Living in Wicklow, Co. Wicklow: Schools, Commute & House Prices 2026
On this page
- Who lives in Wicklow
- Commuting to Dublin
- Getting around Wicklow
- Commute to Dublin from Wicklow
- Schools in Wicklow
- Things to do in and around Wicklow
- Where Wicklow is
- What it costs: house prices and rent in Wicklow
- Before you move: planning and flood
- Recent development in Wicklow
- Flood maps
- County context
- Common questions about living in Wicklow
- Nearby Wicklow towns
- Population and demographics
Is Wicklow a nice place to live?
Wicklow is home to about 4,616 households, 72% owner-occupied and 24% renting, according to Census 2022. The median sale price over the last 12 months was €430,000, versus €512,500 across the Mid-East region, and the average rent reported by the RTB is €1,751 a month. The Department of Education dataset lists 7 schools keyed to the town (4 primary, 3 post-primary), and there are 18 visitor attractions within 10 km. The nearest rail station is Wicklow, 1.2 km away, and 8 bus and rail routes serve the town. The sections below break each of these down.
Wicklow is a town in Co. Wicklow, about 50 minutes from Dublin city centre by car and on the rail line, 7 schools, 71.5% of households own their home. Living here costs a median €430,000 to buy or €1,751 a month to rent (RTB Q4 2025) (a 4.9% gross yield).
Official CSO, Department of Education, Transport for Ireland, PPR & RTB data · 301 sales · PPR sales to Sep 2026 · CSO benchmark to Jul 2026 · rents Q4 2025 (RTB)
Who lives in Wicklow: 71.5% own their home, full Census breakdown
Who lives in Wicklow
12,957 people live in Wicklow on Census 2022 night. 72% of households own their home and 24% rent, so Wicklow leans towards owner occupiers. The most common way to commute is by car (68%). It skews young: 20% are under 15 against 14% aged 65 and over. 45% of those who have finished education hold a third level qualification.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Population (2022) | 12,957 |
| Owner-occupied households | 72% |
| Rented households | 24% |
| Aged under 15 | 20% |
| Aged 25 to 44 | 26% |
| Aged 65 and over | 14% |
| Third level or higher | 45% |
| At work (aged 15+) | 56% |
| Unemployment rate | 6% |
| Commute by car | 68% |
| Commute by public transport | 10% |
| Commute on foot or bike | 18% |
Source: CSO Census 2022 Small Area Population Statistics for the Wicklow built-up area, CC-BY 4.0.
Commuting to Dublin
Nearest train station: Wicklow (in the town), on the Rosslare line
Public transport serving Wicklow: Rail + bus
Getting around Wicklow
Wicklow is served by 5 public-transport operators running 8 scheduled routes. Operators are BIFE Bus, Bus Éireann, Iarnród Éireann / Irish Rail, TFI Local Link Carlow Kilkenny Wicklow and Wexford Bus.
| Operator | Mode |
|---|---|
| BIFE Bus | Bus / coach |
| Bus Éireann | Bus / coach |
| Iarnród Éireann / Irish Rail | Rail |
| 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
- rail - Dublin - Europort
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 Wicklow
Driving from Wicklow to Dublin city centre takes about 50 minutes by car on a clear run. That makes it the 3rd-closest to Dublin of the 4 Wicklow towns we have routed, behind Bray at 29 minutes.
| Town | Drive to Dublin |
|---|---|
| Wicklow, Wicklow This town | 50 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 Wicklow
There are 4 primary and 3 post-primary schools in and around Wicklow, 2 of them in the DEIS programme.
| School | Level | Pupils | DEIS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dominican College | Post-primary | 473 | |
| Scoil An Choroin Mhuire | Primary | 432 | |
| Padraig Naofa N S | Primary | 377 | DEIS |
| Wicklow Educate Together Ns | Primary | 377 | |
| Wicklow Educate Together Secondary School | Post-primary | 375 | DEIS |
| East Glendalough School | Post-primary | 366 | |
| Glebe Ns | Primary | 210 |
Source: Department of Education, Data on Individual Schools. CC-BY 4.0.
Things to do in and around Wicklow
- Heritage nearby: Glendalough (19 km) · Tully Church (31 km) · Kilmashogue Megalithic Tomb (35 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
Full guide: things to do in Wicklow →
Where Wicklow is
Map © OpenStreetMap contributors
What it costs: house prices and rent in Wicklow
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Median sale price (12 mo) | €430,000 (+4.9% YoY) |
| Average monthly rent (Q4 2025) | €1,751 |
| Gross rental yield | 4.9% |
| Net yield (est.) | 3.8% |
| Wicklow county median | €512k |
| New build / second-hand | €415,000 / €443,000 |
What this means: New builds in Wicklow sell at about a 6% discount to second-hand homes (€415,000 vs €443,000).
Recent sales in Wicklow
| Date | Address | Type | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23 Sep 26 | TICLASH, RATHDRUM, WICKLOW | Second-hand | €839,250 |
| 23 Sep 26 | WOODLAND, CORBALLIS DEMESNE, RATHDRUM | Second-hand | €790,000 |
| 22 Sep 26 | BALLYNERRIN LOWER, WICKLOW | Second-hand | €760,000 |
| 18 Sep 26 | 2 WOODVIEW HEIGHTS, MARLTON ROAD, WICKLOW | Second-hand | €675,000 |
| 18 Sep 26 | 32 FRIARS HILL, WICKLOW | Second-hand | €600,000 |
| 16 Sep 26 | 21 MARLTON PARK, WICKLOW TOWN, WICKLOW | Second-hand | €385,000 |
| 15 Sep 26 | 159 GLEBEMOUNT, WICKLOW TOWN, WICKLOW | Second-hand | €410,000 |
| 14 Sep 26 | 2 SUNNYSIDE, HIGH STREET, WICKLOW | Second-hand | €290,000 |
Actual sale prices from the Property Price Register, verifiable at propertypriceregister.ie.
Wicklow median price, year by year
| Year | Median | Relative | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | €385,000 | 277 sales | |
| 2024 | €400,000 | 314 sales | |
| 2025 | €414,999 | 310 sales | |
| 2026 | €447,500 | 200 sales |
Average rent by size (Q4 2025)
| 1-bed | 2-bed | 3-bed | 4+ bed |
|---|---|---|---|
| €1,213 | €1,719 | €1,934 | €2,348 |
Maximum legal rent increase in Wicklow
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
Wicklow compared with County Wicklow
| County | Median | Relative |
|---|---|---|
| County Wicklow median | 512000 | |
| Wicklow | 430000 |
Rent or buy in Wicklow?
At a glance: €430,000 to buy versus €1,751 a month to rent (RTB Q4 2025), a 4.9% gross yield.
Local Property Tax in Wicklow
The median home (€430,000) falls in LPT Band 4, a base charge of €428 a year before Wicklow County Council's local adjustment factor. Use the calculator for your exact valuation.
Renting in Wicklow: 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 Wicklow
In the 12 months to September 2026, 71 planning grants were recorded in and around Wicklow, including 40 new homes approved across those grants.
| Decided | Development | Homes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-18 | new housing development consisting of 22 No. dwellings units at this site The Nursery, Bollarney North, Wicklow Town, Co Wicklow. The proposed... | 22 |
| 2026-08-06 | revisions to development permitted under WCC Reg. Ref 25/29 to provide for the change of house type of 8 no. previously permitted Type 3Bss semi... | 10 |
| 2026-08-19 | revised house types on sites 4 - 10(inclusive), of previously granted residential development under planning ref: no.23/390 (ABP-318978-24) and... | 7 |
| 2025-12-05 | proposed dwelling, waste water treatment system to EPA standards, garage, two new entrances in lieu of existing single entrance to serve existing and... | 1 |
| 2026-09-18 | a side extension to the existing annex building to the south of the site, accommodating a car garage, all together with associated site works |
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 40 homes approved here in the last year are about 1% of Wicklow's roughly 4,616 households, a supply pipeline that typically eases price pressure.
Flood maps
For the modelled fluvial, coastal and pluvial flood extents around Wicklow, open the official OPW flood maps, the authoritative source for Wicklow, Wicklow.
View the official OPW flood maps for Wicklow →
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
Delgany · Greystones · Kilcoole · Newtownmountkennedy · Bray · Blessington
All Wicklow house prices · All Leinster house prices · Things to do in Wicklow
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 Wicklow
What's it like to live in Wicklow?
Wicklow is a town in Co. Wicklow, about 50 minutes from Dublin city centre by car and on the rail line, 7 schools, 71.5% of households own their home (CSO Census 2022, Department of Education, Transport for Ireland).
How much does it cost to live in Wicklow?
A home in Wicklow costs a median €430,000 to buy or €1,751 a month to rent (RTB Q4 2025), a 4.9% gross yield (Property Price Register, RTB via CSO).
How long is the commute from Wicklow to Dublin?
About 50 minutes to Dublin city centre by car and on the rail line (OpenStreetMap routing).
What schools are in Wicklow?
Schools in Wicklow include Dominican College, Scoil An Choroin Mhuire, Padraig Naofa N S, Wicklow Educate Together Ns, among 4 primary and 3 post-primary in total (Department of Education, 2024/25).
What is the population of Wicklow?
Wicklow had a population of 12,957 at the 2022 Census (CSO).
Population and demographics
Wicklow had a population of 12,957 at the 2022 Census.
| Population (2022 Census) | 12,957 |
|---|---|
| Households | 4,616 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 72% |
| Rented homes | 24% |
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 200 sales recorded to July 2026. Over the 12 months to 25 September 2026 the median was €430,000.
Could a home in Wicklow pay as a buy-to-let?
Pre-filled with Wicklow'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 Wicklow?
Pre-filled with Wicklow'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 Wicklow property
Pre-filled with Wicklow'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 Wicklow home
Pre-filled with Wicklow'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 Wicklow
Pre-filled with Wicklow'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 Wicklow costs
Real figures for Wicklow: 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 €1,213 · 2 bed €1,719 · 3 bed €1,934 · 4+ bed €2,348
Rent: RTB average monthly rents (RIQ02), Q4 2025. Ownership: repayment mortgage on Wicklow'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 Wicklow
- Wicklow house prices: median, year trend and the latest sales recorded on the Property Price Register.
- Things to do in Wicklow: attractions, heritage sites and walks nearby.
- What's on in Co. Wicklow: festivals, markets and gigs, grouped by week and refreshed every Monday.
- Planning applications in Co. Wicklow: what has been lodged, granted and refused in the last 12 months.
Weighing it against somewhere else? See Wicklow vs Greystones for a commuting buyer and Wicklow vs Bray for a family, side by side on price, rent, yield and rail access.