Pettigo’s story
Pettigo has 24 buildings on the National Inventory
28% of its homes were built before 1919, against 3% in the median of Irish towns.
- 1750Pettigoe Bridge
- 1760Bridge, Pettigoe
- 1780House, Mill Street, Pettigoe
PettigoCo. Donegal
With 158 residents, it is a town in Co. Donegal.
Photo: Eric Jones · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
158
CSO, Census 2022 · Donegal County Council
Median age
53
34% are 65+ · Co. Donegal 16%
Degree level
15%
of residents 15+ · Irish towns 36%
Walk, cycle, transit
12%
of working residents · Irish towns 23%
Is Pettigo a good place to live?
Set against the median household income, the median home, at €191,400, costs 6.3 times as much. People aged 65 and over make up just over a third of residents. The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage records 24 buildings here. 15% of residents 15 and over hold a degree.
With fewer than 1,000 residents, Pettigo falls below the line for grades among Irish towns.
What makes Pettigo stand out
The 3 things Pettigo does most differently from other towns.
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
34% are 65 or over
The median of Irish towns: 14%
CSO, Census 2022
Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents
History
24 buildings on the national inventory
31.6 times the median of Irish towns for its size, all of regional importance.
National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.
Degree or higher, residents 15+
Education
The median of Irish towns: 36%
CSO, Census 2022
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Pettigo.
Natural hazards
Radon in Pettigo: an estimated 7.5% of homes are above the reference level
No part of Pettigo is mapped as high landslide susceptibility. Few of its homes stand low beside water.
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 | Pettigo | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| On high landslide susceptibility | 0% | 0.5% | 0% |
| In high-radon areas | 0% | 0% | 0% |
141
homes mapped for these shares
EPA radon map, GSI landslide susceptibility and our low-lying homes estimate from OPW LiDAR.
Climate
Pettigo has colder winters than Co. Donegal’s towns or Irish towns: January lows of 1.8°C
A year brings 1,468 mm of rain to Pettigo. July afternoons reach 18.8°C here, between Co. Donegal’s towns (18.6°C) and Irish towns (19.9°C). Its year-round mean comes to 9.4°C.
18.8°CJuly afternoon high
Average afternoon highs by season · 1991–2020 averages
Winter7.9°C
Spring12.6°C
Summer18.3°C
Autumn13.2°C
| Climate, 1991–2020 | Pettigo | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rain a year | 1,468 mm | 1,316 mm | 937 mm |
| January low | 1.8°C | 2.5°C | 2.9°C |
| Average temperature over the year | 9.4°C | 9.7°C | 10.3°C |
| July high | 18.8°C | 18.6°C | 19.9°C |
18.8°C
July high
1.8°C
January low
1,468 mm
Rain a year
166 mm
Wettest month
Met Éireann, 1991–2020 averages.
Health
Pettigo has 41 people in bad health for every 100 its ages predict, fewer than Co. Donegal’s towns or Irish towns
Unpaid caring falls to 7% of Pettigo’s residents. 1.3% of residents described their health as bad or very bad, below both Co. Donegal’s towns (2.4%) and Irish towns (2%). Disability, age-adjusted: 85 for every 100 expected here.
84%good or very good health
Per 100 expected at the town’s ages · age-standardised
Bad health41
Disability85
Co. Donegal128
Expected100
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 84%Fair 15%Bad or very bad 1%
| Census 2022 | Pettigo | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unpaid carers | 7% | 5.8% | 5.4% |
| Bad or very bad health | 1.3% | 2.4% | 2% |
| Good or very good health | 84% | 86% | 88% |
| With a disability | 25% | 25% | 22% |
41
bad health per 100 expected · Co. Donegal 128
85
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
Private renting is less common in Pettigo than in Co. Donegal’s towns or across Irish towns: 13%
64% of households own their home. Social housing holds 16% of households, close to Co. Donegal’s towns (15%) and above Irish towns (13%).
€191Kmedian sale price
Median sale price · Eircode area, 2023–2025
Pettigo€191K
Co. Donegal€181K
Irish towns€350K
| Housing | Pettigo | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households renting privately | 13% | 24% | 22% |
| Median sale price | €191K | €181K | €350K |
| Households owning their home | 64% | 55% | 61% |
| Households in social housing | 16% | 15% | 13% |
64%
own their home · Irish towns 61%
13%
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 · The price is for the postcode area F94, not the town alone: too few sales inside the town carry a full address.
Outdoors
More homes in Pettigo are a short walk from green space than in Co. Donegal’s towns or Irish towns: 100%
Woodland covers 5.1% of the land within 1 km, above Co. Donegal’s towns (4.5%) and Irish towns (2.7%) alike. Green space comes to 5.4 ha for every 1,000 people in Pettigo. Within 5 km, 2 waymarked trails and greenways set out.
100%of homes near green space
Green space per 1,000 residents · per 1,000 residents
Pettigo5.4 ha
Co. Donegal2.2 ha
Irish towns4.1 ha
| Outdoors | Pettigo | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Near a park | 100% | 54% | 92% |
| Paths per km² of town | 0.1 km per km² | 0.4 km per km² | 2.1 km per km² |
| Woodland within 1 km | 5.1% | 4.5% | 2.7% |
| Protected nature within 5 km | 0.9% | 4.7% | 1.8% |
100%
Near a park
5.4 ha
Green space
0 km
Footpaths
0.9%
Protected for nature
OpenStreetMap parks and paths, NPWS protected sites and the National Trails Register.
Weather
Weather in Pettigo: fog today, up to 9 degrees
Expect a dry, calm day today: wind no stronger than 17 km/h, and 4°C at the coldest. The days that follow stay mostly dry: 5 of 6 with little or no rain. Pettigo’s forecast, set beside its normal weather: in November a typical day reaches 10°C, and nights drop to 4°C.
9°C / 4°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 | 438 mm |
| Spring | 13°C | 4°C | 292 mm |
| Summer | 18°C | 10°C | 325 mm |
| Autumn | 13°C | 6°C | 413 mm |
9°C / 4°C
Today
None
Rain, next 24 hours
11 km/h
Wind
99%
Humidity
9 h 10 min
Daylight
Forecast: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · normals: Met Éireann, 1991–2020
Work & commute
Commuters in Pettigo travel further than in Co. Donegal’s towns or Irish towns, 36.3 min on average
The census found 12% of commuters going to work on foot, by bike or by public transport. Short trips: 31% under 15 minutes, about level with Irish towns (31%) and below Co. Donegal’s towns (56%). At the census, 62% of people aged 15 to 64 had a job.
12%walk, cycle or take transit
How working residents got to work · census 2022
Car or van68%
Walk12%
| Census 2022 | Pettigo | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 36.3 min | 20.9 min | 27.6 min |
| Median household income | €30,180 | €39,838 | €57,760 |
| Trips under 15 minutes | 31% | 56% | 31% |
| In work, 15 to 64 | 62% | 63% | 68% |
€30,180
household income, 2022 estimate · Co. Donegal €42,497
18%
worked mainly from home, 2022
22%
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
Fewer children live in Pettigo than in Co. Donegal’s towns or Irish towns: 11% are under 15
Born abroad: 27% of residents, near Co. Donegal’s towns (26%) and higher than Irish towns (22%). Young adults of 15 to 24 account for 11% of the town.
53median age
PettigoCo. DonegalIreland
Ages · share of residents
34%
Highest education · residents 15 and older who have finished education
Primary or none32%
Lower secondary21%
Leaving Cert28%
Diploma or cert3%
Degree or higher15%
Women and men · all residents
53.8% of Pettigo’s residents are women
85 women and 73 men live here; across Ireland, women are 50.6%.
| Pettigo | Co. Donegal | Ireland | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 11% | 21% | 20% |
| 15–24 | 11% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 15% | 28% | 29% |
| 45–64 | 29% | 23% | 24% |
| 65+ | 34% | 16% | 14% |
| Primary or none | 32% | 14% | 9.7% |
| Lower secondary | 21% | 16% | 14% |
| Leaving Cert | 28% | 34% | 35% |
| Diploma or cert | 3.4% | 6.2% | 5.8% |
| Degree or higher | 15% | 29% | 36% |
CSO, Census 2022 · Co. Donegal and Ireland: the median of their towns of 2,500+
Town hall
More people in Pettigo vote than in Co. Donegal’s towns or Irish towns: 57% turnout at the local elections
No party holds a majority on Donegal County Council: Fianna Fáil lead with 10 of 37 seats, short of the 19 needed. There is just one council for Pettigo, Donegal County Council: Ireland has only one tier of local government. The 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 | Pettigo | 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
For its size, Pettigo has more listed heritage than Co. Donegal’s towns or Irish towns: 1,519 inventory buildings per 10,000 residents
28% of its homes were built before 1919, above both Co. Donegal’s towns (4.7%) and Irish towns (3.4%).
24inventory buildings
Buildings by NIAH rating · NIAH
International0
National0
Regional24
Among them
0
sites on the Sites and Monuments Record
1750
earliest dated inventory building
28%
homes built before 1919 · Irish towns 3%
| Heritage | Pettigo | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents | 1,519 | 105 | 48 |
| Homes built before 1919 | 28% | 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
Schools
100% of schools around Pettigo get DEIS support, above Co. Donegal’s towns and Irish towns
Families in Pettigo have one school within 3 km. 54 pupils attend the one school within 3 km of the town.
1schools within 3 km
| School | Level | Pupils | Ethos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scoil Mhuire DEISLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 54 | Catholic |
| Schools within 3 km | Pettigo | Co. Donegal | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the DEIS scheme | 100% | 38% | 35% |
| Teach through Irish | 0% | 7% | 8% |
54
pupils at schools within 3 km, 2025/26
0.6 km
to the nearest primary school
21 km
to the nearest secondary school
Department of Education school lists, 2025/26 (preliminary) · no results are published by school · No letters and no results: Ireland publishes none school by school.
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Donegal Castle and 3 more within 40 km
Nothing to visit is mapped within 5 km of Pettigo; these are the best known within 40 km.
Castle · Office of Public WorksDonegal Castle21 km northwest
MuseumBallyshannon and District Museum24 km west
MuseumDonegal Railway Heritage Centre21 km northwest
CathedralSt Eunan's Cathedral39 km northeastPlaces: 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 (4)
- Donegal Castle: Benson Wills, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Ballyshannon and District Museum: Gavigan 01 at English Wikipedia, CC BY 2.5, Wikimedia Commons
- Donegal Railway Heritage Centre: louise price, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- St Eunan's Cathedral: Andreas F. Borchert, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Pettigo
15pages on Pettigo
The big questions
Out and about
Landmarks
24 of Pettigo’s buildings made the national inventory of architectural heritage, all at regional importance.
Questions about Pettigo
Is Pettigo a young town or an old one?
The median age in Pettigo is 53, against 37.6 in the median of Irish towns.
Has Pettigo grown?
Pettigo had 158 people at the 2022 census, down from 167 in 2016: 5.4% fewer, while the median of Irish towns grew 7.6%.
Do people in Pettigo drive to work?
18% mostly work from home, and 31% of journeys take under 15 minutes.
About Pettigo
Urban area in Co. Donegal
Pettigo has 158 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
- 158 (CSO, Census 2022)
- County
- Donegal
- Council
- Donegal County Council
- Local electoral area
- Donegal
- Dáil constituency
- Donegal
- Name in Irish
- Paiteagó
- Area
- 0.1 sq mi (0.1 km²)
- CSO code
- UA:33096
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).