Shannon’s story
Shannon: 27 archaeological sites on the record
The record adds 27 archaeological sites.
Homes built before 1919: 0%, against 3% across Irish towns.
Explore the history →
ShannonCo. Clare
10,256 residents make their home in this town in Co. Clare.
6 places within 19 kmMap →
Photo: Graham Horn · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
10,256
CSO, Census 2022 · Clare County Council
Median age
38.5
15% are 65+ · Co. Clare 15%
Degree level
24%
of residents 15+ · Irish towns 36%
Walk, cycle, transit
19%
of working residents · Irish towns 23%
TownGrade
B
#120 of 320
Is Shannon a good place to live?
A solid town with one catch. At B overall, Shannon ranks #2 of 5 in Co. Clare. Set against the rest, it does better than 63% of Irish towns. On cost of living it is strong: homes sell for a median €250,000, about 4.8 times what a household here earns in a year. Health outcomes fall short of most towns: for every 100 its ages would predict, 141 residents are in bad health and 110 have a disability. Hazard risk is higher than most (C−): an estimated 7% of homes are above the radon reference level.
Figures: prices, Property Price Register, 2023 to 2025 · incomes, CSO · health, CSO Census 2022 · radon, EPA.
WeakestC−Hazard risk
What makes Shannon stand out
The 3 things Shannon does most differently from other towns.
Degree or higher, residents 15+
Education
The median of Irish towns: 36%
CSO, Census 2022
Median sale price
Housing
€253,400 median home
32% below the median of Irish towns, €372,600
Property Price Register, 2023 to 2025.
Jobs & income
Jobs & income
Better than 74%
of Irish towns on jobs & income
Its jobs & income grade: B+.
How Shannon grades
Each subject compares Shannon with Irish towns of 2,500 or more, ordered by how far it is from the middle. Towns in other countries are graded separately.
Hazard riskNear the bottom of the towns comparedC−Open →Jobs & income68% of 15-to-64s in work; 9% unemployedB+Open →Cost of livingGraded on home prices against local incomesB+Open →Health110 with a disability per 100 predictedCOpen →Walkability19% walk, cycle or take a bus or train to workC+Open →Safety5.5 burglaries and acts of criminal damage per 1,000 residentsB−Open →
SchoolsNot graded in Ireland: schools’ exam results aren’t published school by school (Education Act 1998, s.53)–
How TownRatings grades Irish towns →
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Atlantic Air Adventures and 5 more in and around Shannon
Castles, abbeys, gardens, museums and days out in and near Shannon. Best known first.
MuseumMuseumAtlantic Air Adventuresin town
CastleBunratty Castle2.8 km outside town, to the eastMuseumMuseumShannon Aviation Museumin townMuseumMuseumAtlantic Air Venturein townMuseumMuseumBunratty Castle & Folk Park2.8 km outside town, to the eastMuseumMuseumShannon Airport Aviation Gallery1.2 km outside town, to the southwest
CastleBunratty Castle2.8 km outside town, to the eastMuseumMuseumShannon Aviation Museumin townMuseumMuseumAtlantic Air Venturein townMuseumMuseumBunratty Castle & Folk Park2.8 km outside town, to the eastMuseumMuseumShannon Airport Aviation Gallery1.2 km outside town, to the southwestPlaces: Fáilte Ireland open data (CC BY 4.0) · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (1)
- Bunratty Castle: Jon Sullivan, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Shannon.
Natural hazardsHazard risk C−
The river sets the flood risk in Shannon: 60% of homes stand low beside it, more than in both Co. Clare’s towns and Irish towns
In Shannon, an estimated 7.4% of homes exceed the radon reference level. Low-lying near the coast: 29% of homes, above Co. Clare’s towns (0%) and Irish towns (0%) alike. The ground under Shannon carries no high landslide susceptibility.
73%of homes in high-radon areasC−Hazard risk Grade
Homes exposed · share of the town’s homes
Low-lying beside water90%
In high-radon areas73%
On high landslide susceptibility0%
Low-lying near a river60%
Low-lying near the coast29%
| Share of homes | Shannon | Co. Clare | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low-lying near a river | 60% | 22% | 0.5% |
| Low-lying near the coast | 29% | 0% | 0% |
| In high-radon areas | 73% | 50% | 0% |
7.4%
of homes over the radon level
1,939
homes mapped for these shares
EPA radon map, GSI landslide susceptibility and our low-lying homes estimate from OPW LiDAR.
Work & commuteJobs & income B+
60% of trips to work from Shannon take under 15 minutes, more than in both Co. Clare’s towns and Irish towns
The average trip to work takes 18.4 min. Working mainly from home: 6.9% of workers, lower than both Co. Clare’s towns (9%) and Irish towns (11%). Income per household averages €52,021 a year, before tax.
19%walk, cycle or take transit
How working residents got to work · census 2022
Car or van74%
Walk13%
Bus3%
Bicycle3%
| Census 2022 | Shannon | Co. Clare | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trips under 15 minutes | 60% | 38% | 31% |
| Average trip | 18.4 min | 23.4 min | 27.6 min |
| Median household income | €52,021 | €58,530 | €57,760 |
€52,021
median household income, 2022 · Co. Clare €54,654
7%
worked mainly from home, 2022
4%
trips of an hour or more
3,361
on the Live Register, County Clare, September 2026
C+
Walkability: better than 36% of Irish towns
CSO, Census 2022 travel to work, work and education · CSO Geographical Profiles of Income 2022 · Live Register · Census day was 3 April 2022, with working from home still common; shares are of those who travelled.
HousingCost of living B+
Shannon earns a B+ for cost of living
Rent averaged €1,229 a month, higher than Co. Clare’s towns (€1,157) yet lower than Irish towns (€1,606). Prices in Shannon are up 135% since 2010: the typical sale went from €118K that year to €278K in 2025. The town is the second cheapest of the 5 towns in Co. Clare, at €250,000.
€250Kmedian sale priceB+Cost of living Grade
Median sale price · Property Price Register, 2023–2025
Shannon€250K
Co. Clare€286K
Irish towns€350K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| New homes | €325,000 | 66 |
| Second-hand homes | €225,000 | 234 |
| The last 12 months | €310,000 | 117 |
| Housing | Shannon | Co. Clare | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median sale price | €250K | €286K | €350K |
| Rent on a new tenancy, a month | €1,229 | €1,157 | €1,606 |
€1,229
a month on new tenancies, Shannon
4.6
times median household income, County Clare
Property Price Register · CSO residential prices by Eircode area · RTB rents · CSO, Census 2022 tenure
HealthHealth C
For the ages of its people, Shannon has more residents in bad health than expected
For its ages, Shannon has 110 people with a disability for every 100 expected, near Co. Clare’s towns (109) and higher than Irish towns (106). Poor health, by residents’ own account, affects 2.5% of the town. Self-reported good health: 87% of the town’s residents.
87%good or very good healthCHealth Grade
Per 100 expected at the town’s ages · age-standardised
Bad health141
Disability110
Co. Clare139
Expected100
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 87%Fair 11%Bad or very bad 3%
| Census 2022 | Shannon | Co. Clare | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 87% | 87% | 88% |
| Bad or very bad health | 2.5% | 2.5% | 2% |
| With a disability | 23% | 23% | 22% |
141
bad health per 100 expected · Co. Clare 139
110
disability per 100 expected · Co. Clare 109
82.5 · 79
life expectancy, women · men, the Mid-West region, 2016
31%
hold a medical card, HSE Midwest
CSO, Census 2022 general health, disability and carers · CSO life expectancy by region, 2016 · HSE medical cards, 2024 · TownRatings age-standardised ratios
Climate
Shannon gets 1,071 mm of rain a year (Co. Clare towns 1,201 mm, Irish towns 937 mm)
Across the year it averages 10.6°C, about level with Co. Clare’s towns (10.5°C) and above Irish towns (10.3°C). Midwinter nights in Shannon bottom out at 3.1°C on average. December is the wettest month locally, with 120 mm of rain on average.
19.7°CJuly afternoon high
Average afternoon highs by season · 1991–2020 averages
Winter9.3°C
Spring13.6°C
Summer19.2°C
Autumn14.6°C
| Climate, 1991–2020 | Shannon | Co. Clare | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rain a year | 1,071 mm | 1,201 mm | 937 mm |
| Average temperature over the year | 10.6°C | 10.5°C | 10.3°C |
| January low | 3.1°C | 3.0°C | 2.9°C |
| July high | 19.7°C | 19.7°C | 19.9°C |
19.7°C
July high
3.1°C
January low
1,071 mm
Rain a year
120 mm
Wettest month
18
Air frosts
1,338 hrs
Sunshine
Met Éireann, 1991–2020 averages.
Outdoors
Protected nature surrounds Shannon: 35% of the land within 5 km, more than in both Co. Clare’s towns and Irish towns
For nine in ten homes, green space is under 400 m away. Among the protected sites near Shannon is Lower River Shannon SAC. Woodland covers 3.9% of the land within 1 km, lower than Co. Clare’s towns (6.5%) yet higher than Irish towns (2.7%). 2 parks, 18 ha of green space: that is the measure of the town’s parkland.
90%of homes near green space
Green space per 1,000 residents · per 1,000 residents
Shannon1.8 ha
Co. Clare1.4 ha
Irish towns4.1 ha
| Outdoors | Shannon | Co. Clare | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected nature within 5 km | 35% | 8.7% | 1.8% |
| Near a park | 90% | 64% | 92% |
| Woodland within 1 km | 3.9% | 6.5% | 2.7% |
| Paths per km² of town | 1.8 km per km² | 0.5 km per km² | 2.1 km per km² |
90%
Near a park
1.8 ha
Green space
43 km
Footpaths
35%
Protected for nature
OpenStreetMap parks and paths, NPWS protected sites and the National Trails Register.
Weather
Up to 12 degrees in Shannon today, sunny
The heaviest rain of the week is due on Tuesday, around 6 mm. Set beside Shannon’s forecast, a normal November runs from 5°C at night to 11°C by day. A quiet day is due today: no rain, a light wind peaking at 19 km/h, and 7°C overnight.
12°C / 7°CToday
This month and the next three, normal highs · 1991–2020 averages
November11°C
December9°C
January9°C
February10°C
| Season | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 9°C | 3°C | 319 mm |
| Spring | 14°C | 6°C | 209 mm |
| Summer | 19°C | 11°C | 247 mm |
| Autumn | 15°C | 8°C | 296 mm |
12°C / 7°C
Today
None
Rain, next 24 hours
12 km/h
Wind
98%
Humidity
9 h 22 min
Daylight
Forecast: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · normals: Met Éireann, 1991–2020
Who lives here
30% of people in Shannon were born abroad, more than in both Co. Clare’s towns and Irish towns
Nearly a quarter of adults hold a degree, lower than both Co. Clare’s towns (30%) and Irish towns (36%). Aged 15 to 24: 13% of residents. People 65 and over make up 15% of the town.
38.5median age
ShannonCo. ClareIreland
Ages · share of residents
13%
Highest education · residents 15 and older who have finished education
Primary or none10%
Lower secondary16%
Leaving Cert44%
Diploma or cert7%
Degree or higher24%
Women and men · all residents
Women make up 50.6% of Shannon
5,190 women and 5,066 men live here; across Ireland, women are 50.6%.
| Shannon | Co. Clare | Ireland | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 20% | 20% | 20% |
| 15–24 | 13% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 28% | 28% | 29% |
| 45–64 | 25% | 25% | 24% |
| 65+ | 15% | 14% | 14% |
| Primary or none | 9.5% | 9.6% | 9.7% |
| Lower secondary | 16% | 14% | 14% |
| Leaving Cert | 44% | 38% | 35% |
| Diploma or cert | 6.8% | 6.6% | 5.8% |
| Degree or higher | 24% | 30% | 36% |
CSO, Census 2022 · Co. Clare and Ireland: the median of their towns of 2,500+
Town hall
Fianna Fáil holds 14 of Clare County Council’s 28 seats, one of the largest groups on any council
General election turnout: 64%, close to Co. Clare’s towns (64%) and above Irish towns (59%). There is just one council for Shannon, Clare County Council: Ireland has only one tier of local government. Fianna Fáil lead Clare County Council with 14 of 28 seats, but no party has a majority: 15 are needed.
14/28seats held by Fianna Fáil
Seats on Clare County · June 2024
Fianna Fáil14
Fine Gael9
Independent3
Sinn Féin2
| Turnout | Shannon | Co. Clare | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| General election, November 2024 | 64% | 64% | 59% |
| Local elections, June 2024 | 50% | 50% | 46% |
7
Councillors
14/28
Fianna Fáil seats on Clare County, the largest party
50%
turnout, June 2024
4
TDs elected for Clare
Department of Housing count sheets, 2024
Schools
DEIS support reaches 20% of schools around Shannon, below Co. Clare’s towns and Irish towns
10 schools lie within 3 km of Shannon: 8 primary schools and 2 secondary schools. Shannon Comprehensive School is the nearest secondary school, 0.6 km away. Since 2019/20, pupils changed +7%, above both Co. Clare’s towns (−5%) and Irish towns (+4%).
10schools within 3 km
| School | Level | Pupils | Ethos |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Conaires N.S. Special classesLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 338 | Catholic |
| St Caimin's Community SchoolLargest post-primary schoolPost-primary · Community school | Post-primary · Community school | 794 | Inter-denominational |
| Gaelscoil Donncha Rua GaelscoilTeaches through IrishPrimary | Primary | 68 | Catholic |
| Shannon Airport 1 N.S. DEISIn the DEIS schemePrimary | Primary | 113 | Catholic |
Schools by ethos · Schools within 3 km
Catholic7
Church of Ireland1
Inter-denominational2
| Schools within 3 km | Shannon | Co. Clare | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-sex secondaries | 0% | 25% | 39% |
| In the DEIS scheme | 20% | 44% | 35% |
| Pupils since 2019/20 | +7% | −5% | +4% |
| Teach through Irish | 10% | 8% | 8% |
2,913
pupils at schools within 3 km, 2025/26
+7%
pupils since 2019/20 · Irish towns +4%
0.3 km
to the nearest primary school
0.6 km
to the nearest secondary school
Department of Education school lists, 2025/26 (preliminary) · no results are published by school · Results by school aren’t published in Ireland, so the cards carry none.
SafetySafety B−
In Shannon, the kinds of crime the grade counts rose 36% per resident from 2016 to 2025
The graded crime recorded most in Shannon was assaults and harassment (2023–2025). For its size, Shannon records less crime per resident than two thirds of the 118 Irish towns of 10,000 to 50,000 people. Violence accounts for 4.4 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year.
4.4violent incidents per 1,000 a yearB−Safety Grade
Compared with towns its sizeFewer incidents against residents per 1,000 than 67% of the 118 Irish towns of 10,000 to 50,000 people: less crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Recorded by type · per 1,000 residents a year, 2023–2025
Dangerous acts21.1
Road traffic6.7
Theft6.1
Public order4.4
Assault3.8
Damage3.6
Burglary2
Against justice1.7
Drugs1.6
Not in the gradeTheft, public order and offences found by Garda checks (drugs, road traffic, dangerous acts) are shown but left out of the Safety Grade, which counts violence, burglary and damage.
| Per 1,000 a year | Shannon | Co. Clare | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theft | 6.1 | 8.1 | 15.3 |
| Burglary & damage | 5.5 | 6.3 | 6.4 |
| Violent crime | 4.4 | 5 | 5.7 |
| All recorded crime | 52.5 | 35.2 | 54.3 |
4.4
violent incidents per 1,000 a year
5.5
burglary and damage per 1,000 a year
682
incidents a year, Shannon Garda area
9.9
against residents per 1,000, as graded
CSO recorded crime by Garda station, 2023–2025, shared to towns by where residents live · Census 2022 populations
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Shannon
15pages on Shannon
Famous people from Shannon
5 notable people were born in Shannon.
A
Aisling O'LoughlinTV journalist · born 1978A
Aaron CunninghamIrish hurler · born 1993A
Aron ShanagherIrish hurler · born 1997F
Frank LohanIrish hurler · born 1974Photo credits
Brian Lohan: DaHuzyBru, CC BY-SA 4.0
Shannon’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Boundaries: Tailte Éireann, CSO Urban Areas 2022 and Electoral Divisions.
Newmarket-On-FergusSixmilebridgeAskeatonCaherdavinBallynantyFarranshoneShannon
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shannon | 10,256 | — | B | B+ | B− | C |
| Newmarket-On-Fergus | 1,887 | 6.1 | — | B | A+ | C |
| Sixmilebridge | 2,832 | 7.6 | B+ | B | B− | B+ |
| Askeaton Limerick | 1,236 | 14 | — | B | B− | D |
| Caherdavin Limerick | 7,364 | 15 | D | C | C− | C |
| Ballynanty Limerick | 3,030 | 16 | D− | C | C− | D− |
| Farranshone Limerick | 7,874 | 16 | B | C | C− | A− |
People: CSO, Census 2022. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Shannon
Is Shannon growing?
Shannon had 10,256 people at the 2022 census, up from 9,686 in 2016: 5.9% more, against 7.6% in the median of Irish towns.
Is Shannon a young town or an old one?
The median age in Shannon is 38.5, against 37.6 in the median of Irish towns. 20% of residents are under 15 and 15% are 65 or over.
About Shannon
Urban area in Co. Clare
Shannon has 10,256 people, in the area of Clare County Council. TownRatings uses the CSO’s 2022 Urban Areas as Ireland’s towns: the physical town, as people mean the word, rather than a county or a council area, so its figures cover the town itself.
Built from Tailte Éireann’s boundaries and the CSO’s Census 2022 (CC BY 4.0)
- Population
- 10,256 (CSO, Census 2022)
- County
- Clare
- Council
- Clare County Council
- Local electoral area
- Shannon
- Dáil constituency
- Clare
- Name in Irish
- Sionainn
- Area
- 2.8 sq mi (7.3 km²)
- CSO code
- UA:16559
Sources: CSO, Census 2022 Small Area Population Statistics (CC BY 4.0) · Tailte Éireann, Urban Areas and Electoral Divisions 2022 (CC BY 4.0) · TownRatings grades, run #544 (Irish towns only). Under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0).
Contains Central Statistics Office (CSO) data, Census 2022, and Tailte Éireann boundaries (CSO Urban Areas, Small Areas, local electoral areas, constituencies), under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0).