Milford’s story
Milford has 19 buildings on the National Inventory
8% of its homes were built before 1919, against 3% in the median of Irish towns.
- 1800The White Heather Inn
- 1820House, Main Street, Milford
- 1830Milford Presbyterian Church
MilfordCo. Donegal
Some 1,076 people live in this town, in Co. Donegal.
4 places within 19 kmMap →
Photo: P L Chadwick · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,076
CSO, Census 2022 · Donegal County Council
Median age
39
17% are 65+ · Co. Donegal 16%
Degree level
24%
of residents 15+ · Irish towns 36%
Walk, cycle, transit
5%
of working residents · Irish towns 23%
Is Milford a good place to live?
Milford’s strongest is cost of living (A) — buying the median home, at €117,500, takes 2.6 times the town’s median household income. Most journeys need a car (D−). 5% of commuters walk, cycle or take the bus or train (the typical Irish town: 23%). Elsewhere it is close to typical: B− for health and B for hazard risk.
Figures: prices, Property Price Register, 2023 to 2025 · incomes, CSO · commuting and health, CSO Census 2022 · radon, EPA. Milford is graded subject by subject, but Irish towns need 2,500 residents for an overall grade.
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. This town's Hazard risk Grade uses radon and landslides only: open LiDAR heights don't cover enough of its homes to measure flooding, so flood isn't counted for or against it.
What makes Milford stand out
The 3 things Milford does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
5% walk, cycle or ride
The median of Irish towns: 23%
CSO, Census 2022
Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents
History
19 buildings on the national inventory
3.7 times the median of Irish towns for its size, all of regional importance.
National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.
Walkability
Walkability
Behind 99%
of Irish towns on walkability
Its walkability grade: D−.
How Milford grades
Each subject compares Milford with Irish towns of 2,500 or more, ordered by how far it is from the middle. Towns in other countries are graded separately.
WalkabilityGraded on how easily people get around without a carD−Open →Cost of livingHomes are very affordable for local incomesAOpen →SafetyBelow the middle of the towns comparedCOpen →Jobs & income64% of 15-to-64s in work; 13% unemployedC+Open →Hazard riskRadon is barely a concern: almost no homes exceed the reference levelBOpen →HealthAbout average among the towns comparedB−Open →
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 Milford.
HousingCost of living A
Social housing is more common in Milford than in Co. Donegal’s towns or across Irish towns, at 20% of households
17% of households are private tenants. Owners make up just over three in five households, higher than Co. Donegal’s towns (55%) and near Irish towns (61%).
€118Kmedian sale priceACost of living Grade
Median sale price · Property Price Register, 2023–2025
Milford€118K
Co. Donegal€181K
Irish towns€350K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Second-hand homes | €120,000 | 39 |
| Housing | Milford | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median sale price | €118K | €181K | €350K |
| Households in social housing | 20% | 15% | 13% |
| Households renting privately | 17% | 24% | 22% |
| Households owning their home | 61% | 55% | 61% |
61%
own their home · Irish towns 61%
17%
rent privately · Irish towns 22%
€977
a month on new tenancies, County Donegal
2.8
times median household income, County Donegal
Property Price Register · CSO residential prices by Eircode area · RTB rents · CSO, Census 2022 tenure
Schools
67% of schools around Milford get DEIS support, above Co. Donegal’s towns and Irish towns
Pupil numbers changed +11% since 2019/20, above Co. Donegal’s towns (+7%) and Irish towns (+4%) alike. Within 3 km of Milford there are 3 schools (1 primary school and 2 secondary schools). Mulroy College is the nearest secondary school, 0.5 km away.
3schools within 3 km
| School | Level | Pupils | Ethos |
|---|---|---|---|
| S.N. Mhuire DEISLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 218 | Catholic |
| Loreto Community SchoolLargest post-primary schoolPost-primary · Community school | Post-primary · Community school | 810 | Inter-denominational |
| Mulroy College DEISIn the DEIS schemePost-primary · ETB | Post-primary · ETB | 617 | Multi-denominational |
Schools by ethos · Schools within 3 km
Catholic1
Multi-denominational1
Inter-denominational1
| Schools within 3 km | Milford | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the DEIS scheme | 67% | 38% | 35% |
| Teach through Irish | 0% | 7% | 8% |
| Single-sex secondaries | 0% | 0% | 39% |
| Pupils since 2019/20 | +11% | +7% | +4% |
1,645
pupils at schools within 3 km, 2025/26
+11%
pupils since 2019/20 · Irish towns +4%
0.6 km
to the nearest primary school
0.5 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.
SafetySafety C
Milford has more crime per resident than 96% of the 156 Irish towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people
The graded crime recorded most in Milford was assaults and harassment (2023–2025). Violent crime ran at 8.5 per 1,000 residents a year, close to Co. Donegal’s towns (8.2) and above Irish towns (5.7). Each year, 5.5 burglaries and acts of damage are recorded per 1,000 residents.
8.5violent incidents per 1,000 a yearCSafety Grade
Compared with towns its sizeFewer incidents against residents per 1,000 than 4% of the 156 Irish towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people: more crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Recorded by type · per 1,000 residents a year, 2023–2025
Road traffic11.8
Dangerous acts8.5
Public order8.3
Assault7.4
Theft6.5
Damage5
Drugs2
Against justice1.8
Weapons0.6
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 | Milford | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 8.5 | 8.2 | 5.7 |
| Theft | 6.5 | 4.9 | 15.3 |
8.5
violent incidents per 1,000 a year
5.5
burglary and damage per 1,000 a year
116
incidents a year, Milford Garda area
14
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
Work & commuteJobs & income C+
Only 5.3% of commuters in Milford go to work without a car, fewer than in Co. Donegal’s towns and across Irish towns
The car took 83% of commuters, higher than both Co. Donegal’s towns (75%) and Irish towns (66%). Getting to work takes 20.6 min on average. The unemployment rate comes to 13%.
5%walk, cycle or take transit
How working residents got to work · census 2022
Car or van83%
Walk3%
Bus2%
Bicycle0%
| Census 2022 | Milford | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trips under 15 minutes | 43% | 56% | 31% |
| Average trip | 20.6 min | 20.9 min | 27.6 min |
| Median household income | €45,750 | €39,838 | €57,760 |
| Unemployment rate | 13% | 13% | 9.2% |
€45,750
household income, 2022 estimate · Co. Donegal €42,497
3%
trips of an hour or more
6,785
on the Live Register, County Donegal, September 2026
D−
Walkability: behind almost every Irish town
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.
Natural hazardsHazard risk B
More homes in Milford stand on ground prone to landslides than in Co. Donegal’s towns or Irish towns: 2%
The nearest bathing water to Milford is Rathmullan, 11 km away, rated good in 2025. By estimate, fewer than one home in a hundred in the town has radon above the reference level. Few of its homes stand low beside water.
0%of homes in high-radon areasBHazard risk Grade
Homes exposed · share of the town’s homes
In high-radon areas0%
On high landslide susceptibility2%
| Share of homes | Milford | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| On high landslide susceptibility | 2% | 0.5% | 0% |
| In high-radon areas | 0% | 0% | 0% |
11 km
to Rathmullan bathing water (good)
564
homes mapped for these shares
EPA radon map, GSI landslide susceptibility and our low-lying homes estimate from OPW LiDAR.
Climate
Milford is wetter than Co. Donegal’s towns or Irish towns: 1,453 mm of rain a year
July afternoons reach 18.6°C here, close to Co. Donegal’s towns (18.6°C) and below Irish towns (19.9°C). On a January night, the temperature in Milford falls to about 2.2°C. Over twelve months, Milford averages 9.6°C.
18.6°CJuly afternoon high
Average afternoon highs by season · 1991–2020 averages
Winter8.2°C
Spring12.5°C
Summer18.2°C
Autumn13.5°C
| Climate, 1991–2020 | Milford | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rain a year | 1,453 mm | 1,316 mm | 937 mm |
| July high | 18.6°C | 18.6°C | 19.9°C |
| Average temperature over the year | 9.6°C | 9.7°C | 10.3°C |
| January low | 2.2°C | 2.5°C | 2.9°C |
18.6°C
July high
2.2°C
January low
1,453 mm
Rain a year
168 mm
Wettest month
6
Air frosts
1,348 hrs
Sunshine
Met Éireann, 1991–2020 averages.
Outdoors
Mulroy Bay SAC reaches the edge of Milford
Woodland covers 5.5% of the land within 1 km, above Co. Donegal’s towns (4.5%) and Irish towns (2.7%) alike. Among the protected sites near Milford is Mulroy Bay SAC. Green space in Milford works out at 5.4 ha per 1,000 people.
0%of homes near green space
Green space per 1,000 residents · per 1,000 residents
Milford5.4 ha
Co. Donegal2.2 ha
Irish towns4.1 ha
| Outdoors | Milford | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Near a park | 0% | 54% | 92% |
| Woodland within 1 km | 5.5% | 4.5% | 2.7% |
| Paths per km² of town | 0.0 km per km² | 0.4 km per km² | 2.1 km per km² |
| Sea within 5 km | 5.5% | 8.7% | 0% |
5.4 ha
Green space
0 km
Footpaths
2.3%
Protected for nature
5.5%
Woodland
OpenStreetMap parks and paths, NPWS protected sites and the National Trails Register.
Weather
Milford’s outlook today: mostly sunny, peaking at 10 degrees
For Milford, a normal November afternoon peaks at 10°C, and a normal night bottoms out at 4°C. Expect no rain today, only a light breath of wind up to 13 km/h, and a low of 2°C. The coming days top out somewhere between 6°C and 10°C; Thursday looks warmest.
10°C / 2°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 | 2°C | 450 mm |
| Spring | 13°C | 5°C | 279 mm |
| Summer | 18°C | 11°C | 316 mm |
| Autumn | 13°C | 7°C | 408 mm |
10°C / 2°C
Today
None
Rain, next 24 hours
6 km/h
Wind
100%
Humidity
9 h 06 min
Daylight
Forecast: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · normals: Met Éireann, 1991–2020
Who lives here
Most of Milford was born here: only 17% come from abroad, fewer than in Co. Donegal’s towns and across Irish towns
11% of residents are aged 15 to 24. People 65 and over make up 17% of the town. Daily Irish speakers outside school: 1%, lower than both Co. Donegal’s towns (1.2%) and Irish towns (1.1%).
39median age
MilfordCo. DonegalIreland
Ages · share of residents
17%
Highest education · residents 15 and older who have finished education
Primary or none14%
Lower secondary20%
Leaving Cert36%
Diploma or cert6%
Degree or higher24%
Women and men · all residents
51.0% of Milford’s residents are women
549 women and 527 men live here; across Ireland, women are 50.6%.
| Milford | Co. Donegal | Ireland | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 21% | 21% | 20% |
| 15–24 | 11% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 27% | 28% | 29% |
| 45–64 | 24% | 23% | 24% |
| 65+ | 17% | 16% | 14% |
| Primary or none | 14% | 14% | 9.7% |
| Lower secondary | 20% | 16% | 14% |
| Leaving Cert | 36% | 34% | 35% |
| Diploma or cert | 5.6% | 6.2% | 5.8% |
| Degree or higher | 24% | 29% | 36% |
CSO, Census 2022 · Co. Donegal and Ireland: the median of their towns of 2,500+
Town hall
Milford turns out to vote: 63% at the last local elections, above Co. Donegal’s towns and Irish towns
Local government for Milford is Donegal County Council alone; Ireland has a single tier. There is no majority on Donegal County Council; Fianna Fáil have the most seats, 10 of 37, short of 19. This Co. Donegal town sits in the Milford local electoral area, which elects 3 councillors.
10/37seats held by Fianna Fáil
Seats on Donegal County · June 2024
Fianna Fáil10
Sinn Féin10
Independent9
100% Redress4
Fine Gael3
Labour Party1
| Turnout | Milford | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local elections, June 2024 | 63% | 53% | 46% |
| General election, November 2024 | 59% | 59% | 59% |
3
Councillors
10/37
Fianna Fáil seats on Donegal County, the largest party
63%
turnout, June 2024
5
TDs elected for Donegal
Department of Housing count sheets, 2024
History
More buildings in Milford are on the national inventory than in Co. Donegal’s towns or Irish towns: 177 per 10,000 residents
7.7% of its homes were built before 1919, above both Co. Donegal’s towns (4.7%) and Irish towns (3.4%). Milford’s built heritage counts 19 inventory entries, each of regional standing.
19inventory buildings
Buildings by NIAH rating · NIAH
International0
National0
Regional19
Among them
0
sites on the Sites and Monuments Record
1800
earliest dated inventory building
8%
homes built before 1919 · Irish towns 3%
| Heritage | Milford | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents | 177 | 105 | 48 |
| Homes built before 1919 | 7.7% | 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
HealthHealth B−
Bad health in Milford is in line with what its ages predict
Just over a third of people in the HSE West and North West health region hold a medical card. Disability, age-adjusted: 103 for every 100 expected in Milford. At the census, 2.5% of residents said their health was bad or very bad, higher than both Co. Donegal’s towns (2.4%) and Irish towns (2%).
87%good or very good healthB−Health Grade
Per 100 expected at the town’s ages · age-standardised
Bad health126
Disability103
Co. Donegal128
Expected100
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 87%Fair 11%Bad or very bad 3%
| Census 2022 | Milford | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unpaid carers | 5% | 5.8% | 5.4% |
| Bad or very bad health | 2.5% | 2.4% | 2% |
| Good or very good health | 87% | 86% | 88% |
| With a disability | 23% | 25% | 22% |
126
bad health per 100 expected · Co. Donegal 128
103
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
Nearby attractions
All attractions →The Olde Forge at Logue’s of Cranford and 12 more within 40 km
2 places to visit are mapped within 5 km of Milford; with them, the best known within 40 km.
MuseumMuseumThe Olde Forge at Logue’s of Cranford4.4 km outside town, to the north
National parkGlenveagh National Park24 km west
Castle · Office of Public WorksDoe Castle12 km northwest
CastleGlenveagh Castle19 km west
MuseumFort Dunree Military Museum15 km northeast
CastleBurt Castle15 km southeast
National parkGlenveagh National Park24 km westCastle · Office of Public WorksDoe Castle12 km northwestCastleGlenveagh Castle19 km westMuseumFort Dunree Military Museum15 km northeastCastleBurt Castle15 km southeastPlaces: 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)
- Glenveagh National Park: Patrice78500, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Doe Castle: Original uploaded by Brendandh (Transfered by Lvova ), CC BY 2.5, Wikimedia Commons
- Glenveagh Castle: Chris Gunns, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Fort Dunree Military Museum: Irishhistoricalgamer, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Burt Castle: Kenneth Allen, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Milford
15pages on Milford
The big questions
Out and about
Landmarks
Milford’s built heritage counts 19 inventory entries, each of regional standing.
Famous people from around Milford
2 notable people were born in Milford; with them, the best known born in the towns around it.
A
Amber BarrettIrish association football player (1996-)W
William HayNorthern Ireland politician (born 1950)W
William C. CampbellIrish biochemist · born in Ramelton · born 1930
M
Mark EnglishIrish middle-distance runner · born in Letterkenny · born 1993D
Dave GallaherNew Zealand rugby union footballer (187… · born in RameltonPhoto credits
Philip Deignan: Balloholic, Public domain
Milford’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Boundaries: Tailte Éireann, CSO Urban Areas 2022 and Electoral Divisions.
RameltonLetterkennyNewtowncunninghamBuncranaMilford
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milford | 1,076 | — | — | A | C | B− |
| Ramelton | 1,288 | 6.6 | — | B− | A− | B |
| Letterkenny | 22,549 | 15 | D | B | C− | C− |
| Newtowncunningham | 1,192 | 16 | — | A− | A | C− |
| Buncrana | 6,971 | 17 | C+ | A | C− | B− |
People: CSO, Census 2022. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Milford
Do people in Milford drive to work?
11% mostly work from home, and 43% of journeys take under 15 minutes.
Has Milford grown?
Milford had 1,076 people at the 2022 census, up from 1,063 in 2016: 1.2% more, against 7.6% in the median of Irish towns.
Is Milford a young town or an old one?
The median age in Milford is 39, against 37.6 in the median of Irish towns. 21% of residents are under 15 and 17% are 65 or over.
About Milford
Urban area in Co. Donegal
Milford has 1,076 people, 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
- 1,076 (CSO, Census 2022)
- County
- Donegal
- Council
- Donegal County Council
- Local electoral area
- Milford
- Dáil constituency
- Donegal
- Name in Irish
- Baile na nGallóglach
- Area
- 0.4 sq mi (1.1 km²)
- CSO code
- UA:33090
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).