Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
It is a neighbourhood of 18,398 residents in Galway. Its population rose 8% from 2016 to 2022.
A good place to live, if you can afford it. Its strongest is safety: burglary and criminal damage run at 2.5 per 1,000 residents a year, violent crime at 2.6. Knocknacarra’s overall grade is B+, better than 73% of Irish towns. In the ranking it comes #5 of 20 in Co. Galway. It also does well on jobs & income (A−) — the unemployment rate is 8%, with 69% of 15 to 64s in work. Housing is expensive: prices run to a median €405,000, 5.7 times local household income. Hazard risk is weaker too — an estimated 17% of its homes exceed the radon reference level.
Figures: crime, CSO recorded crime, 2023 to 2025 · work, CSO Census 2022 · prices, Property Price Register, 2023 to 2025 · incomes, CSO · radon, EPA.
The 3 things Knocknacarra does most differently from other towns.
Each subject compares Knocknacarra 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 →
24 archaeological sites are on the record here too.
0% of its homes were built before 1919, against 3% in the median of Irish towns.
Castles, abbeys, gardens, museums and days out in and near Knocknacarra. Best known first.
CathedralGalway Cathedral1.8 km outside town, to the east
MuseumGalway City Museum2.1 km outside town, to the east · 162K visitors a year (2011)
GardenEyre Square2.4 km outside town, to the east
ZooGalway Atlantaquaria1.1 km outside town, to the east
CastleLynch's Castle2.1 km outside town, to the east
MuseumJames Mitchell Museum1.6 km outside town, to the eastPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Knocknacarra.
Of the graded crimes in Knocknacarra, assaults and harassment came up most often (2023–2025). Recorded crime of every kind runs at 19.3 per 1,000 residents a year. Theft, shown but not graded, ran at 4.7 per 1,000 a year, lower than both Co. Galway’s towns (18.5) and Irish towns (15.3).
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 | Knocknacarra | Co. Galway | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burglary & damage | 2.5 | 7.2 | 6.4 |
| All recorded crime | 19.3 | 89.5 | 54.3 |
| Violent crime | 2.6 | 9.5 | 5.7 |
| Theft | 4.7 | 18.5 | 15.3 |
CSO recorded crime by Garda station, 2023–2025, shared to towns by where residents live · Census 2022 populations
62% of households own their home, about level with Irish towns (61%) and above Co. Galway’s towns (52%). A buyer in Knocknacarra paid 70% more for a typical home in 2025 than in 2010: €425K against €250K. Renting privately is how just over a quarter of households live.
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| New homes | €420,000 | 124 |
| Second-hand homes | €395,000 | 198 |
| The last 12 months | €455,000 | 87 |
| Housing | Knocknacarra | Co. Galway | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households renting privately | 26% | 36% | 22% |
| Households owning their home | 62% | 52% | 61% |
| Median sale price | €405K | €373K | €350K |
| Households in social housing | 10% | 10% | 13% |
Property Price Register · CSO residential prices by Eircode area · RTB rents · CSO, Census 2022 tenure
On foot, by bike or by bus and train: that was how 18% of commuters travelled at the census. The average trip to work took 26.2 min, between Co. Galway’s towns (23.5 min) and Irish towns (27.6 min). Unemployment runs at 7.5%.
| Census 2022 | Knocknacarra | Co. Galway | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | €70,990 | €53,360 | €57,760 |
| Trips under 15 minutes | 24% | 37% | 31% |
| Unemployment rate | 7.5% | 9.7% | 9.2% |
| Average trip | 26.2 min | 23.5 min | 27.6 min |
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.
Salthill Beach, 1.9 km from Knocknacarra, is the closest bathing water; it was rated excellent in 2025. 100% of its homes sit in high-radon areas, near Co. Galway’s towns (100%) and higher than Irish towns (0%). Landslides: none of Knocknacarra lies in a high-susceptibility zone.
| Share of homes | Knocknacarra | Co. Galway | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| In high-radon areas | 100% | 100% | 0% |
| Low-lying near a river | 0.2% | 5% | 0.5% |
EPA radon map, GSI landslide susceptibility and our low-lying homes estimate from OPW LiDAR.
6.1% of residents in Knocknacarra care, unpaid, for a relative or friend. At the census, 20% of people here had a disability, below Co. Galway’s towns (23%) and Irish towns (22%) alike. Weighed against its ages, bad health here runs at 96 per 100 expected.
| Census 2022 | Knocknacarra | Co. Galway | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unpaid carers | 6.1% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Good or very good health | 91% | 88% | 88% |
| With a disability | 20% | 23% | 22% |
| Bad or very bad health | 1.6% | 1.9% | 2% |
CSO, Census 2022 general health, disability and carers · CSO life expectancy by region, 2016 · HSE medical cards, 2024 · TownRatings age-standardised ratios
For secondary school, the closest is Coláiste na Coiribe, 0.9 km from the town. 29 schools lie within 3 km of Knocknacarra: 20 primary schools, 8 secondary schools and 1 special school. Single-sex secondaries: 38%, higher than Co. Galway’s towns (29%) and near Irish towns (39%).
| School | Level | Pupils | Ethos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gaelscoil Mhic Amhlaigh Gaeltacht schoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 643 | Catholic |
| Coláiste Einde DEISLargest post-primary schoolPost-primary · Voluntary secondary | Post-primary · Voluntary secondary | 808 | Catholic |
| Coláiste na Coiribe Gaeltacht schoolTeaches through IrishPost-primary · ETB | Post-primary · ETB | 711 | Multi-denominational |
| Niochlas N.S. DEISIn the DEIS schemePrimary | Primary | 262 | Catholic |
| Schools within 3 km | Knocknacarra | Co. Galway | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teach through Irish | 17% | 14% | 8% |
| In the DEIS scheme | 17% | 29% | 35% |
| Single-sex secondaries | 38% | 29% | 39% |
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.
1,336 mm of rain falls in a year, higher than both Co. Galway’s towns (1,257 mm) and Irish towns (937 mm). The nearest weather station is Athenry, 22 km away. December is the wettest month in Knocknacarra, with 152 mm of rain on average.
| Climate, 1991–2020 | Knocknacarra | Co. Galway | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 19.0°C | 19.3°C | 19.9°C |
| Rain a year | 1,336 mm | 1,257 mm | 937 mm |
Met Éireann, 1991–2020 averages.
Among the protected sites near Knocknacarra is Galway Bay Complex SAC. Woodland covers 3.4% of the land within 1 km, above Co. Galway’s towns (1.7%) and Irish towns (2.7%) alike. Just over two thirds of homes are within 400 m of green space. 7 parks and 47 ha of green space in all: that is the town’s share.
| Outdoors | Knocknacarra | Co. Galway | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected nature within 5 km | 32% | 14% | 1.8% |
| Sea within 5 km | 34% | 20% | 0% |
| Near a park | 68% | 81% | 92% |
| Woodland within 1 km | 3.4% | 1.7% | 2.7% |
OpenStreetMap parks and paths, NPWS protected sites and the National Trails Register.
Rain peaks later in the week on Tuesday, at about 3 mm for the day. In a typical November, days climb to about 11°C and nights sink to 5°C, the yardstick for Knocknacarra’s forecast. Any rain today should be slight, though the wind picks up to 21 km/h; the low is 7°C.
| Season | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 9°C | 3°C | 393 mm |
| Spring | 13°C | 6°C | 255 mm |
| Summer | 19°C | 11°C | 305 mm |
| Autumn | 14°C | 8°C | 382 mm |
Forecast: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · normals: Met Éireann, 1991–2020
58% of adults hold a degree, higher than both Co. Galway’s towns (46%) and Irish towns (36%). Under 15: just over a fifth of residents. Over-65s are 11% of the population.
53.3% of Knocknacarra’s residents are women
9,799 women and 8,599 men live here; across Ireland, women are 50.6%.
| Knocknacarra | Co. Galway | Ireland | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 21% | 16% | 20% |
| 15–24 | 13% | 15% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 29% | 31% | 29% |
| 45–64 | 27% | 21% | 24% |
| 65+ | 11% | 13% | 14% |
| Primary or none | 3.5% | 7.4% | 9.7% |
| Lower secondary | 6.4% | 10% | 14% |
| Leaving Cert | 26% | 31% | 35% |
| Diploma or cert | 5.8% | 5.4% | 5.8% |
| Degree or higher | 58% | 46% | 36% |
CSO, Census 2022 · Co. Galway and Ireland: the median of their towns of 2,500+
Independent lead Galway City Council with 4 of 18 seats, but no party has a majority: 10 are needed. Knocknacarra answers to one council, Galway City Council; Ireland has no town tier. 47% of voters turned out at the last local elections, higher than Co. Galway’s towns (45%) and near Irish towns (46%).
| Turnout | Knocknacarra | Co. Galway | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local elections, June 2024 | 47% | 45% | 46% |
| General election, November 2024 | 58% | 58% | 59% |
Department of Housing count sheets, 2024
0.4% of its homes were built before 1919, below both Co. Galway’s towns (2.5%) and Irish towns (3.4%). Relative to its size, Knocknacarra keeps 4 buildings on the inventory per 10,000 residents. There are 24 entries on the national archaeological record here.
| Heritage | Knocknacarra | Co. Galway | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents | 4 | 51 | 48 |
| Homes built before 1919 | 0.4% | 2.5% | 3.4% |
| Archaeological sites on the record | 24 | 17 | 11 |
NIAH, the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage · Sites and Monuments Record · CSO, Census 2022 homes by year built
8 of Knocknacarra’s buildings made the national inventory of architectural heritage, all at regional importance. The national record lists 24 archaeological sites in and around the town.
No notable person born in Knocknacarra is on our list; these were born in the towns around it.
Séamus Brennan: Flickr user "Justsplit.com", CC BY 2.0
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knocknacarra | 18,398 | — | B+ | D | A | A− |
| Taylor's Hill | 3,141 | 2.1 | C− | D | B | C |
| Salthill | 5,445 | 2.2 | A | D | A | A |
| Rahoon | 3,486 | 2.3 | C+ | D | B | B− |
| Newcastle | 4,032 | 2.9 | D | D | C− | C+ |
| Dangan | 4,621 | 3 | D− | D | C− | C |
| Bearna | 2,336 | 3.5 | — | D | A | A+ |
People: CSO, Census 2022. Distances: centre to centre.
4.5% of residents speak Irish every day outside school, against 1.1% in the median of Irish towns; 54% can speak it.
Knocknacarra had 18,398 people at the 2022 census, up from 17,028 in 2016: 8% more, against 7.6% in the median of Irish towns.
The median age in Knocknacarra is 38, against 37.6 in the median of Irish towns.
Neighbourhood in Galway
18,398 people live in Knocknacarra, in the area of Galway City Council. TownRatings splits Galway 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)
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).