLOW | Second-hand | €371,000 |
| 16 Apr 26 | 51 SAUNDERS LANE, RATHNEW, WICKLOW | Second-hand | €465,000 |
Actual sale prices from the Property Price Register, verifiable at propertypriceregister.ie.
Rathnew median price, year by year
| Year | Median | Relative | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | €430,000 | 157 sales | |
| 2024 | €430,000 | 179 sales | |
| 2025 | €395,000 | 231 sales | |
| 2026 | €425,000 | 14 sales |
Maximum legal rent increase in Rathnew
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
Rathnew compared with County Wicklow
| County | Median | Relative |
|---|---|---|
| County Wicklow median | 492000 | |
| Rathnew | 407500 |
Local Property Tax in Rathnew
The median home (€407,500) falls in LPT Band 3, a base charge of €333 a year before Wicklow County Council's local adjustment factor. Use the calculator for your exact valuation.
Before you move: planning and flood
Recent development in Rathnew
In the 12 months to July 2026, 65 planning grants were recorded in and around Rathnew, including 6 new homes approved across those grants.
| Decided | Development | Homes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-12 | new duplex block containing 4 No. residential units at Burkeen Dales, Hawkstown Road, Wicklow Co. Wicklow. The proposed development consists of a... | 4 |
| 2025-10-09 | Retention of single storey rear flat roof extension to dwelling and all associated site works. Dwelling was previously granted permission by An Bord... | 1 |
| 2026-02-23 | Retention permission for the change of use of an existing 72sq.m. single storey garage to a self contained granny flat and permission for a new... | 1 |
| 2026-06-12 | (i) part change of use of the existing 2-storey building referred to as Boswell House ancillary building including retention of elevational changes... | |
| 2026-06-09 | construction of a new dwelling, wastewater treatment unit and polishing filter, connection to public water supply, new entrance onto laneway which... |
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 6 homes approved here in the last year are about 1% of Rathnew's roughly 1,143 households, a supply pipeline that typically eases price pressure.
Flood maps
For the modelled fluvial, coastal and pluvial flood extents around Rathnew, open the official OPW flood maps, the authoritative source for Rathnew, Wicklow.
View the official OPW flood maps for Rathnew →
Source: Office of Public Works, floodinfo.ie. No OPW flood-extent values are reproduced here.
County context
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Population (2022 Census) | 155,851 |
| Population change 2016 to 2022 | +9.4% |
| Disposable income per person (index, State = 100) | 100.7 |
| 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 Wicklow towns
Greystones · Delgany · Kilcoole · Newtownmountkennedy · Bray · Wicklow
All Wicklow 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 Rathnew
What's it like to live in Rathnew?
Rathnew is a town in Co. Wicklow, about 43 minutes from Dublin city centre by car and on the rail line, 6 schools, 52.4% of households own their home (CSO Census 2022, Department of Education, Transport for Ireland).
How much does it cost to live in Rathnew?
A home in Rathnew costs a median €407,500 to buy (Property Price Register, RTB via CSO).
How long is the commute from Rathnew to Dublin?
About 43 minutes to Dublin city centre by car and on the rail line (OpenStreetMap routing).
What schools are in Rathnew?
Schools in Rathnew include Coláiste Chill Mhantáin, St Coen'S National School, Scoil Na Coróine Mhuire, Gaelscoil Chill Mhantáin, among 5 primary and 1 post-primary in total (Department of Education, 2024/25).
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Median of open-market sales each year (Property Price Register). Latest year is partial.
Could a home in Rathnew pay as a buy-to-let?
Pre-filled with Rathnew'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 Rathnew?
Pre-filled with Rathnew'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 Rathnew property
Pre-filled with Rathnew'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 Rathnew home
Pre-filled with Rathnew'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 Rathnew
No RTB rental data for Rathnew 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.