Muff’s story
Muff has 3 buildings on the National Inventory
Homes built before 1919: 2%, against 3% across Irish towns.
- 1725Muff Church
- 1860Muff Garda Síochána Station
- 1880The Rectory
MuffCo. Donegal
Home to 1,418 people, this town lies in Co. Donegal.
2 places within 19 kmMap →
Photo: Malcolm Neal · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,418
CSO, Census 2022 · Donegal County Council
Median age
40.4
11% are 65+ · Co. Donegal 16%
Degree level
36%
of residents 15+ · Irish towns 36%
Walk, cycle, transit
8%
of working residents · Irish towns 23%
Is Muff a good place to live?
Muff’s strongest is safety (A): gardaí record 3 violent crimes per 1,000 residents a year, and 3 burglaries and acts of criminal damage. Health is another plus (A−). Most journeys need a car (D). 8% of commuters walk, cycle or take the bus or train (the typical Irish town: 23%). Homes sell for a median €200,000, about 6.6 times what a household here earns in a year.
Figures: crime, CSO recorded crime, 2023 to 2025 · health and commuting, CSO Census 2022 · prices, Property Price Register, 2023 to 2025 · incomes, CSO. With fewer than 2,500 residents, Muff gets subject grades but no overall one among Irish towns.
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 Muff stand out
The 3 things Muff 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
Median sale price
Housing
€165,200 median home
56% below the median of Irish towns, €372,600
Property Price Register, 2023 to 2025.
Median gross household income
Income
€30,330 median household income
Gross, a year (the median of Irish towns: €57,760)
CSO household income for the electoral division.
How Muff grades
Each subject compares Muff with Irish towns of 2,500 or more, ordered by how far it is from the middle. Towns in other countries are graded separately.
WalkabilityAmong the hardest places to get around without a carDOpen →Safety3 violent crimes per 1,000 residents; 3 burglaries and acts of criminal damage per 1,000 residentsAOpen →HealthBetter than most of the towns comparedA−Open →Hazard riskGraded on exposure to natural hazardsCOpen →Cost of livingHomes are easier to afford than in most townsB+Open →Jobs & income7% unemployedBOpen →
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 Muff.
SafetySafety A
Muff records less burglary and damage per resident than Co. Donegal’s towns or Irish towns, at 3 per 1,000 a year
In all, 23.4 crimes per 1,000 residents were recorded a year, below Co. Donegal’s towns (49.1) and Irish towns (54.3) alike. The graded crime recorded most in Muff was assaults and harassment (2023–2025). Among the 156 Irish towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people, Muff has less crime per resident than 69% of them.
3violent incidents per 1,000 a yearASafety Grade
Compared with towns its sizeFewer incidents against residents per 1,000 than 69% 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
Road traffic5.5
Dangerous acts4.3
Theft3.6
Assault2.9
Damage2.1
Public order1.6
Burglary1
Drugs1
Other0.7
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 | Muff | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 3 | 8.2 | 5.7 |
| Burglary & damage | 3 | 5.4 | 6.4 |
| All recorded crime | 23.4 | 49.1 | 54.3 |
| Theft | 3.6 | 4.9 | 15.3 |
3
violent incidents per 1,000 a year
3
burglary and damage per 1,000 a year
90
incidents a year, Muff Garda area
6.1
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
HealthHealth A−
For its ages, fewer people in Muff live with a disability than in Co. Donegal’s towns or Irish towns: 79 per 100 expected
Self-reported good health: 89% of Muff’s residents. 16% of residents have a disability, below both Co. Donegal’s towns (25%) and Irish towns (22%). Weighed against its ages, bad health here runs at 116 per 100 expected.
89%good or very good healthA−Health Grade
Per 100 expected at the town’s ages · age-standardised
Bad health116
Disability79
Co. Donegal128
Expected100
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 89%Fair 10%Bad or very bad 2%
| Census 2022 | Muff | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| With a disability | 16% | 25% | 22% |
| Good or very good health | 89% | 86% | 88% |
| Bad or very bad health | 2% | 2.4% | 2% |
| Unpaid carers | 5.7% | 5.8% | 5.4% |
116
bad health per 100 expected · Co. Donegal 128
79
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
Natural hazardsHazard risk C
Radon is the hazard to know in Muff: 100% of homes sit in high-radon areas, more than in Co. Donegal’s towns or Irish towns
Radon above the reference level: an estimated just over one in ten homes in Muff. The closest place to swim from Muff is Lisfannon, 14 km away, rated good in 2025. The ground under Muff carries no high landslide susceptibility.
100%of homes in high-radon areasCHazard risk Grade
Homes exposed · share of the town’s homes
In high-radon areas100%
On high landslide susceptibility0%
| Share of homes | Muff | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| In high-radon areas | 100% | 0% | 0% |
| On high landslide susceptibility | 0% | 0.5% | 0% |
12%
of homes over the radon level
14 km
to Lisfannon bathing water (good)
528
homes mapped for these shares
EPA radon map, GSI landslide susceptibility and our low-lying homes estimate from OPW LiDAR.
HousingCost of living B+
Muff is a town of owners: 73% of households own their home, above Co. Donegal’s towns and Irish towns
18% of households rent privately.
€200Kmedian sale priceB+Cost of living Grade
Median sale price · Property Price Register, 2023–2025
Muff€200K
Co. Donegal€181K
Irish towns€350K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Second-hand homes | €200,000 | 47 |
| Housing | Muff | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households owning their home | 73% | 55% | 61% |
| Households in social housing | 9% | 15% | 13% |
| Median sale price | €200K | €181K | €350K |
| Households renting privately | 18% | 24% | 22% |
73%
own their home · Irish towns 61%
18%
rent privately · Irish towns 22%
€977
a month on new tenancies, County Donegal
4.7
times median household income, County Donegal
Property Price Register · CSO residential prices by Eircode area · RTB rents · CSO, Census 2022 tenure
Climate
Rain in Muff: 1,213 mm a year, against 1,316 mm in Co. Donegal’s towns and 937 mm in Irish towns
January nights bottom out at 2.3°C in Muff, below both Co. Donegal’s towns (2.5°C) and Irish towns (2.9°C). The warmest afternoons come in July, at around 18.6°C here. The annual mean here is 9.6°C.
18.6°CJuly afternoon high
Average afternoon highs by season · 1991–2020 averages
Winter8.0°C
Spring12.4°C
Summer18.1°C
Autumn13.3°C
| Climate, 1991–2020 | Muff | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Rain a year | 1,213 mm | 1,316 mm | 937 mm |
| January low | 2.3°C | 2.5°C | 2.9°C |
18.6°C
July high
2.3°C
January low
1,213 mm
Rain a year
141 mm
Wettest month
6
Air frosts
1,348 hrs
Sunshine
Met Éireann, 1991–2020 averages.
Outdoors
More woodland lies at the edge of Muff than Co. Donegal’s towns or Irish towns: 9.5% of the land within 1 km
A park or green space is within 400 m for just over three quarters of homes. Among the protected sites near Muff is Lough Foyle SPA. Within 5 km, 0.2% of the land is protected nature, lower than both Co. Donegal’s towns (4.7%) and Irish towns (1.8%).
76%of homes near green space
Green space per 1,000 residents · per 1,000 residents
Muff0.6 ha
Co. Donegal2.2 ha
Irish towns4.1 ha
| Outdoors | Muff | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodland within 1 km | 9.5% | 4.5% | 2.7% |
| Near a park | 76% | 54% | 92% |
| Sea within 5 km | 17% | 8.7% | 0% |
| Protected nature within 5 km | 0.2% | 4.7% | 1.8% |
76%
Near a park
0.6 ha
Green space
2 km
Footpaths
0.2%
Protected for nature
OpenStreetMap parks and paths, NPWS protected sites and the National Trails Register.
Weather
Up to 10 degrees in Muff today, sunny
Rain peaks later in the week on Tuesday, at about 4 mm for the day. Muff’s November average makes a useful yardstick: afternoons reach 10°C, nights fall to 5°C. It should be dry and calm today, with wind of 13 km/h at most and a low around 6°C.
10°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 | 371 mm |
| Spring | 12°C | 5°C | 240 mm |
| Summer | 18°C | 11°C | 276 mm |
| Autumn | 13°C | 7°C | 326 mm |
10°C / 6°C
Today
None
Rain, next 24 hours
8 km/h
Wind
94%
Humidity
9 h 06 min
Daylight
Forecast: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · normals: Met Éireann, 1991–2020
Who lives here
58% of people in Muff were born abroad, more than in Co. Donegal’s towns or Irish towns
22% are under 15, about level with Co. Donegal’s towns (21%) and above Irish towns (20%). Retirement age and beyond: just over one in ten residents are 65 or older. Degrees are held by 36% of adults.
40.4median age
MuffCo. DonegalIreland
Ages · share of residents
12%
Highest education · residents 15 and older who have finished education
Primary or none14%
Lower secondary15%
Leaving Cert28%
Diploma or cert7%
Degree or higher36%
Women and men · all residents
Women make up 50.0% of Muff
709 women and 709 men live here; across Ireland, women are 50.6%.
| Muff | Co. Donegal | Ireland | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 22% | 21% | 20% |
| 15–24 | 12% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 26% | 28% | 29% |
| 45–64 | 30% | 23% | 24% |
| 65+ | 11% | 16% | 14% |
| Primary or none | 14% | 14% | 9.7% |
| Lower secondary | 15% | 16% | 14% |
| Leaving Cert | 28% | 34% | 35% |
| Diploma or cert | 7.3% | 6.2% | 5.8% |
| Degree or higher | 36% | 29% | 36% |
CSO, Census 2022 · Co. Donegal and Ireland: the median of their towns of 2,500+
Town hall
Donegal County Council is one of the most divided councils: the largest party has 10 of 37 seats
52% of voters turned out at the last local elections, close to Co. Donegal’s towns (53%) and above Irish towns (46%). Donegal County Council is the one council for Muff; Ireland has no town or county councils between it and the government. This Co. Donegal town sits in the Buncrana local electoral area, which elects 5 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 | Muff | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local elections, June 2024 | 52% | 53% | 46% |
| General election, November 2024 | 59% | 59% | 59% |
5
Councillors
10/37
Fianna Fáil seats on Donegal County, the largest party
52%
turnout, June 2024
5
TDs elected for Donegal
Department of Housing count sheets, 2024
History
3 inventory buildings stand in Muff, each of regional importance
For its size, Muff has 21 inventory buildings per 10,000 residents, below Co. Donegal’s towns (105) and Irish towns (48) alike. Before 1919: that is when 1.6% of homes were built.
3inventory buildings
Buildings by NIAH rating · NIAH
International0
National0
Regional3
Among them
- Muff Church 1725
- Muff Garda Síochána Station 1860
- The Rectory 1880
0
sites on the Sites and Monuments Record
1725
earliest dated inventory building
2%
homes built before 1919 · Irish towns 3%
| Heritage | Muff | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents | 21 | 105 | 48 |
| Archaeological sites on the record | 0 | 18 | 11 |
| Homes built before 1919 | 1.6% | 4.7% | 3.4% |
NIAH, the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage · Sites and Monuments Record · CSO, Census 2022 homes by year built
Work & commuteJobs & income B
Fewer trips to work from Muff take under 15 minutes than in Co. Donegal’s towns or Irish towns: 28%
72% of 15 to 64s were in work, above Co. Donegal’s towns (63%) and Irish towns (68%) alike. The unemployment rate comes to 6.7%. At the census, 8.4% of commuters got to work without a car.
8%walk, cycle or take transit
How working residents got to work · census 2022
Car or van81%
Walk5%
Bus3%
Bicycle0%
| Census 2022 | Muff | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trips under 15 minutes | 28% | 56% | 31% |
| Unemployment rate | 6.7% | 13% | 9.2% |
| In work, 15 to 64 | 72% | 63% | 68% |
| Median household income | €30,330 | €39,838 | €57,760 |
€30,330
household income, 2022 estimate · Co. Donegal €42,497
10%
worked mainly from home, 2022
5%
trips of an hour or more
6,785
on the Live Register, County Donegal, September 2026
D
Walkability: better than 12% 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.
Schools
Schools around Muff have lost ground: pupils −1% since 2019, below Co. Donegal’s towns and Irish towns
One school lies within 3 km of Muff. 196 pupils attend the one school within 3 km of the town.
1schools within 3 km
| School | Level | Pupils | Ethos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scoil Naomh BridLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 196 | Catholic |
| Schools within 3 km | Muff | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the DEIS scheme | 0% | 38% | 35% |
| Teach through Irish | 0% | 7% | 8% |
| Pupils since 2019/20 | −1% | +7% | +4% |
196
pupils at schools within 3 km, 2025/26
−1%
pupils since 2019/20 · Irish towns +4%
0.5 km
to the nearest primary school
14 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.
Nearby attractions
All attractions →IOSAS Centre and 10 more within 40 km
2 places to visit are mapped within 5 km of Muff; with them, the best known within 40 km.
GardenGardenIOSAS Centre3.3 km outside town, to the southwest
Castle · Office of Public WorksDoe Castle38 km west
CastleBurt Castle16 km west
MuseumFort Dunree Military Museum23 km northwest
CastleCarrickabraghy Castle28 km north
FortNeds Point Fort15 km northwest
Castle · Office of Public WorksDoe Castle38 km westCastleBurt Castle16 km westMuseumFort Dunree Military Museum23 km northwestCastleCarrickabraghy Castle28 km northFortNeds Point Fort15 km northwestPlaces: 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)
- Doe Castle: Original uploaded by Brendandh (Transfered by Lvova ), CC BY 2.5, Wikimedia Commons
- Burt Castle: Kenneth Allen, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Fort Dunree Military Museum: Irishhistoricalgamer, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Carrickabraghy Castle: Kenneth Allen, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Neds Point Fort: Paddyhickey~commonswiki, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Muff
15pages on Muff
Landmarks
The national inventory of architectural heritage lists 3 buildings in Muff, each rated of regional importance.
Famous people from around Muff
No notable person born in Muff is on our list; these were born in the towns around it.
F
Frank McGuinnessIrish writer (born 1953) · born in Buncrana
G
Grainne GallanaghIrish model · born in Buncrana · born 1994
C
Charles O'HaganEnglish footballer (1881-1931) · born in BuncranaD
David BellIrish football player, born 1985 · born in BuncranaPhoto credits
Danny Hutton: Cornstalker, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Mark Timlin: Seaninryan, CC BY-SA 4.0
Muff’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Boundaries: Tailte Éireann, CSO Urban Areas 2022 and Electoral Divisions.
BuncranaNewtowncunninghamMuff
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muff | 1,418 | — | — | B+ | A | A− |
| Buncrana | 6,971 | 13 | C+ | A | C− | B− |
| Newtowncunningham | 1,192 | 17 | — | A− | A | C− |
People: CSO, Census 2022. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Muff
Has Muff grown?
Muff had 1,418 people at the 2022 census, up from 1,377 in 2016: 3% more, against 7.6% in the median of Irish towns.
Is Muff a young town or an old one?
The median age in Muff is 40.4, against 37.6 in the median of Irish towns.
About Muff
Urban area in Co. Donegal
Muff has 1,418 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
- 1,418 (CSO, Census 2022)
- County
- Donegal
- Council
- Donegal County Council
- Local electoral area
- Buncrana
- Dáil constituency
- Donegal
- Name in Irish
- Magh
- Area
- 0.4 sq mi (1.1 km²)
- CSO code
- UA:33067
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).