Malin’s story
Malin: 12 buildings on the National Inventory
11% of its homes were built before 1919, against 3% in the median of Irish towns.
- 1740Bridge, Malin
- 1800House, Malin
- 1800Public house, Malin
MalinCo. Donegal
A town of 154 in Co. Donegal. Its population rose 15% from 2016 to 2022.
2 places within 19 kmMap →
Photo: danny kearney · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
154
CSO, Census 2022 · Donegal County Council
Median age
53.6
36% are 65+ · Co. Donegal 16%
Degree level
33%
of residents 15+ · Irish towns 36%
Walk, cycle, transit
9%
of working residents · Irish towns 23%
Is Malin a good place to live?
Malin takes 4.1 years of the median household income to buy the median home, at €165,200. People aged 65 and over make up 36% of residents. Walking, cycling and public transport carry nearly one in ten commuters. The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage records 12 buildings here.
Grades start at 1,000 residents for Irish towns, so Malin has none.
What makes Malin stand out
The 3 things Malin does most differently from other towns.
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
36% are 65 or over
Against 14% in the median of Irish towns
CSO, Census 2022
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
9% walk, cycle or ride
Against 23% in the median of Irish towns
CSO, Census 2022
Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents
History
12 buildings on the national inventory
16.2 times the median of Irish towns for its size, all of regional importance.
National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Malin.
Schools
More schools around Malin are in DEIS, the support scheme, than in Co. Donegal’s towns or across Irish towns: 100%
Within 3 km of Malin there is one school. The one school within 3 km of Malin has 137 pupils.
1schools within 3 km
| School | Level | Pupils | Ethos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scoil Treasa Naofa DEISLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 137 | Catholic |
| Schools within 3 km | Malin | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the DEIS scheme | 100% | 38% | 35% |
| Teach through Irish | 0% | 7% | 8% |
137
pupils at schools within 3 km, 2025/26
0.4 km
to the nearest primary school
5.6 km
to the nearest secondary school
Department of Education school lists, 2025/26 (preliminary) · no results are published by school · Without school-level results from Ireland, the cards show no letters.
Natural hazards
The sea sets the flood risk in Malin: 9.8% of homes stand low near the coast, more than Co. Donegal’s towns or Irish towns
The closest place to swim from Malin is Culdaff, 7.2 km away, rated excellent in 2025. The ground under Malin carries no high landslide susceptibility. Radon is rarely a worry in the town: under 1% of homes are estimated above the reference level.
0%of homes in high-radon areas
Homes exposed · share of the town’s homes
Low-lying beside water9.8%
In high-radon areas0%
On high landslide susceptibility0%
Low-lying near a river0%
Low-lying near the coast9.8%
| Share of homes | Malin | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low-lying near the coast | 9.8% | 0% | 0% |
| On high landslide susceptibility | 0% | 0.5% | 0% |
| Low-lying near a river | 0% | 4.2% | 0.5% |
7.2 km
to Culdaff bathing water (excellent)
112
homes mapped for these shares
EPA radon map, GSI landslide susceptibility and our low-lying homes estimate from OPW LiDAR.
Climate
Summers stay cool in Malin: July afternoons reach 17.5°C, below Co. Donegal’s towns and Irish towns
The year’s mean temperature is 9.7°C, near Co. Donegal’s towns (9.7°C) and lower than Irish towns (10.3°C). Midwinter nights in Malin bottom out at 3.3°C on average. Also worth knowing: the town gets 1,251 mm of rain a year.
17.5°CJuly afternoon high
Average afternoon highs by season · 1991–2020 averages
Winter8.0°C
Spring11.7°C
Summer17.0°C
Autumn12.9°C
| Climate, 1991–2020 | Malin | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 17.5°C | 18.6°C | 19.9°C |
| January low | 3.3°C | 2.5°C | 2.9°C |
| Rain a year | 1,251 mm | 1,316 mm | 937 mm |
| Average temperature over the year | 9.7°C | 9.7°C | 10.3°C |
17.5°C
July high
3.3°C
January low
1,251 mm
Rain a year
141 mm
Wettest month
6
Air frosts
1,348 hrs
Sunshine
Met Éireann, 1991–2020 averages.
Health
Disability runs below what Malin’s ages predict, at 86 per 100 expected, and under Co. Donegal’s towns and Irish towns
For its ages, Malin has 55 people in bad health for every 100 expected, below Co. Donegal’s towns (128) and Irish towns (113) alike. Family carers: 3.2% of the people in Malin look after someone without pay. 34% of people in the HSE West and North West health region hold a medical card. Asked at the census, 76% of residents of Malin said they were in good or very good health.
76%good or very good health
Per 100 expected at the town’s ages · age-standardised
Bad health55
Disability86
Co. Donegal128
Expected100
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 76%Fair 23%Bad or very bad 2%
| Census 2022 | Malin | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 76% | 86% | 88% |
| Unpaid carers | 3.2% | 5.8% | 5.4% |
| Bad or very bad health | 1.5% | 2.4% | 2% |
| With a disability | 23% | 25% | 22% |
55
bad health per 100 expected · Co. Donegal 128
86
disability per 100 expected · Co. Donegal 113
83.5 · 79.5
life expectancy, women · men, the Border region, 2016
34%
hold a medical card, HSE West and North West
CSO, Census 2022 general health, disability and carers · CSO life expectancy by region, 2016 · HSE medical cards, 2024 · TownRatings age-standardised ratios
Housing
Social housing is more common in Malin than in Co. Donegal’s towns or across Irish towns, at 20% of households
57% of households own their home, near Co. Donegal’s towns (55%) and lower than Irish towns (61%). Renting privately is how 21% of households live.
€165Kmedian sale price
Median sale price · Eircode area, 2023–2025
Malin€165K
Co. Donegal€181K
Irish towns€350K
| Housing | Malin | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median sale price | €165K | €181K | €350K |
| Households in social housing | 20% | 15% | 13% |
| Households owning their home | 57% | 55% | 61% |
57%
own their home · Irish towns 61%
€977
a month on new tenancies, County Donegal
Property Price Register · CSO residential prices by Eircode area · RTB rents · CSO, Census 2022 tenure · The price is for the postcode area F93, not the town alone: too few sales inside the town carry a full address.
Outdoors
Green space is close to home in Malin: 100% of homes are within 400 m of some, more than Co. Donegal’s towns or Irish towns
Protected nature near Malin includes North Inishowen Coast SAC. Within 5 km, 9.8% of the land is protected nature, higher than both Co. Donegal’s towns (4.7%) and Irish towns (1.8%). There are 9.6 ha of green space for every 1,000 people in the town.
100%of homes near green space
Green space per 1,000 residents · per 1,000 residents
Malin9.6 ha
Co. Donegal2.2 ha
Irish towns4.1 ha
| Outdoors | Malin | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Near a park | 100% | 54% | 92% |
| Protected nature within 5 km | 9.8% | 4.7% | 1.8% |
| Paths per km² of town | 0.0 km per km² | 0.4 km per km² | 2.1 km per km² |
| Sea within 5 km | 11% | 8.7% | 0% |
100%
Near a park
9.6 ha
Green space
0 km
Footpaths
9.8%
Protected for nature
OpenStreetMap parks and paths, NPWS protected sites and the National Trails Register.
Weather
What today holds for Malin: mostly sunny, up to 10 degrees
A typical November day reaches 10°C and drops to 6°C at night: the forecast for Malin is set against that. It should stay dry today, with a fresh breeze of up to 27 km/h and a low near 7°C. Later in the week, highs run between 8°C and 10°C, peaking on Thursday.
10°C / 7°CToday
This month and the next three, normal highs · 1991–2020 averages
November10°C
December8°C
January8°C
February8°C
| Season | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 8°C | 3°C | 375 mm |
| Spring | 12°C | 6°C | 236 mm |
| Summer | 17°C | 11°C | 289 mm |
| Autumn | 13°C | 8°C | 351 mm |
10°C / 7°C
Today
None
Rain, next 24 hours
20 km/h
Wind
86%
Humidity
9 h 05 min
Daylight
Forecast: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · normals: Met Éireann, 1991–2020
Who lives here
Fewer children live in Malin than in Co. Donegal’s towns or Irish towns: 12% are under 15
Daily Irish speakers outside school: 0.8%, below Co. Donegal’s towns (1.2%) and Irish towns (1.1%) alike. One in ten residents are aged 15 to 24. Graduates make up 33% of adults.
53.6median age
MalinCo. DonegalIreland
Ages · share of residents
36%
Highest education · residents 15 and older who have finished education
Primary or none25%
Lower secondary13%
Leaving Cert26%
Diploma or cert4%
Degree or higher33%
Women and men · all residents
51.9% of Malin’s residents are women
80 women and 74 men live here; across Ireland, women are 50.6%.
| Malin | Co. Donegal | Ireland | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 12% | 21% | 20% |
| 15–24 | 9.7% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 21% | 28% | 29% |
| 45–64 | 21% | 23% | 24% |
| 65+ | 36% | 16% | 14% |
| Primary or none | 25% | 14% | 9.7% |
| Lower secondary | 13% | 16% | 14% |
| Leaving Cert | 26% | 34% | 35% |
| Diploma or cert | 4% | 6.2% | 5.8% |
| Degree or higher | 33% | 29% | 36% |
CSO, Census 2022 · Co. Donegal and Ireland: the median of their towns of 2,500+
Town hall
No party comes near a majority on Donegal County Council: the largest holds 10 of 37
One council serves Malin: Donegal County Council. 53% of voters turned out at the last local elections, close to Co. Donegal’s towns (53%) and above Irish towns (46%). Donegal County Council has no ruling majority: Fianna Fáil hold 10 of its 37 seats, short of the 19 needed.
10/37seats held by Fianna Fáil
Seats on Donegal County · June 2024
Fianna Fáil10
Sinn Féin10
Independent9
100% Redress4
Fine Gael3
Labour Party1
| Turnout | Malin | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local elections, June 2024 | 53% | 53% | 46% |
| General election, November 2024 | 59% | 59% | 59% |
4
Councillors
10/37
Fianna Fáil seats on Donegal County, the largest party
53%
turnout, June 2024
5
TDs elected for Donegal
Department of Housing count sheets, 2024
History
The national inventory counts 779 buildings per 10,000 residents in Malin, more than Co. Donegal’s towns or Irish towns
10.6% of homes were built before 1919.
12inventory buildings
Buildings by NIAH rating · NIAH
International0
National0
Regional12
Among them
- Bridge, Malin 1740
- House, Malin 1800
- Public house, Malin 1800
- House, Malin 1810
0
sites on the Sites and Monuments Record
1740
earliest dated inventory building
11%
homes built before 1919 · Irish towns 3%
1
places pictured on the history page
| Heritage | Malin | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents | 779 | 105 | 48 |
| Homes built before 1919 | 10.6% | 4.7% | 3.4% |
| Archaeological sites on the record | 0 | 18 | 11 |
NIAH, the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage · Sites and Monuments Record · CSO, Census 2022 homes by year built
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Doagh Famine Village and 3 more in and around Malin
Castles, abbeys, gardens, museums and days out in and near Malin. Best known first.
MuseumMuseumDoagh Famine Village4.5 km outside town, to the westAbbey or prioryAbbey or priorySt Patrick's Cross Carndonagh5 km outside town, to the southAttractionAttractionDough Famine Village4.5 km outside town, to the westHistoric siteHistoric siteDonagh Cross5 km outside town, to the south
Places: Fáilte Ireland open data (CC BY 4.0) · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Malin
15pages on Malin
The big questions
Out and about
Landmarks
12 of Malin’s buildings made the national inventory of architectural heritage, all at regional importance.
Famous people from around Malin
2 notable people were born in Malin; with them, the best known born in the towns around it.
M
Margaret BarringtonIrish writer and journalist (1896-1982)W
William McArthurLord Mayor of London (1809–1887)A
Art ParkinsonIrish actor · born in Moville · born 2001
R
Robert MontgomeryBritish colonial administrator in India · born in Moville · 1809–1887Photo credits
Gary Doherty: Nick from Bristol, UK, CC BY 2.0 · John Colgan: Emmanuel di Como, Public domain
Malin’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Boundaries: Tailte Éireann, CSO Urban Areas 2022 and Electoral Divisions.
CarndonaghMovilleMalin
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malin | 154 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Carndonagh | 2,768 | 5.6 | B− | A+ | B− | C |
| Moville | 1,390 | 18 | — | A− | A− | C+ |
People: CSO, Census 2022. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Malin
Has Malin grown?
Malin had 154 people at the 2022 census, up from 134 in 2016: 14.9% more, against 7.6% in the median of Irish towns.
How old are the people of Malin?
The median age in Malin is 53.6, against 37.6 in the median of Irish towns.
Do people in Malin drive to work?
73% of working residents drive to work and 9% walk, cycle or take the bus or train (the median of Irish towns: 23%). 18% mostly work from home, and 56% of journeys take under 15 minutes.
About Malin
Urban area in Co. Donegal
154 people live in Malin, in the area of Donegal 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
- 154 (CSO, Census 2022)
- County
- Donegal
- Council
- Donegal County Council
- Local electoral area
- Carndonagh
- Dáil constituency
- Donegal
- Name in Irish
- Málainn
- Area
- 0.1 sq mi (0.2 km²)
- CSO code
- UA:33065
Sources: CSO, Census 2022 Small Area Population Statistics (CC BY 4.0) · Tailte Éireann, Urban Areas and Electoral Divisions 2022 (CC BY 4.0). 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).