Mountcharles’ story
Mountcharles: 15 buildings on the National Inventory
Homes built before 1919: 9%, against 3% across Irish towns.
- 1760House, Main Street, Mountcharles
- 1770Kozy Kip Bar
- 1780Building, Main Street, Mountcharles
MountcharlesCo. Donegal
The town, home to 652 people, lies in Co. Donegal.
3 places within 19 kmMap →
Photo: Brian Herrity · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
652
CSO, Census 2022 · Donegal County Council
Median age
40.9
15% are 65+ · Co. Donegal 16%
Degree level
27%
of residents 15+ · Irish towns 36%
Walk, cycle, transit
8%
of working residents · Irish towns 23%
Is Mountcharles a good place to live?
Homes sell for a median €211,000, about 4.4 times what a household here earns in a year. On the way to work, 8% walk, cycle or take the bus or train. Its architectural heritage runs to 15 buildings on the national inventory. The median sale price, 2023 to 2025: €191,400.
At under 1,000 residents, Mountcharles is too small for the grades Irish towns get.
What makes Mountcharles stand out
The 3 things Mountcharles does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
8% walk, cycle or ride
The median of Irish towns: 23%
CSO, Census 2022
Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents
History
15 buildings on the national inventory
4.8 times the median of Irish towns for its size, all of regional importance.
National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.
Median sale price
Housing
49% below the median of Irish towns, €372,600
Property Price Register, 2023 to 2025.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Mountcharles.
Schools
Pupil numbers around Mountcharles grew +29% since 2019, above Co. Donegal’s towns and Irish towns
DEIS, the support scheme, covers 50% of them, above Co. Donegal’s towns (38%) and Irish towns (35%) alike. 2 schools lie within 3 km of Mountcharles: 2 primary schools.
2schools within 3 km
| School | Level | Pupils | Ethos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scoil Naomh Peadar Special classesLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 135 | Catholic |
| Frosses N.S. DEISIn the DEIS schemePrimary | Primary | 77 | Catholic |
| Schools within 3 km | Mountcharles | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils since 2019/20 | +29% | +7% | +4% |
| Teach through Irish | 0% | 7% | 8% |
| In the DEIS scheme | 50% | 38% | 35% |
212
pupils at schools within 3 km, 2025/26
+29%
pupils since 2019/20 · Irish towns +4%
1.2 km
to the nearest primary school
6.5 km
to the nearest secondary school
Department of Education school lists, 2025/26 (preliminary) · no results are published by school · Letters and results are missing here for a reason: Ireland publishes neither school by school.
Natural hazards
Mountcharles has low radon and steady ground, but its flood exposure isn’t measured
The nearest bathing water to Mountcharles is Murvagh, 5.9 km away, rated excellent in 2025. The ground under Mountcharles carries no high landslide susceptibility. Under 1% of homes locally are estimated to have radon above the reference level.
0%of homes in high-radon areas
Homes exposed · share of the town’s homes
In high-radon areas0%
On high landslide susceptibility0%
| Share of homes | Mountcharles | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| On high landslide susceptibility | 0% | 0.5% | 0% |
| In high-radon areas | 0% | 0% | 0% |
5.9 km
to Murvagh bathing water (excellent)
439
homes mapped for these shares
EPA radon map, GSI landslide susceptibility and our low-lying homes estimate from OPW LiDAR.
Climate
Rain is part of life in Mountcharles: 1,555 mm a year, more than in both Co. Donegal’s towns and Irish towns
Mountcharles sees January nights of 2.1°C on average. The year’s mean temperature is 9.3°C, below Co. Donegal’s towns (9.7°C) and Irish towns (10.3°C) alike. A July afternoon in Mountcharles typically reaches 18.1°C.
18.1°CJuly afternoon high
Average afternoon highs by season · 1991–2020 averages
Winter7.9°C
Spring12.2°C
Summer17.6°C
Autumn13.1°C
| Climate, 1991–2020 | Mountcharles | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 18.1°C | 18.6°C | 19.9°C |
| Rain a year | 1,555 mm | 1,316 mm | 937 mm |
| Average temperature over the year | 9.3°C | 9.7°C | 10.3°C |
| January low | 2.1°C | 2.5°C | 2.9°C |
18.1°C
July high
2.1°C
January low
1,555 mm
Rain a year
172 mm
Wettest month
Met Éireann, 1991–2020 averages.
Health
Mountcharles has 81 people in bad health for every 100 its ages predict, fewer than in both Co. Donegal’s towns and Irish towns
Nearly one in ten residents give unpaid care to a relative or friend, above both Co. Donegal’s towns (5.8%) and Irish towns (5.4%). Disability, age-adjusted: 110 for every 100 expected in Mountcharles. Poor health, by residents’ own account, affects 1.6% of the town.
89%good or very good health
Per 100 expected at the town’s ages · age-standardised
Bad health81
Disability110
Co. Donegal128
Expected100
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 89%Fair 10%Bad or very bad 2%
| Census 2022 | Mountcharles | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unpaid carers | 8.4% | 5.8% | 5.4% |
| Bad or very bad health | 1.6% | 2.4% | 2% |
| Good or very good health | 89% | 86% | 88% |
| With a disability | 24% | 25% | 22% |
81
bad health per 100 expected · Co. Donegal 128
110
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
Mountcharles is a town of owners: 76% of households own their home, above Co. Donegal’s towns and Irish towns
Social housing holds 7% of households, below both Co. Donegal’s towns (15%) and Irish towns (13%).
€211Kmedian sale price
Median sale price · Property Price Register, 2023–2025
Mountcharles€211K
Co. Donegal€181K
Irish towns€350K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Second-hand homes | €205,000 | 35 |
| Housing | Mountcharles | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households owning their home | 76% | 55% | 61% |
| Households in social housing | 7% | 15% | 13% |
| Households renting privately | 15% | 24% | 22% |
| Median sale price | €211K | €181K | €350K |
76%
own their home · Irish towns 61%
15%
rent privately · Irish towns 22%
€977
a month on new tenancies, County Donegal
Property Price Register · CSO residential prices by Eircode area · RTB rents · CSO, Census 2022 tenure
Outdoors
Mountcharles has fewer homes a short walk from green space than Co. Donegal’s towns or Irish towns: 44%
Among the protected sites near Mountcharles is Donegal Bay (Murvagh) SAC. The sea makes up 28% of the area within 5 km, above Co. Donegal’s towns (8.7%) and Irish towns (0%) alike. 4 waymarked trails and greenways start within 5 km.
44%of homes near green space
Green space per 1,000 residents · per 1,000 residents
Mountcharles2.6 ha
Co. Donegal2.2 ha
Irish towns4.1 ha
| Outdoors | Mountcharles | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Near a park | 44% | 54% | 92% |
| Sea within 5 km | 28% | 8.7% | 0% |
| Paths per km² of town | 0.1 km per km² | 0.4 km per km² | 2.1 km per km² |
| Woodland within 1 km | 2.1% | 4.5% | 2.7% |
44%
Near a park
2.6 ha
Green space
1 km
Footpaths
2.4%
Protected for nature
OpenStreetMap parks and paths, NPWS protected sites and the National Trails Register.
Weather
Up to 9 degrees in Mountcharles today, mostly sunny
Expect a dry, calm day today: wind no stronger than 19 km/h, and 6°C at the coldest. Over the days that follow, afternoons range between 6°C and 10°C, with Thursday the mildest. In a typical November, days climb to about 10°C and nights sink to 4°C, the yardstick for Mountcharles’ forecast.
9°C / 6°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 | 454 mm |
| Spring | 12°C | 5°C | 294 mm |
| Summer | 18°C | 10°C | 356 mm |
| Autumn | 13°C | 7°C | 452 mm |
9°C / 6°C
Today
None
Rain, next 24 hours
15 km/h
Wind
97%
Humidity
9 h 09 min
Daylight
Forecast: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · normals: Met Éireann, 1991–2020
Work & commute
More commuters in Mountcharles drive than in Co. Donegal’s towns or Irish towns: 84%
The census counted 7.9% of workers working mainly from home. Short trips: 50% under 15 minutes, between Co. Donegal’s towns (56%) and Irish towns (31%). On average, the journey to work lasts 22.4 min.
8%walk, cycle or take transit
How working residents got to work · census 2022
Car or van84%
Walk4%
Bus2%
Bicycle1%
Train, DART or Luas0%
| Census 2022 | Mountcharles | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trips under 15 minutes | 50% | 56% | 31% |
| In work, 15 to 64 | 69% | 63% | 68% |
| Average trip | 22.4 min | 20.9 min | 27.6 min |
| Median household income | €48,250 | €39,838 | €57,760 |
€48,250
household income, 2022 estimate · Co. Donegal €42,497
8%
worked mainly from home, 2022
8%
trips of an hour or more
6,785
on the Live Register, County Donegal, September 2026
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.
Who lives here
Few people in Mountcharles were born abroad: 16%, fewer than in both Co. Donegal’s towns and Irish towns
Graduates make up 27% of adults. 22% are under 15, about level with Co. Donegal’s towns (21%) and above Irish towns (20%). Those 65 and older account for 15% of residents.
40.9median age
MountcharlesCo. DonegalIreland
Ages · share of residents
12%
Highest education · residents 15 and older who have finished education
Primary or none13%
Lower secondary18%
Leaving Cert37%
Diploma or cert6%
Degree or higher27%
Women and men · all residents
Women make up 50.8% of Mountcharles
331 women and 321 men live here; across Ireland, women are 50.6%.
| Mountcharles | Co. Donegal | Ireland | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 22% | 21% | 20% |
| 15–24 | 12% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 23% | 28% | 29% |
| 45–64 | 28% | 23% | 24% |
| 65+ | 15% | 16% | 14% |
| Primary or none | 13% | 14% | 9.7% |
| Lower secondary | 18% | 16% | 14% |
| Leaving Cert | 37% | 34% | 35% |
| Diploma or cert | 6% | 6.2% | 5.8% |
| Degree or higher | 27% | 29% | 36% |
CSO, Census 2022 · Co. Donegal and Ireland: the median of their towns of 2,500+
Town hall
More people in Mountcharles vote than in Co. Donegal’s towns or Irish towns: 57% turnout at the local elections
Donegal County Council is the one council for Mountcharles; Ireland has no town or county councils between it and the government. In the Dáil, Mountcharles is part of Donegal, which elects 5 TDs. This Co. Donegal town sits in the Donegal local electoral area, which elects 6 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 | Mountcharles | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local elections, June 2024 | 57% | 53% | 46% |
| General election, November 2024 | 59% | 59% | 59% |
6
Councillors
10/37
Fianna Fáil seats on Donegal County, the largest party
57%
turnout, June 2024
5
TDs elected for Donegal
Department of Housing count sheets, 2024
History
230 inventory buildings per 10,000 residents put Mountcharles above Co. Donegal’s towns and Irish towns for heritage
8.8% of its homes were built before 1919, higher than both Co. Donegal’s towns (4.7%) and Irish towns (3.4%). Surveyors for the national inventory recorded 15 buildings in Mountcharles, each of regional importance.
15inventory buildings
Buildings by NIAH rating · NIAH
International0
National0
Regional15
Among them
0
sites on the Sites and Monuments Record
1760
earliest dated inventory building
9%
homes built before 1919 · Irish towns 3%
| Heritage | Mountcharles | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents | 230 | 105 | 48 |
| Homes built before 1919 | 8.8% | 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 →Donegal Castle and 6 more in and around Mountcharles
Castles, abbeys, gardens, museums and days out in and near Mountcharles. Best known first.
Castle · Office of Public WorksDonegal Castle4.8 km outside town, to the east
MuseumDonegal Railway Heritage Centre5 km outside town, to the eastGardenGardenSalthill Garden700 m outside town, to the southGardenGardenSea View Garden900 m outside town, to the southGardenGardenLower Cranny3.7 km outside town, to the westGardenGardenDonegal Garden Trail4.8 km outside town, to the 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 (2)
- Donegal Castle: Benson Wills, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Donegal Railway Heritage Centre: louise price, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Mountcharles
15pages on Mountcharles
The big questions
Out and about
Landmarks
Surveyors for the national inventory recorded 15 buildings in Mountcharles, each of regional importance.
Famous people from Mountcharles
6 notable people were born in Mountcharles.
S
Seumas MacManusIrish poet · 1868–1960J
Jamie MeehanIrish sport cyclist · born 2003S
Stephen Joseph McGroartyIrish American soldier · 1830–1870C
Cahir HealyBritish politician (1877-1970)E
Eilis McGovernAn Irish consultant cardiothoracic surgeonM
Mairéad DunlevyMuseum curator and Irish costume expert · 1941–2008Mountcharles’ neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Boundaries: Tailte Éireann, CSO Urban Areas 2022 and Electoral Divisions.
DonegalKillybegsBallyshannonMountcharles
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mountcharles | 652 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Donegal | 2,749 | 6.8 | A− | B+ | B− | B |
| Killybegs | 1,258 | 15 | — | A− | A− | B |
| Ballyshannon | 2,246 | 16 | — | A− | C | C− |
People: CSO, Census 2022. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Mountcharles
Is Mountcharles growing?
Mountcharles had 652 people at the 2022 census, up from 611 in 2016: 6.7% more, against 7.6% in the median of Irish towns.
Is Mountcharles a young town or an old one?
The median age in Mountcharles is 40.9, against 37.6 in the median of Irish towns.
About Mountcharles
Urban area in Co. Donegal
Mountcharles has 652 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
- 652 (CSO, Census 2022)
- County
- Donegal
- Council
- Donegal County Council
- Local electoral area
- Donegal
- Dáil constituency
- Donegal
- Name in Irish
- Tamhnach an tSalainn
- Area
- 0.4 sq mi (1 km²)
- CSO code
- UA:33107
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).