Kilworth’s story
Kilworth: 18 buildings on the National Inventory
The record adds 6 archaeological sites.
Homes built before 1919: 9%, against 3% across Irish towns.
- 1720The Village Arts Centre
- 1730House, Main Street, Kilworth
- 1770Tedcastles
KilworthCo. Cork
1,179 residents make their home in this town in Co. Cork. Its architectural heritage runs to 18 buildings on the national inventory.
4 places within 19 kmMap →
Photo: David Purchase · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,179
CSO, Census 2022 · Cork County Council
Median age
36.3
12% are 65+ · Co. Cork 15%
Degree level
38%
of residents 15+ · Irish towns 36%
Walk, cycle, transit
5%
of working residents · Irish towns 23%
Is Kilworth a good place to live?
Kilworth’s strongest subject is safety — violent crime runs at 2.4 per 1,000 residents a year, burglary and criminal damage at 2.3. It is strong on jobs & income as well: the unemployment rate is 6%, with 73% of 15 to 64s in work. Half the homes sold for more than €295,000, a price of 4.4 times what the median household earns. Where it falls short is walkability — 5% of commuters walk, cycle or take the bus or train, against 23% in the typical Irish town.
Figures: crime, CSO recorded crime, 2023 to 2025 · work and commuting, CSO Census 2022 · prices, Property Price Register, 2023 to 2025 · incomes, CSO. An overall grade comes at 2,500 residents for Irish towns; Kilworth has its subject grades alone.
Rents for this town aren't published on their own, so its Cost Grade uses the county's average rent. Health less sure: few enough residents report bad health that the town's figure could be well above or below its true level.
What makes Kilworth stand out
The 3 things Kilworth does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
5% walk, cycle or ride
Against 23% in the median of Irish towns
CSO, Census 2022
Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents
History
18 buildings on the national inventory
3.2 times the median of Irish towns for its size, all of regional importance.
National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.
Safety
Safety
Better than 95%
of Irish towns on safety
Its safety grade: A+.
How Kilworth grades
Each subject compares Kilworth with Irish towns of 2,500 or more, ordered by how far it is from the middle. Towns in other countries are graded separately.
SafetyAmong the best of the towns comparedA+Open →Hazard riskAlmost no homes are above the radon reference levelAOpen →Jobs & income6% unemployedAOpen →WalkabilityGraded on how easily people get around without a carC−Open →HealthResidents are healthier than in most townsB+Open →Cost of livingGraded on home prices against local incomesBOpen →
SchoolsNot graded in Ireland: schools’ exam results aren’t published school by school (Education Act 1998, s.53)–
How TownRatings grades Irish towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Kilworth.
SafetySafety A+
Kilworth has less crime per resident than 95% of Irish towns
For its size, Kilworth records less crime per resident than 88% of the 156 Irish towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people. Assaults and harassment topped the graded crimes in Kilworth (2023–2025). Thefts came to 7.4 per 1,000 a year (not part of the grade), below Co. Cork’s towns (10.2) and Irish towns (15.3) alike.
2.4violent incidents per 1,000 a yearA+Safety Grade
Compared with towns its sizeFewer incidents against residents per 1,000 than 88% of the 156 Irish towns of 1,000 to 2,500 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 acts19.3
Road traffic16
Theft7.4
Assault1.9
Drugs1.6
Public order1.5
Burglary1.4
Damage0.9
Robbery0.2
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 | Kilworth | Co. Cork | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burglary & damage | 2.3 | 4.8 | 6.4 |
| Violent crime | 2.4 | 5.8 | 5.7 |
| Theft | 7.4 | 10.2 | 15.3 |
2.4
violent incidents per 1,000 a year
2.3
burglary and damage per 1,000 a year
162
incidents a year, Kilworth Garda area
4.7
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
Natural hazardsHazard risk A
Natural hazards are few in Kilworth, with low radon, steady ground and little flood-prone housing
The ground under Kilworth carries no high landslide susceptibility. Under 1% of homes here are estimated to have radon above the reference level. Low ground by water holds almost none of its homes.
0%of homes in high-radon areasAHazard risk Grade
Homes exposed · share of the town’s homes
Low-lying beside water0%
In high-radon areas0%
On high landslide susceptibility0%
Low-lying near a river0%
Low-lying near the coast0%
| Share of homes | Kilworth | Co. Cork | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| On high landslide susceptibility | 0% | 0.4% | 0% |
| Low-lying near a river | 0% | 2.3% | 0.5% |
128
homes mapped for these shares
EPA radon map, GSI landslide susceptibility and our low-lying homes estimate from OPW LiDAR.
Work & commuteJobs & income A
Fewer commuters in Kilworth walk, cycle or take the bus or train than in Co. Cork’s towns or Irish towns: 4.7%
Household income came to €66,440 a year before tax, above Co. Cork’s towns (€53,156) and Irish towns (€57,760) alike. 83% of commuters drove to work at the census. Unemployment stands at 5.9%.
5%walk, cycle or take transit
How working residents got to work · census 2022
Car or van83%
Walk3%
Bus1%
Bicycle0%
| Census 2022 | Kilworth | Co. Cork | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate | 5.9% | 8% | 9.2% |
| In work, 15 to 64 | 73% | 69% | 68% |
| Median household income | €66,440 | €53,156 | €57,760 |
| Trips under 15 minutes | 40% | 33% | 31% |
€66,440
household income, 2022 estimate · Co. Cork €60,671
12%
worked mainly from home, 2022
11%
trips of an hour or more
19,928
on the Live Register, County Cork, September 2026
C−
Walkability: better than 24% 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.
HealthHealth B+
For its ages, Kilworth reports less bad health than Co. Cork’s towns or Irish towns: 51 per 100 expected
Weighed against its ages, disability in Kilworth runs at 112 per 100 expected. 0.8% of residents described their health as bad or very bad, lower than both Co. Cork’s towns (2%) and Irish towns (2%). Asked at the census, 92% of residents of Kilworth said they were in good or very good health.
92%good or very good healthB+Health Grade
Per 100 expected at the town’s ages · age-standardised
Bad health51
Disability112
Co. Cork107
Expected100
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 92%Fair 7%Bad or very bad 1%
| Census 2022 | Kilworth | Co. Cork | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bad or very bad health | 0.8% | 2% | 2% |
| Good or very good health | 92% | 88% | 88% |
| Unpaid carers | 4.5% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| With a disability | 22% | 24% | 22% |
51
bad health per 100 expected · Co. Cork 107
112
disability per 100 expected · Co. Cork 110
83.2 · 79.1
life expectancy, women · men, the South-West region, 2016
28%
hold a medical card, HSE South West
CSO, Census 2022 general health, disability and carers · CSO life expectancy by region, 2016 · HSE medical cards, 2024 · TownRatings age-standardised ratios
Climate
Wet weather: 1,099 mm a year falls on Kilworth, more than on 73% of Irish towns
Kilworth sees January nights of 2.8°C on average. Across the year it averages 10.4°C, lower than Co. Cork’s towns (10.8°C) and near Irish towns (10.3°C). November is the wettest month locally, with 119 mm of rain on average.
20.0°CJuly afternoon high
Average afternoon highs by season · 1991–2020 averages
Winter9.2°C
Spring13.5°C
Summer19.4°C
Autumn14.4°C
| Climate, 1991–2020 | Kilworth | Co. Cork | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 2.8°C | 3.5°C | 2.9°C |
| Average temperature over the year | 10.4°C | 10.8°C | 10.3°C |
| Rain a year | 1,099 mm | 1,114 mm | 937 mm |
20.0°C
July high
2.8°C
January low
1,099 mm
Rain a year
119 mm
Wettest month
43
Air frosts
Met Éireann, 1991–2020 averages.
Outdoors
The Blackwater Way - Avondhu runs through Kilworth
A short walk to green space: 100% of homes, above Co. Cork’s towns (90%) and Irish towns (92%) alike. Among the protected sites near Kilworth is Blackwater River (Cork/Waterford) SAC. Walkers have one waymarked trail or greenway starting within 5 km.
100%of homes near green space
Green space per 1,000 residents · per 1,000 residents
Kilworth3.3 ha
Co. Cork4.3 ha
Irish towns4.1 ha
| Outdoors | Kilworth | Co. Cork | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodland within 1 km | 0.8% | 4.1% | 2.7% |
| Paths per km² of town | 0.0 km per km² | 1.8 km per km² | 2.1 km per km² |
| Protected nature within 5 km | 5.8% | 1.5% | 1.8% |
| Near a park | 100% | 90% | 92% |
100%
Near a park
3.3 ha
Green space
0 km
Footpaths
5.8%
Protected for nature
OpenStreetMap parks and paths, NPWS protected sites and the National Trails Register.
Who lives here
Children make up 25% of Kilworth, above Co. Cork’s towns and Irish towns
0.9% speak Irish daily outside school, below Co. Cork’s towns (1.1%) and Irish towns (1.1%) alike. The 15-to-24 age group makes up one in ten residents. Add to that, over-65s are 12% of the population.
36.3median age
KilworthCo. CorkIreland
Ages · share of residents
10%
Highest education · residents 15 and older who have finished education
Primary or none6%
Lower secondary14%
Leaving Cert35%
Diploma or cert7%
Degree or higher38%
Women and men · all residents
Women make up 51.7% of Kilworth
610 women and 569 men live here; across Ireland, women are 50.6%.
| Kilworth | Co. Cork | Ireland | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 25% | 19% | 20% |
| 15–24 | 10% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 31% | 29% | 29% |
| 45–64 | 22% | 25% | 24% |
| 65+ | 12% | 15% | 14% |
| Primary or none | 5.7% | 8.1% | 9.7% |
| Lower secondary | 14% | 14% | 14% |
| Leaving Cert | 35% | 34% | 35% |
| Diploma or cert | 6.8% | 6% | 5.8% |
| Degree or higher | 38% | 38% | 36% |
CSO, Census 2022 · Co. Cork and Ireland: the median of their towns of 2,500+
Town hall
Kilworth turns out to vote: 53% at the last local elections, above Co. Cork’s towns and Irish towns
Kilworth is run by Cork County Council, its only council: Ireland has one tier of local government. There is no majority on Cork County Council; Fianna Fáil have the most seats, 19 of 55, short of 28. It sits in the Fermoy local electoral area, which elects 6 councillors.
19/55seats held by Fianna Fáil
Seats on Cork County · June 2024
Fianna Fáil19
Fine Gael18
Independent8
Independent Ireland4
Social Democrats3
Labour Party2
Sinn Féin1
| Turnout | Kilworth | Co. Cork | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local elections, June 2024 | 53% | 45% | 46% |
| General election, November 2024 | 58% | 58% | 59% |
6
Councillors
19/55
Fianna Fáil seats on Cork County, the largest party
53%
turnout, June 2024
4
TDs elected for Cork East
Department of Housing count sheets, 2024
History
Heritage is thick on the ground in Kilworth: 153 inventory buildings per 10,000 residents, above Co. Cork’s towns and Irish towns
Homes from before 1919 make up nearly a tenth of the total. There are 6 entries on the national archaeological record here. Surveyors for the national inventory recorded 18 buildings in Kilworth, each of regional importance.
18inventory buildings
Buildings by NIAH rating · NIAH
International0
National0
Regional18
Among them
1720
earliest dated inventory building
9%
homes built before 1919 · Irish towns 3%
2
places pictured on the history page
| Heritage | Kilworth | Co. Cork | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents | 153 | 103 | 48 |
| Homes built before 1919 | 9.2% | 7.7% | 3.4% |
NIAH, the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage · Sites and Monuments Record · CSO, Census 2022 homes by year built
HousingCost of living B
Most households in Kilworth own their home: 71%, more than in Co. Cork’s towns and across Irish towns
9% live in social housing, below Co. Cork’s towns (14%) and Irish towns (13%) alike. The private rented sector houses 18% of households.
€295Kmedian sale priceBCost of living Grade
Median sale price · Property Price Register, 2023–2025
Kilworth€295K
Co. Cork€350K
Irish towns€350K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Second-hand homes | €255,000 | 44 |
| Housing | Kilworth | Co. Cork | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households owning their home | 71% | 60% | 61% |
| Households in social housing | 9% | 14% | 13% |
| Median sale price | €295K | €350K | €350K |
| Households renting privately | 18% | 21% | 22% |
71%
own their home · Irish towns 61%
18%
rent privately · Irish towns 22%
€1,542
a month on new tenancies, County Cork
4.9
times median household income, County Cork
Property Price Register · CSO residential prices by Eircode area · RTB rents · CSO, Census 2022 tenure
Schools
Schools around Kilworth have lost ground: pupils −3% since 2019, below Co. Cork’s towns and Irish towns
2 schools lie within 3 km of Kilworth: 2 primary schools.
2schools within 3 km
| School | Level | Pupils | Ethos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scoil Mháirtin Special classesLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 291 | Catholic |
| Schools within 3 km | Kilworth | Co. Cork | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the DEIS scheme | 0% | 37% | 35% |
| Teach through Irish | 0% | 9% | 8% |
| Pupils since 2019/20 | −3% | +1% | +4% |
371
pupils at schools within 3 km, 2025/26
−3%
pupils since 2019/20 · Irish towns +4%
0.3 km
to the nearest primary school
5.1 km
to the nearest secondary school
Department of Education school lists, 2025/26 (preliminary) · no results are published by school · These schools carry no letter or result: Ireland doesn’t release them school by school.
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Fermoy Leasure Center and 12 more within 40 km
One place to visit is mapped within 5 km of Kilworth; with it, the best known within 40 km.
Water parkWater parkFermoy Leasure Center3.9 km outside town, to the southwest
CastleBlarney Castle and Gardens36 km southwest
Castle · Office of Public WorksCahir Castle31 km northeast
CathedralSt. Fin Barre's Cathedral35 km southwest
ZooFota Wildlife Park32 km south · 415K visitors a year (2022)
CastleLismore Castle21 km east
CastleBlarney Castle and Gardens36 km southwestCastle · Office of Public WorksCahir Castle31 km northeastCathedralSt. Fin Barre's Cathedral35 km southwestZooFota Wildlife Park32 km south · 415K visitors a year (2022)CastleLismore Castle21 km eastPlaces: 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 (5)
- Blarney Castle and Gardens: Gerd Eichmann, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Cahir Castle: Chmouel Boudjnah Original uploader was Chmouel at fr.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- St. Fin Barre's Cathedral: Flickr member Charlie cravero, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Fota Wildlife Park: Hywel Williams, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Lismore Castle: Ingo Mehling, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Kilworth
15pages on Kilworth
Landmarks
Surveyors for the national inventory recorded 18 buildings in Kilworth, each of regional importance. Archaeologists have recorded 6 sites here.
Famous people from around Kilworth
No notable person born in Kilworth is on our list; these were born in the towns around it.
W
William TrevorIrish writer (1928–2016) · born in MitchelstownJ
Jerry CroninIrish politician (1925-1990) · born in Fermoy
J
John HoganIrish sculptor (1800–1858) · born in Tallow
Photo credits
Michelle O'Neill: Sinn Féin, CC BY 2.0 · George Throssell: Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain · Patrick Andrew Collins: Horner, Public domain
Kilworth’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Boundaries: Tailte Éireann, CSO Urban Areas 2022 and Electoral Divisions.
FermoyMitchelstownRathcormacTallowKilworth
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kilworth | 1,179 | — | — | B | A+ | B+ |
| Fermoy | 6,720 | 5.1 | B | A− | C+ | B |
| Mitchelstown | 3,744 | 10 | A− | A | C+ | B+ |
| Rathcormac | 1,957 | 11 | — | C+ | A | D |
| Tallow Waterford | 1,022 | 19 | — | B+ | B | B |
People: CSO, Census 2022. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Kilworth
How do people in Kilworth get to work?
12% mostly work from home, and 40% of journeys take under 15 minutes.
Is Kilworth growing?
Kilworth had 1,179 people at the 2022 census, up from 1,081 in 2016: 9.1% more, against 7.6% in the median of Irish towns.
How old are the people of Kilworth?
The median age in Kilworth is 36.3, against 37.6 in the median of Irish towns.
About Kilworth
Urban area in Co. Cork
1,179 people live in Kilworth, in the area of Cork 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
- 1,179 (CSO, Census 2022)
- County
- Cork
- Council
- Cork County Council
- Local electoral area
- Fermoy
- Dáil constituency
- Cork East
- Name in Irish
- Cill Uird
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.5 km²)
- CSO code
- UA:18739
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).