Portmagee’s story
Portmagee has nothing on the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage yet
Homes built before 1919: 7%, against 3% across Irish towns.
Explore the history →
PortmageeCo. Kerry
In Co. Kerry, this town has 116 residents. The population fell 12% between 2016 and 2022.
1 place within 19 kmMap →
Photo: JoachimKohlerBremen · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
116
CSO, Census 2022 · Kerry County Council
Median age
43.5
32% are 65+ · Co. Kerry 18%
Degree level
25%
of residents 15+ · Irish towns 36%
Walk, cycle, transit
23%
of working residents · Irish towns 23%
Is Portmagee a good place to live?
Prices run to a median €263,800, 6.6 times local household income. Over-65s are nearly a third of the population. Households here earn a median €39,700 a year, before tax. The median sale price, 2023 to 2025: €263,800.
At under 1,000 residents, Portmagee is too small for the grades Irish towns get.
What makes Portmagee stand out
The 3 things Portmagee does most differently from other towns.
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
32% are 65 or over
The median of Irish towns: 14%
CSO, Census 2022
Median gross household income
Income
Gross, a year (the median of Irish towns: €57,760)
CSO household income for the electoral division.
Median sale price
Housing
29% below the median of Irish towns, €372,600
Property Price Register, 2023 to 2025.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Portmagee.
Schools
100% of schools around Portmagee get DEIS support, above Co. Kerry’s towns and Irish towns
Within 3 km of Portmagee there is one school. Pupils at the school within 3 km of the town: 97.
1schools within 3 km
| School | Level | Pupils | Ethos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scoil Bhreanainn DEISLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 97 | Catholic |
| Schools within 3 km | Portmagee | Co. Kerry | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the DEIS scheme | 100% | 29% | 35% |
| Teach through Irish | 0% | 11% | 8% |
97
pupils at schools within 3 km, 2025/26
0.1 km
to the nearest primary school
11 km
to the nearest secondary school
Department of Education school lists, 2025/26 (preliminary) · no results are published by school · Results by school aren’t published in Ireland, so the cards carry none.
Natural hazards
Low ground by the sea holds 30% of Portmagee’s homes
White Strand, Caherciveen, 9.2 km from Portmagee, is the closest bathing water; it was rated excellent in 2025. Radon tests would find about 5.8% of the town’s homes above the reference level, by estimate. No part of Portmagee is mapped as high landslide susceptibility.
0%of homes in high-radon areas
Homes exposed · share of the town’s homes
Low-lying beside water30%
In high-radon areas0%
On high landslide susceptibility0%
Low-lying near a river0%
Low-lying near the coast30%
| Share of homes | Portmagee | Co. Kerry | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low-lying near the coast | 30% | 0% | 0% |
| Low-lying near a river | 0% | 9.2% | 0.5% |
9.2 km
to White Strand, Caherciveen bathing water (excellent)
125
homes mapped for these shares
EPA radon map, GSI landslide susceptibility and our low-lying homes estimate from OPW LiDAR.
Climate
Winters are mild in Portmagee: January nights hold at 5.8°C, above Co. Kerry’s towns and Irish towns
July afternoons reach 18.1°C here, below both Co. Kerry’s towns (19.6°C) and Irish towns (19.9°C). The mean temperature over a year in Portmagee is 11.6°C. A year brings 1,519 mm of rain to Portmagee.
18.1°CJuly afternoon high
Average afternoon highs by season · 1991–2020 averages
Winter10.4°C
Spring13.1°C
Summer17.7°C
Autumn14.7°C
| Climate, 1991–2020 | Portmagee | Co. Kerry | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 18.1°C | 19.6°C | 19.9°C |
| January low | 5.8°C | 3.7°C | 2.9°C |
| Average temperature over the year | 11.6°C | 10.9°C | 10.3°C |
| Rain a year | 1,519 mm | 1,339 mm | 937 mm |
18.1°C
July high
5.8°C
January low
1,519 mm
Rain a year
176 mm
Wettest month
8
Air frosts
1,327 hrs
Sunshine
Met Éireann, 1991–2020 averages.
Health
Portmagee has 39 people in bad health for every 100 its ages predict, fewer than in Co. Kerry’s towns and across Irish towns
A disability affects 21% of people in Portmagee. 12% of residents give unpaid care to a relative or friend, above both Co. Kerry’s towns (5.8%) and Irish towns (5.4%). Ages taken into account, Portmagee counts 86 people with a disability for every 100 predicted.
87%good or very good health
Per 100 expected at the town’s ages · age-standardised
Bad health39
Disability86
Co. Kerry106
Expected100
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 87%Fair 12%Bad or very bad 1%
| Census 2022 | Portmagee | Co. Kerry | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unpaid carers | 12% | 5.8% | 5.4% |
| Bad or very bad health | 0.9% | 2.3% | 2% |
| With a disability | 21% | 24% | 22% |
| Good or very good health | 87% | 86% | 88% |
39
bad health per 100 expected · Co. Kerry 106
86
disability per 100 expected · Co. Kerry 105
83.2 · 79.1
life expectancy, women · men, the South-West region, 2016
28%
hold a medical card, HSE South West
CSO, Census 2022 general health, disability and carers · CSO life expectancy by region, 2016 · HSE medical cards, 2024 · TownRatings age-standardised ratios
Housing
More households in Portmagee live in social housing than in Co. Kerry’s towns or Irish towns: 32%
Private renters make up 11% of households. Owners make up 52% of households, about level with Co. Kerry’s towns (53%) and below Irish towns (61%).
€264Kmedian sale price
Median sale price · Eircode area, 2023–2025
Portmagee€264K
Co. Kerry€232K
Irish towns€350K
| Housing | Portmagee | Co. Kerry | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households in social housing | 32% | 18% | 13% |
| Households renting privately | 11% | 27% | 22% |
| Median sale price | €264K | €232K | €350K |
| Households owning their home | 52% | 53% | 61% |
52%
own their home · Irish towns 61%
11%
rent privately · Irish towns 22%
€1,182
a month on new tenancies, County Kerry
Property Price Register · CSO residential prices by Eircode area · RTB rents · CSO, Census 2022 tenure · The price is for the postcode area V23, not the town alone: too few sales inside the town carry a full address.
Outdoors
Protected nature surrounds Portmagee: 17% of the land within 5 km, more than in Co. Kerry’s towns and across Irish towns
Walkers have 0.1 km per km² of paths and tracks, close to Co. Kerry’s towns (0.6 km per km²) and below Irish towns (2.1 km per km²). Among the protected sites near Portmagee is Valencia Harbour/Portmagee Channel SAC. 100% of homes are a short walk (400 m) from green space.
100%of homes near green space
Green space per 1,000 residents · per 1,000 residents
Portmagee16.4 ha
Co. Kerry2.9 ha
Irish towns4.1 ha
| Outdoors | Portmagee | Co. Kerry | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sea within 5 km | 37% | 0% | 0% |
| Protected nature within 5 km | 17% | 12% | 1.8% |
| Near a park | 100% | 77% | 92% |
| Woodland within 1 km | 0% | 2.4% | 2.7% |
100%
Near a park
16.4 ha
Green space
1 km
Footpaths
17%
Protected for nature
OpenStreetMap parks and paths, NPWS protected sites and the National Trails Register.
Weather
Up to 12 degrees in Portmagee today, mostly sunny
The rain holds off today, but the wind gets up to 26 km/h, and the low is 9°C. Set beside Portmagee’s forecast, a normal November runs from 8°C at night to 12°C by day. December follows with normal highs of 11°C and lows of 7°C.
12°C / 9°CToday
This month and the next three, normal highs · 1991–2020 averages
November12°C
December11°C
January10°C
February10°C
| Season | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 10°C | 6°C | 450 mm |
| Spring | 13°C | 8°C | 291 mm |
| Summer | 18°C | 13°C | 322 mm |
| Autumn | 15°C | 10°C | 457 mm |
12°C / 9°C
Today
None
Rain, next 24 hours
23 km/h
Wind
90%
Humidity
9 h 26 min
Daylight
Forecast: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · normals: Met Éireann, 1991–2020
Who lives here
An older town: 32% of people in Portmagee are 65 or over, more than in Co. Kerry’s towns and across Irish towns
Graduates make up a quarter of adults. Children under 15 make up 17%, below both Co. Kerry’s towns (18%) and Irish towns (20%). Young adults of 15 to 24 account for 10% of the town.
43.5median age
PortmageeCo. KerryIreland
Ages · share of residents
32%
Highest education · residents 15 and older who have finished education
Primary or none23%
Lower secondary23%
Leaving Cert24%
Diploma or cert5%
Degree or higher25%
Women and men · all residents
Women make up 48.3% of Portmagee
56 women and 60 men live here; across Ireland, women are 50.6%.
| Portmagee | Co. Kerry | Ireland | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 17% | 18% | 20% |
| 15–24 | 10% | 10% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 25% | 28% | 29% |
| 45–64 | 16% | 25% | 24% |
| 65+ | 32% | 18% | 14% |
| Primary or none | 23% | 11% | 9.7% |
| Lower secondary | 23% | 15% | 14% |
| Leaving Cert | 24% | 37% | 35% |
| Diploma or cert | 5.1% | 6.5% | 5.8% |
| Degree or higher | 25% | 31% | 36% |
CSO, Census 2022 · Co. Kerry and Ireland: the median of their towns of 2,500+
Town hall
Turnout in Kenmare was among the highest at the 2024 local elections
The general election drew a turnout of 65%. Kerry County Council is the one council for Portmagee; Ireland has no town or county councils between it and the government. Local election turnout came to 63%. There is no majority on Kerry County Council; Independent have the most seats, 11 of 33, short of 17.
11/33seats held by Independent
Seats on Kerry County · June 2024
Independent11
Fianna Fáil9
Fine Gael6
Sinn Féin4
Labour Party2
Kerry Independent Alliance1
| Turnout | Portmagee | Co. Kerry | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local elections, June 2024 | 63% | 62% | 46% |
| General election, November 2024 | 65% | 65% | 59% |
6
Councillors
11/33
Independent seats on Kerry County, the largest party
63%
turnout, June 2024
5
TDs elected for Kerry
Department of Housing count sheets, 2024
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Kerry Cliffs and 7 more in and around Portmagee
Castles, abbeys, gardens, museums and days out in and near Portmagee. Best known first.
Historic houseHistoric houseKerry Cliffs1.8 km outside town, to the southwestNatural landscapeNatural landscapePortmagee Harbour100 m outside town, to the northeastNatural landscapeNatural landscapeValentia Slate4.5 km outside town, to the northeastHistoric houseHistoric houseBray Head2 km outside town, to the northwestNatural landscapeNatural landscapeCoomanaspic2.5 km outside town, to the southAttractionAttractionBeehive Cells1.7 km outside town, to the southwest
Places: Fáilte Ireland open data (CC BY 4.0) · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Portmagee
15pages on Portmagee
Famous people from around Portmagee
No notable person born in Portmagee is on our list; these were born in the towns around it.
F
Fionán LynchIrish politician and judge (1889-1966) · born in CahirciveenA
Ada EnglishIrish politician and psychiatrist (1875… · born in CahirciveenC
Cornelius CaseyAmerican soccer player (1929-2001) · born in CahirciveenF
Frank O'ConnorIrish basketball player · born in Cahirciveen · 1922–1997T
Thomas O'DonoghueIrish politician · born in Cahirciveen · 1890–1958J
John FlynnIrish politician · born in Cahirciveen · 1891–1968Portmagee’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Boundaries: Tailte Éireann, CSO Urban Areas 2022 and Electoral Divisions.
CahirciveenPortmagee
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portmagee | 116 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Cahirciveen | 1,297 | 12 | — | B | A | A |
People: CSO, Census 2022. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Portmagee
Is Portmagee growing?
Portmagee had 116 people at the 2022 census, down from 131 in 2016: 11.5% fewer, while the median of Irish towns grew 7.6%.
Is Portmagee a young town or an old one?
The median age in Portmagee is 43.5, against 37.6 in the median of Irish towns.
How do people in Portmagee get to work?
51% of working residents drive to work and 23% walk, cycle or take the bus or train (the median of Irish towns: 23%). 22% mostly work from home, and 48% of journeys take under 15 minutes.
About Portmagee
Urban area in Co. Kerry
Portmagee has 116 people, in the area of Kerry 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
- 116 (CSO, Census 2022)
- County
- Kerry
- Council
- Kerry County Council
- Local electoral area
- Kenmare
- Dáil constituency
- Kerry
- Name in Irish
- An Caladh
- Area
- 0.1 sq mi (0.2 km²)
- CSO code
- UA:19867
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).