Living in Wicklow, Co. Wicklow: Schools, Commute & House Prices 2026
On this page
- Who lives in Wicklow
- Getting around and commuting
- 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
Leinster house prices & rents › Wicklow › Living in Wicklow
Wicklow is a town in Co. Wicklow, about 45 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 (a 4.9% gross yield).
Official CSO, Department of Education, Transport for Ireland, PPR & RTB data · 313 sales · updated July 2026
How Wicklow compares: at €430,000 it is 13% below the County Wicklow median of €492k. Its 4.9% gross yield is above the county average of 4.3%.Recent activity in Wicklow: latest recorded sale Jun 2026; prices +6.2% year on year. This page updates as new official data lands.
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.
Getting around and commuting
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 (+6.2% YoY) |
| Average monthly rent | €1,751 |
| Gross rental yield | 4.9% |
| Net yield (est.) | 3.8% |
| Wicklow county median | €492k |
| New build / second-hand | €415,000 / €440,000 |
What this means: New builds in Wicklow sell at about a 6% discount to second-hand homes (€415,000 vs €440,000).
Recent sales in Wicklow
| Date | Address | Type | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Jun 26 | SPRINGFIELD, KILLOUGHTER LANE, ASHFORD | Second-hand | €1,050,000 |
| 19 Jun 26 | 31 BROOKLANDS, MARLTON RD, WICKLOW | Second-hand | €420,000 |
| 19 Jun 26 | 44 Oak Springs, Laragh Road, Rathdrum | Second-hand | €450,000 |
| 18 Jun 26 | 19 MARLTON SPRINGS, WICKLOW TOWN, WICKLOW | Second-hand | €520,000 |
| 17 Jun 26 | 10 MONKTON ROW, WICKLOW, WICKLOW | Second-hand | €320,000 |
| 16 Jun 26 | 1 ROCKEY RD, WICKLOW, WICKLOW | Second-hand | €540,000 |
| 15 Jun 26 | 44 WOODVIEW, ASHFORD, CO WICKLOW | Second-hand | €370,000 |
| 12 Jun 26 | 54 The Drive, Hawks bay, Keatingstown | New | €378,855 |
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 | 128 sales |
Average rent by size
| 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 | 492000 | |
| Wicklow | 430000 |
Rent or buy in Wicklow?
At a glance: €430,000 to buy versus €1,751 a month to rent, 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 July 2026, 59 planning grants were recorded in and around Wicklow.
| Decided | Development | Homes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-04 | single storey extension (circa 14.3 sq.m) to side of existing dwelling (circa 95 sq.m.) and all associated siteworks including accessible ramps | |
| 2026-06-04 | single storey extension to the front of dwelling and extension to the side of dwelling to include conversion of existing car port to bedroom and... | |
| 2026-05-15 | extensions and alterations to existing 85.2m² dwelling to comprise (1) construction of new 16.3m² ground floor mono pitched extension to rear of... | |
| 2026-05-07 | extension to rear of existing house | |
| 2026-04-30 | construction of a new single storey, domestic 4-car garage/storage. All this together with all associated site development 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.
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
Greystones · Delgany · Kilcoole · Newtownmountkennedy · Bray · Rathnew
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 45 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, a 4.9% gross yield (Property Price Register, RTB via CSO).
How long is the commute from Wicklow to Dublin?
About 45 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).
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 Wicklow pay as a buy-to-let?
Pre-filled with Wicklow's median price and average rent. 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.
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 Wicklow property
Pre-filled with Wicklow'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 Wicklow home
Pre-filled with Wicklow'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 Wicklow
Pre-filled with Wicklow's median rent. From 1 March 2026 all private tenancies in Ireland 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.