Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Population 2,282: a town in Co. Dublin. Few residents are of retirement age: 10% are 65 or over.
Health outcomes beat most towns: bad health runs at 70 and disability at 92 per 100 expected for its ages. Households here earn well (B+): 68% of working-age residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 6%. Its weakest subject is safety: per 1,000 residents a year, gardaí record 8.9 violent crimes and 8 burglaries and acts of criminal damage. Half the homes sold for more than €323,000, a price of 4.7 times what the median household earns.
Figures: health and work, CSO Census 2022 · crime, CSO recorded crime, 2023 to 2025 · prices, Property Price Register, 2023 to 2025 · incomes, CSO. An overall grade comes at 2,500 residents for Irish towns; Balrothery has its subject grades alone.
This town's house price is the median for its whole Eircode routing key, town and countryside together: fewer than 30 sales in the town itself were recorded on the Property Price Register in 2023 to 2025, so its Cost Grade is less sure. 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.
The 2 things Balrothery does most differently from other towns.
Each subject compares Balrothery with Irish towns of 2,500 or more, ordered by how far it is from the middle. Towns in other countries are graded separately.
How TownRatings grades Irish towns →
3 buildings on the National Inventory inside Balrothery, one of them of national importance.
The record adds 30 archaeological sites.
Homes built before 1919: 2%, against 3% across Irish towns.
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Balrothery.
At the census, 1.1% of residents said their health was bad or very bad, below both Co. Dublin’s towns (1.9%) and Irish towns (2%). Asked at the census, just over nine in ten residents of Balrothery said they were in good or very good health. Disability touches 19% of the town’s population.
| Census 2022 | Balrothery | Co. Dublin | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bad or very bad health | 1.1% | 1.9% | 2% |
| With a disability | 19% | 21% | 22% |
| Good or very good health | 91% | 89% | 88% |
| Unpaid carers | 5.7% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
CSO, Census 2022 general health, disability and carers · CSO life expectancy by region, 2016 · HSE medical cards, 2024 · TownRatings age-standardised ratios
In 2023–2025, assaults and harassment led the graded crimes in Balrothery. Every kind together came to 66.2 per 1,000 residents a year, above both Co. Dublin’s towns (59.2) and Irish towns (54.3).
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 | Balrothery | Co. Dublin | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 8.9 | 5.3 | 5.7 |
| Burglary & damage | 8 | 7.5 | 6.4 |
| All recorded crime | 66.2 | 59.2 | 54.3 |
| Theft | 13 | 18.5 | 15.3 |
CSO recorded crime by Garda station, 2023–2025, shared to towns by where residents live · Census 2022 populations
Ardgillan Community College is the nearest secondary school, 1.7 km away. Single-sex secondaries: 20%, below both Co. Dublin’s towns (40%) and Irish towns (39%). Families in Balrothery have 16 schools within 3 km to choose from: 11 primary schools and 5 secondary schools.
| School | Level | Pupils | Ethos |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Molaga Senior N.S. Special classesLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 422 | Catholic |
| Loreto Secondary School GirlsLargest post-primary schoolPost-primary · Voluntary secondary | Post-primary · Voluntary secondary | 1,220 | Catholic |
| Coláiste Ghlór na Mara GaelcholáisteTeaches through IrishPost-primary · Voluntary secondary | Post-primary · Voluntary secondary | 520 | Multi-denominational |
| Balbriggan Community College DEISIn the DEIS schemePost-primary · ETB | Post-primary · ETB | 686 | Inter-denominational |
| Schools within 3 km | Balrothery | Co. Dublin | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-sex secondaries | 20% | 40% | 39% |
| Teach through Irish | 13% | 7% | 8% |
| Pupils since 2019/20 | +1% | +4% | +4% |
| In the DEIS scheme | 31% | 40% | 35% |
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.
Commutes averaged 29.9 min, lower than Co. Dublin’s towns (31.1 min) yet higher than Irish towns (27.6 min). Unemployment runs at 6.3%. At the census, 17% of commuters walked, cycled or took the bus or train.
| Census 2022 | Balrothery | Co. Dublin | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trips under 15 minutes | 38% | 23% | 31% |
| Unemployment rate | 6.3% | 7.4% | 9.2% |
| Median household income | €68,201 | €72,590 | €57,760 |
| In work, 15 to 64 | 68% | 71% | 68% |
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.
A year brings 801 mm of rain to Balrothery. Across the year it averages 10.2°C, close to both Co. Dublin’s towns (10.3°C) and Irish towns (10.3°C). November is the wettest month in the town, with 89 mm of rain on average.
| Climate, 1991–2020 | Balrothery | Co. Dublin | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 19.3°C | 19.9°C | 19.9°C |
| Rain a year | 801 mm | 770 mm | 937 mm |
| Average temperature over the year | 10.2°C | 10.3°C | 10.3°C |
| January low | 3.0°C | 2.9°C | 2.9°C |
Met Éireann, 1991–2020 averages.
Its paths and tracks come to 1.5 km per km², below both Co. Dublin’s towns (5.4 km per km²) and Irish towns (2.1 km per km²). Balrothery counts 2 parks, adding up to 92 ha of green space. 100% of homes are a short walk (400 m) from green space.
| Outdoors | Balrothery | Co. Dublin | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green space per 1,000 residents | 40.2 ha | 7.6 ha | 4.1 ha |
| Sea within 5 km | 24% | 3.9% | 0% |
| Paths per km² of town | 1.5 km per km² | 5.4 km per km² | 2.1 km per km² |
| Near a park | 100% | 100% | 92% |
OpenStreetMap parks and paths, NPWS protected sites and the National Trails Register.
Plan indoor things for Saturday, when about 7 mm of rain is forecast. Usually, November days warm to 11°C and nights cool to 5°C; Balrothery’s forecast is read against that. Today brings about 1 mm of rain and a breeze of up to 39 km/h; the low is 11°C.
| Season | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 9°C | 3°C | 195 mm |
| Spring | 13°C | 5°C | 167 mm |
| Summer | 19°C | 11°C | 202 mm |
| Autumn | 14°C | 8°C | 237 mm |
Forecast: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · normals: Met Éireann, 1991–2020
20% were born abroad, below Co. Dublin’s towns (23%) and Irish towns (22%) alike. Those aged 15 to 24 account for 15% of residents. Over-65s are 10% of the population.
Women make up 50.7% of Balrothery
1,157 women and 1,125 men live here; across Ireland, women are 50.6%.
| Balrothery | Co. Dublin | Ireland | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 22% | 17% | 20% |
| 15–24 | 15% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 24% | 30% | 29% |
| 45–64 | 28% | 24% | 24% |
| 65+ | 10% | 14% | 14% |
| Primary or none | 6.6% | 8.5% | 9.7% |
| Lower secondary | 13% | 11% | 14% |
| Leaving Cert | 38% | 30% | 35% |
| Diploma or cert | 7% | 5.2% | 5.8% |
| Degree or higher | 36% | 44% | 36% |
CSO, Census 2022 · Co. Dublin and Ireland: the median of their towns of 2,500+
Independent lead Fingal County Council with 7 of 40 seats, but no party has a majority: 21 are needed. Local government for Balrothery is Fingal County Council alone; Ireland has a single tier. Turnout at the last local elections was 44%, between Co. Dublin’s towns (42%) and Irish towns (46%).
| Turnout | Balrothery | Co. Dublin | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local elections, June 2024 | 44% | 42% | 46% |
| General election, November 2024 | 59% | 57% | 59% |
Department of Housing count sheets, 2024
There are 30 entries on the national archaeological record here. Homes from before 1919 make up 1.7% of the total, higher than Co. Dublin’s towns (1.2%) yet lower than Irish towns (3.4%). Balrothery has 3 buildings on the national inventory of architectural heritage, 1 of them rated of national or international importance.
| Heritage | Balrothery | Co. Dublin | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents | 13 | 10 | 48 |
| Archaeological sites on the record | 30 | 7 | 11 |
NIAH, the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage · Sites and Monuments Record · CSO, Census 2022 homes by year built
Private renters make up one in ten households, lower than both Co. Dublin’s towns (20%) and Irish towns (22%). The social rented sector houses 13% of households.
| Housing | Balrothery | Co. Dublin | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households renting privately | 10% | 20% | 22% |
| Households owning their home | 76% | 66% | 61% |
| Median sale price | €323K | €452K | €350K |
| Households in social housing | 13% | 10% | 13% |
Property Price Register · CSO residential prices by Eircode area · RTB rents · CSO, Census 2022 tenure · The price is for the postcode area K32, not the town alone: too few sales inside the town carry a full address.
The nearest bathing water to Balrothery is Balbriggan, Front Strand Beach, 3 km away, rated sufficient in 2025. Radon: 7.1% of homes are in high-radon areas, higher than both Co. Dublin’s towns (0%) and Irish towns (0%). Also worth knowing: the ground under Balrothery carries no high landslide susceptibility.
| Share of homes | Balrothery | Co. Dublin | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| In high-radon areas | 7.1% | 0% | 0% |
| On high landslide susceptibility | 0% | 0% | 0% |
EPA radon map, GSI landslide susceptibility and our low-lying homes estimate from OPW LiDAR.
Castles, abbeys, gardens, museums and days out in and near Balrothery. Best known first.
CastleBalrothery Towerin town
CastleArdgillan Castle and Gardens1 km outside town, to the eastMuseumMuseumBalrothery Heritage Centrein townMuseumMuseumSkerries Mills4.5 km outside town, to the eastCastleCastleBremore Castle2.4 km outside town, to the northAttractionAttractionSt. Patrick's Footprint5 km outside town, to the eastPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Balrothery has 3 buildings on the national inventory of architectural heritage, 1 of them rated of national or international importance. 30 archaeological sites are on the record here.
No notable person born in Balrothery is on our list; these were born in the towns around it.
Derek Landy: Hpschaefer www.reserv-art.de, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Isibeal Atkinson: Ryan Asman, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Con Martin: Wim van Rossem for Anefo, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Harry Reynolds: Agence Rol, Public domain
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Boundaries: Tailte Éireann, CSO Urban Areas 2022 and Electoral Divisions.
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balrothery | 2,282 | — | — | C+ | C− | A |
| Balbriggan | 24,322 | 2.7 | C− | B+ | C− | D |
| Skerries | 10,743 | 4.5 | A− | C− | A− | A− |
| Lusk | 8,806 | 6.9 | B+ | C− | B | B+ |
| Stamullen Meath | 3,720 | 7.3 | B+ | B+ | C | A |
| Rush | 10,875 | 9 | B | C | B | B |
| Portrane | 1,262 | 11 | — | D | B− | D |
People: CSO, Census 2022. Distances: centre to centre.
Balrothery had 2,282 people at the 2022 census, up from 1,946 in 2016: 17.3% more, against 7.6% in the median of Irish towns.
The median age in Balrothery is 38.4, against 37.6 in the median of Irish towns.
Urban area in Co. Dublin
Balrothery has 2,282 people, in the area of Fingal 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)
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).