Esker’s story
Esker: 13 buildings on the National Inventory
The record adds 4 archaeological sites.
Homes built before 1919: 0%, against 3% across Irish towns.
- 1700Esker Church Graveyard
- 1820Wynyard
- 1830Coolamber Lodge
EskerDublin
A neighbourhood in Dublin, home to 19,110 people. 13 of its buildings are on the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.
6 places within 19 kmMap →
Photo: Sheila1988 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
19,110
CSO, Census 2022 · South Dublin County Council
Median age
33.5
4% are 65+ · Co. Dublin 14%
Degree level
41%
of residents 15+ · Irish towns 36%
Walk, cycle, transit
21%
of working residents · Irish towns 23%
TownGrade
C
#212 of 320
Is Esker a good place to live?
Prices are high against local incomes: set against the median household income, the median home, at €463,400, costs 5.3 times as much. Crime is the sore point: recorded crime comes to 7.4 violent offences and 7 burglaries and acts of damage per 1,000 residents a year. People here tend to be in good health (B+). The overall grade lands at C, #212 of 320 Irish towns. It comes out better than just over a third of Irish towns. Elsewhere it is close to typical: B for jobs & income, B for walkability and C+ for hazard risk.
Figures: health, work and commuting, CSO Census 2022 · prices, Property Price Register, 2023 to 2025 · incomes, CSO · crime, CSO recorded crime, 2023 to 2025 · radon, EPA.
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.
WeakestDCost of living
What makes Esker stand out
The 3 things Esker does most differently from other towns.
Median gross household income
Income
Gross, a year (the median of Irish towns: €57,760)
CSO household income for the electoral division.
Residents aged 15 to 24
Who lives here
17% are 15 to 24
The median of Irish towns: 12%
CSO, Census 2022
Cost of living
Cost of living
Behind 88%
of Irish towns on cost of living
Its cost of living grade: D.
How Esker grades
Each subject compares Esker with Irish towns of 2,500 or more, ordered by how far it is from the middle. Towns in other countries are graded separately.
Cost of livingIn the bottom fifth of the towns comparedDOpen →HealthBased on how healthy residents are for their agesB+Open →SafetyMore crime than in most townsCOpen →Jobs & income68% of 15-to-64s in work; 7% unemployedBOpen →WalkabilityBased on walking, cycling and transit to everyday placesBOpen →Hazard riskAbout average among the towns comparedC+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 Esker.
HousingCost of living D
More households own their home in Esker than in Co. Dublin’s towns or across Irish towns: 73%
Council and housing-body homes hold 7% of households. 20% rent privately, about level with Co. Dublin’s towns (19%) and below Irish towns (22%).
€463Kmedian sale priceDCost of living Grade
Median sale price · Eircode area, 2023–2025
Esker€463K
Co. Dublin€450K
Irish towns€350K
| Housing | Esker | Co. Dublin | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households owning their home | 73% | 66% | 61% |
| Households in social housing | 7% | 10% | 13% |
| Median sale price | €463K | €450K | €350K |
73%
own their home · Irish towns 61%
€2,159
a month on new tenancies, County Dublin
6.5
times median household income, County Dublin
Property Price Register · CSO residential prices by Eircode area · RTB rents · CSO, Census 2022 tenure · The price is for the postcode area K78, not the town alone: too few sales inside the town carry a full address.
Schools
Boys and girls share classrooms around Esker: 21% of secondaries are single-sex, below Co. Dublin’s towns and Irish towns
Irish-medium schools make up 11%, above both Co. Dublin’s towns (7%) and Irish towns (8%). The nearest secondary, Coláiste Cois Life, is 0.9 km away. Within 3 km of Esker there are 56 schools (37 primary schools, 14 secondary schools and 5 special schools).
56schools within 3 km
| School | Level | Pupils | Ethos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scoil Aine Naofa Special classesLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 614 | Catholic |
| Adamstown Community CollegeLargest post-primary schoolPost-primary · ETB | Post-primary · ETB | 981 | Multi-denominational |
| Coláiste Cois Life GaelcholáisteTeaches through IrishPost-primary · ETB | Post-primary · ETB | 592 | Multi-denominational |
| Phobailscoil Iosolde DEISIn the DEIS schemePost-primary · Community school | Post-primary · Community school | 764 | Inter-denominational |
Schools by ethos · Schools within 3 km
Catholic33
Multi-denominational15
Church of Ireland3
Inter-denominational5
| Schools within 3 km | Esker | Co. Dublin | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-sex secondaries | 21% | 40% | 39% |
| Pupils since 2019/20 | −1% | +4% | +4% |
| Teach through Irish | 11% | 7% | 8% |
| In the DEIS scheme | 34% | 40% | 35% |
23,239
pupils at schools within 3 km, 2025/26
−1%
pupils since 2019/20 · Irish towns +4%
0.1 km
to the nearest primary school
0.9 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.
HealthHealth B+
Esker has 95 people with a disability for every 100 its ages predict, fewer than in both Co. Dublin’s towns and Irish towns
At the census, 1.3% of people here described their health as bad or very bad. 92% of Esker’s residents described their health as good or very good at the census, higher than both Co. Dublin’s towns (89%) and Irish towns (88%). Disability touches 17% of the town’s population.
92%good or very good healthB+Health Grade
Per 100 expected at the town’s ages · age-standardised
Bad health107
Disability95
Co. Dublin103
Expected100
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 92%Fair 7%Bad or very bad 1%
| Census 2022 | Esker | Co. Dublin | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| With a disability | 17% | 22% | 22% |
| Good or very good health | 92% | 89% | 88% |
| Bad or very bad health | 1.3% | 1.9% | 2% |
| Unpaid carers | 4.8% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
95
disability per 100 expected · Co. Dublin 99
83.4 · 80.1
life expectancy, women · men, the Dublin region, 2016
28%
hold a medical card, HSE Dublin and Midlands
CSO, Census 2022 general health, disability and carers · CSO life expectancy by region, 2016 · HSE medical cards, 2024 · TownRatings age-standardised ratios
SafetySafety C
In Esker, the kinds of crime the grade counts rose 19% per resident from 2016 to 2025
Among the graded crimes in Esker, the most frequent was assaults and harassment (2023–2025). In all, 67.1 crimes per 1,000 residents were recorded a year, above Co. Dublin’s towns (59.2) and Irish towns (54.3) alike.
7.4violent incidents per 1,000 a yearCSafety Grade
Compared with towns its sizeFewer incidents against residents per 1,000 than 38% of the 118 Irish towns of 10,000 to 50,000 people: about the middle for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Recorded by type · per 1,000 residents a year, 2023–2025
Theft19.8
Road traffic11.4
Dangerous acts7.8
Drugs6.4
Assault6.2
Damage5.2
Public order3.9
Against justice3.2
Burglary1.9
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 | Esker | Co. Dublin | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 7.4 | 5.3 | 5.7 |
| All recorded crime | 67.1 | 59.2 | 54.3 |
7.4
violent incidents per 1,000 a year
7
burglary and damage per 1,000 a year
2,215
incidents a year, Lucan Garda area
14.4
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 B
Household income in Esker, €87,710 a year, runs above Co. Dublin’s towns and Irish towns
The census found 21% of commuters going to work on foot, by bike or by public transport. Commutes averaged 32.7 min, above Co. Dublin’s towns (31.1 min) and Irish towns (27.6 min) alike. The car carried 69% of commuters at the census.
21%walk, cycle or take transit
How working residents got to work · census 2022
Car or van69%
Bus15%
Bicycle3%
Walk3%
Train, DART or Luas1%
| Census 2022 | Esker | Co. Dublin | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | €87,710 | €72,400 | €57,760 |
| Average trip | 32.7 min | 31.1 min | 27.6 min |
| Trips under 15 minutes | 22% | 23% | 31% |
| Unemployment rate | 7.1% | 7.4% | 9.2% |
€87,710
household income, 2022 estimate · Co. Dublin €71,123
10%
worked mainly from home, 2022
13%
trips of an hour or more
48,940
on the Live Register, County Dublin, September 2026
B
Walkability: better than 59% 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.
Climate
Esker has colder winters than Co. Dublin’s towns or Irish towns: January lows of 2.3°C
Across the year, Esker averages 10.1°C. July afternoons reach 20.1°C here, above Co. Dublin’s towns (19.9°C) and Irish towns (19.9°C) alike. Also worth knowing: a year brings 796 mm of rain to Esker.
20.1°CJuly afternoon high
Average afternoon highs by season · 1991–2020 averages
Winter8.6°C
Spring13.1°C
Summer19.5°C
Autumn14.1°C
| Climate, 1991–2020 | Esker | Co. Dublin | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 2.3°C | 2.9°C | 2.9°C |
| July high | 20.1°C | 19.9°C | 19.9°C |
| Average temperature over the year | 10.1°C | 10.3°C | 10.3°C |
| Rain a year | 796 mm | 770 mm | 937 mm |
20.1°C
July high
2.3°C
January low
796 mm
Rain a year
86 mm
Wettest month
36
Air frosts
1,397 hrs
Sunshine
Met Éireann, 1991–2020 averages.
Outdoors
More paths cross Esker than Co. Dublin’s towns or Irish towns: 10.5 km per km²
5 parks and 95 ha of green space in all: that is Esker’s share. For 98% of homes, green space is under 400 m away. Within 1 km, 2.1% of the land is woodland, lower than both Co. Dublin’s towns (2.3%) and Irish towns (2.7%).
98%of homes near green space
Green space per 1,000 residents · per 1,000 residents
Esker5.0 ha
Co. Dublin7.6 ha
Irish towns4.1 ha
| Outdoors | Esker | Co. Dublin | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paths per km² of town | 10.5 km per km² | 5.4 km per km² | 2.1 km per km² |
| Near a park | 98% | 100% | 92% |
| Protected nature within 5 km | 0.1% | 0.2% | 1.8% |
98%
Near a park
5.0 ha
Green space
164 km
Footpaths
0.1%
Protected for nature
OpenStreetMap parks and paths, NPWS protected sites and the National Trails Register.
Weather
Weather in Esker: light showers today, up to 11 degrees
In a typical November, days climb to about 11°C and nights sink to 4°C, the yardstick for Esker’s forecast. There may be a drop or two today, little to measure, with wind freshening to 24 km/h and a low of 9°C. The heaviest rain of the week is due on Tuesday, around 8 mm.
11°C / 9°CToday
This month and the next three, normal highs · 1991–2020 averages
November11°C
December9°C
January8°C
February9°C
| Season | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 9°C | 2°C | 198 mm |
| Spring | 13°C | 5°C | 165 mm |
| Summer | 19°C | 11°C | 200 mm |
| Autumn | 14°C | 7°C | 233 mm |
11°C / 9°C
Today
0.3 mm
Rain, next 24 hours
16 km/h
Wind
81%
Humidity
9 h 18 min
Daylight
Forecast: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · normals: Met Éireann, 1991–2020
Who lives here
Esker has fewer older residents than Co. Dublin’s towns or Irish towns: 3.9% are 65 or over
The share of residents under 15 is 25%. People aged 15 to 24 make up 17% of the town, higher than both Co. Dublin’s towns (12%) and Irish towns (12%). 30% of residents have a birthplace overseas.
33.5median age
EskerCo. DublinIreland
Ages · share of residents
17%
Highest education · residents 15 and older who have finished education
Primary or none6%
Lower secondary11%
Leaving Cert35%
Diploma or cert7%
Degree or higher41%
Women and men · all residents
Women make up 50.2% of Esker
9,602 women and 9,508 men live here; across Ireland, women are 50.6%.
| Esker | Co. Dublin | Ireland | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 25% | 17% | 20% |
| 15–24 | 17% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 28% | 30% | 29% |
| 45–64 | 27% | 24% | 24% |
| 65+ | 3.9% | 14% | 14% |
| Primary or none | 5.9% | 8.5% | 9.7% |
| Lower secondary | 11% | 11% | 14% |
| Leaving Cert | 35% | 30% | 35% |
| Diploma or cert | 6.6% | 5.2% | 5.8% |
| Degree or higher | 41% | 44% | 36% |
CSO, Census 2022 · Co. Dublin and Ireland: the median of their towns of 2,500+
Town hall
15 candidates stood for 5 seats in Lucan, one of the most contested ballots at the 2024 local elections
Local election turnout came to 45%. Esker spans more than one of the local electoral areas: 69% of its residents vote in Lucan, most of the rest in Palmerstown-Fonthill. General election turnout: 56%, lower than both Co. Dublin’s towns (57%) and Irish towns (59%). South Dublin County Council has no ruling majority: Independent hold 10 of its 40 seats, short of the 21 needed.
10/40seats held by Independent
Seats on South Dublin County · June 2024
Independent10
Fine Gael9
Fianna Fáil5
Sinn Féin5
People Before Profit–Solidarity4
Labour Party3
Social Democrats2
Independent Ireland1
| Turnout | Esker | Co. Dublin | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| General election, November 2024 | 56% | 57% | 59% |
| Local elections, June 2024 | 45% | 42% | 46% |
5
Councillors
10/40
Independent seats on South Dublin County, the largest party
45%
turnout, June 2024
5
TDs elected for Dublin Mid-West
Department of Housing count sheets, 2024
History
Esker has 13 buildings on the national inventory, each of regional importance
Homes from before 1919 make up 0.4% of the total. Archaeologists have recorded 4 sites here.
13inventory buildings
Buildings by NIAH rating · NIAH
International0
National0
Regional13
Among them
- Esker Church Graveyard 1700
- Wynyard 1820
- Coolamber Lodge 1830
- Esker Abbey 1850
4
sites on the Sites and Monuments Record
1700
earliest dated inventory building
0%
homes built before 1919 · Irish towns 3%
| Heritage | Esker | Co. Dublin | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents | 7 | 10 | 48 |
| Homes built before 1919 | 0.4% | 1.2% | 3.4% |
| Archaeological sites on the record | 4 | 7 | 11 |
NIAH, the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage · Sites and Monuments Record · CSO, Census 2022 homes by year built
Natural hazardsHazard risk C+
Radon in Esker: an estimated 7.5% of homes are above the reference level
Landslides: none of Esker lies in a high-susceptibility zone. Next to none of its homes lie low beside a river or the sea.
0%of homes in high-radon areasC+Hazard risk Grade
Homes exposed · share of the town’s homes
Low-lying beside water0%
In high-radon areas0%
On high landslide susceptibility0%
Low-lying near a river0%
Low-lying near the coast0%
| Share of homes | Esker | Co. Dublin | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low-lying near a river | 0% | 0% | 0.5% |
| In high-radon areas | 0% | 0% | 0% |
5,296
homes mapped for these shares
EPA radon map, GSI landslide susceptibility and our low-lying homes estimate from OPW LiDAR.
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Tully's Castle and 6 more in and around Esker
Castles, abbeys, gardens, museums and days out in and near Esker. Best known first.
CastleTully's Castle2.8 km outside town, to the southeastCastleCastleLeixlip Castle3.2 km outside town, to the northwestChurchChurchSt Mary's Church Leixlip3.3 km outside town, to the northwestHistoric houseHistoric houseFarmleigh House and Estate4.1 km outside town, to the northeastHistoric siteHistoric siteClondalkin Round Tower2.5 km outside town, to the southeastCastleCastleLuttrellstown Castle2.5 km outside town, to the northPlaces: 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 (1)
- Tully's Castle: Ian Paterson, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Esker
15pages on Esker
Landmarks
Surveyors for the national inventory recorded 13 buildings in Esker, each of regional importance. Archaeologists have recorded 4 sites here.
Famous people from around Esker
No notable person born in Esker is on our list; these were born in the towns around it.
Photo credits
Graham Norton: PhilipRomanoPhoto, CC BY 4.0 · Aidan Turner: Aidan_Turner_(3773120406).jpg : Rach from Tadcaster, York, England derivative work: RanZag, CC BY 2.0 · Kenny Egan: Vakars2001, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Mary Kennedy: Iora Rua, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Andy Boyle: Вячеслав Евдокимов, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Catherine Murphy: Urbanchum, CC BY 3.0
Esker’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Boundaries: Tailte Éireann, CSO Urban Areas 2022 and Electoral Divisions.
BallyowenLucanDeansrathRonanstownPalmerstonClondalkinEsker
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Esker | 19,110 | — | C | D | C | B+ |
| Ballyowen | 14,739 | 1.5 | B− | D | C− | A |
| Lucan | 23,033 | 1.6 | B+ | C− | B | A |
| Deansrath | 13,743 | 2 | D− | C+ | D | D− |
| Ronanstown | 11,130 | 2.6 | D− | B− | D− | D− |
| Palmerston | 11,012 | 3.7 | D | C | D | C |
| Clondalkin | 22,788 | 4 | B− | B | D | B |
People: CSO, Census 2022. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Esker
Is Esker a young town or an old one?
The median age in Esker is 33.5, against 37.6 in the median of Irish towns.
Has Esker grown?
Esker had 19,110 people at the 2022 census, up from 18,199 in 2016: 5% more, against 7.6% in the median of Irish towns.
Do people in Esker drive to work?
10% mostly work from home, and 22% of journeys take under 15 minutes.
About Esker
Neighbourhood in Dublin
Esker has 19,110 people, in the area of South Dublin County Council. TownRatings splits Dublin into neighbourhoods made from the CSO’s Electoral Divisions, named from Tailte Éireann’s gazetteer, so each has figures of its own.
Built from Tailte Éireann’s boundaries and the CSO’s Census 2022 (CC BY 4.0)
- Population
- 19,110 (CSO, Census 2022)
- County
- Dublin
- Council
- South Dublin County Council
- Local electoral area
- Lucan
- Dáil constituency
- Dublin Mid-West
- Name in Irish
- An Eiscir
- Area
- 1.4 sq mi (3.7 km²)
- CSO code
- ED:SD:LUCAN#esker
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).