Straffan’s story
Straffan has 17 buildings on the National Inventory
The record adds 2 archaeological sites.
Homes built before 1919: 2%, against 3% across Irish towns.
- 1740The Glebe
- 1785Saint Brigid's Catholic Church
- 1810Unknown, Straffan
StraffanCo. Kildare
It grew by 24% between the 2016 and 2022 censuses. This town in Co. Kildare has a population of 1,158.
6 places within 19 kmMap →
Photo: Sheila1988 · CC0
Population
1,158
CSO, Census 2022 · Kildare County Council
Median age
36.7
10% are 65+ · Co. Kildare 10%
Degree level
57%
of residents 15+ · Irish towns 36%
Walk, cycle, transit
8%
of working residents · Irish towns 23%
Is Straffan a good place to live?
Jobs & income is its strong suit (A+): unemployment is 3%, and 77% of 15 to 64s have a job. Health is a strength: 84 residents in bad health and 84 with a disability for every 100 its ages predict. Where it falls short is walkability — 8% of commuters walk, cycle or take the bus or train, against 23% in the typical Irish town. Set against the median household income, the median home, at €643,800, costs 6.5 times as much.
Figures: work, health and commuting, CSO Census 2022 · prices, Property Price Register, 2023 to 2025 · incomes, CSO. An overall grade comes at 2,500 residents for Irish towns; Straffan has its subject grades alone.
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.
What makes Straffan stand out
The 3 things Straffan does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
8% walk, cycle or ride
The median of Irish towns: 23%
CSO, Census 2022
Unemployment rate, Census 2022
Work
3% unemployment
Of the labour force, Census 2022 (the median of Irish towns: 9%)
66% of residents 15 and over are at work.
Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents
History
17 buildings on the national inventory
3.1 times the median of Irish towns for its size, all of regional importance.
National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.
How Straffan grades
Each subject compares Straffan with Irish towns of 2,500 or more, ordered by how far it is from the middle. Towns in other countries are graded separately.
An overall grade comes at 2,500 residents for Irish towns; Straffan has its subject grades alone.
Jobs & income3% unemployedA+Open →Health84 with a disability per 100 predictedAOpen →SafetyBased on crimes reported per residentAOpen →WalkabilityAmong the hardest places to get around without a carC−Open →Cost of livingBehind most towns comparedCOpen →Hazard risk2% of homes above the radon reference levelB−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 Straffan.
Work & commuteJobs & income A+
Straffan is better off than Co. Kildare’s towns or Irish towns: households earn €98,830 a year
Working from home was the norm for 17% of workers at the census. Unemployment stood at 2.9%, below Co. Kildare’s towns (6.4%) and Irish towns (9.2%) alike. 7.8% of commuters left the car at home at the census, walking, cycling or taking public transport.
8%walk, cycle or take transit
How working residents got to work · census 2022
Car or van75%
Bus4%
Train, DART or Luas2%
Walk1%
Bicycle0%
| Census 2022 | Straffan | Co. Kildare | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | €98,830 | €74,553 | €57,760 |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% | 6.4% | 9.2% |
| In work, 15 to 64 | 77% | 71% | 68% |
| Trips under 15 minutes | 37% | 28% | 31% |
€98,830
household income, 2022 estimate · Co. Kildare €72,997
17%
worked mainly from home, 2022
13%
trips of an hour or more
6,663
on the Live Register, County Kildare, September 2026
C−
Walkability: better than 20% 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.
HealthHealth A
Disability runs below what Straffan’s ages predict, at 84 per 100 expected, and under Co. Kildare’s towns and Irish towns
At the census, 1.2% of people here described their health as bad or very bad. 16% of residents have a disability, below Co. Kildare’s towns (20%) and Irish towns (22%) alike. Self-reported good health: 93% of Straffan’s residents.
93%good or very good healthAHealth Grade
Per 100 expected at the town’s ages · age-standardised
Bad health84
Disability84
Co. Kildare99
Expected100
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 93%Fair 5%Bad or very bad 1%
| Census 2022 | Straffan | Co. Kildare | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| With a disability | 16% | 20% | 22% |
| Good or very good health | 93% | 91% | 88% |
| Bad or very bad health | 1.2% | 1.5% | 2% |
| Unpaid carers | 4.7% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
84
bad health per 100 expected · Co. Kildare 99
84
disability per 100 expected · Co. Kildare 102
84 · 80.3
life expectancy, women · men, the Mid-East 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 A
Crime per resident in Straffan runs lower than in 87% of Irish towns
All told, 27.8 crimes per 1,000 residents are recorded each year. Burglary and damage came to 3.3 per 1,000 residents a year, below Co. Kildare’s towns (4.2) and Irish towns (6.4) alike. What’s more, violent crime runs at 2.6 per 1,000 residents a year. In 2023–2025, assaults and harassment led the graded crimes in Straffan.
2.6violent incidents per 1,000 a yearASafety Grade
Compared with towns its sizeFewer incidents against residents per 1,000 than 73% of the 156 Irish towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people: less crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Recorded by type · per 1,000 residents a year, 2023–2025
Theft9.9
Road traffic4.2
Dangerous acts2.4
Assault2.2
Drugs2.1
Public order2.1
Damage2
Burglary1.3
Against justice0.8
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 | Straffan | Co. Kildare | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burglary & damage | 3.3 | 4.2 | 6.4 |
| Violent crime | 2.6 | 3.9 | 5.7 |
| All recorded crime | 27.8 | 42.7 | 54.3 |
| Theft | 9.9 | 10.9 | 15.3 |
2.6
violent incidents per 1,000 a year
3.3
burglary and damage per 1,000 a year
666
incidents a year, Celbridge Garda area
6
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
HousingCost of living C
Straffan is a town of owners: 87% of households own their home, above Co. Kildare’s towns and Irish towns
4% live in social housing, below both Co. Kildare’s towns (10%) and Irish towns (13%). The private rented sector houses 7% of households.
€644Kmedian sale priceCCost of living Grade
Median sale price · Property Price Register, 2023–2025
Straffan€644K
Co. Kildare€408K
Irish towns€350K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Second-hand homes | €700,000 | 85 |
| The last 12 months | €625,000 | 30 |
| Housing | Straffan | Co. Kildare | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median sale price | €644K | €408K | €350K |
| Households owning their home | 87% | 70% | 61% |
| Households renting privately | 7% | 18% | 22% |
| Households in social housing | 4% | 10% | 13% |
87%
own their home · Irish towns 61%
7%
rent privately · Irish towns 22%
€1,701
a month on new tenancies, County Kildare
8.8
times median household income, County Kildare
Property Price Register · CSO residential prices by Eircode area · RTB rents · CSO, Census 2022 tenure
Schools
The nearest secondary school to Straffan is 3.8 km away
Pupil numbers changed +3% since 2019/20, lower than both Co. Kildare’s towns (+7%) and Irish towns (+4%). Families in Straffan have 2 schools within 3 km to choose from: 2 primary schools.
2schools within 3 km
| School | Level | Pupils | Ethos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straffan N.S. Special classesLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 401 | Catholic |
| Schools within 3 km | Straffan | Co. Kildare | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teach through Irish | 0% | 6% | 8% |
| In the DEIS scheme | 0% | 3% | 35% |
| Pupils since 2019/20 | +3% | +7% | +4% |
730
pupils at schools within 3 km, 2025/26
+3%
pupils since 2019/20 · Irish towns +4%
0.2 km
to the nearest primary school
3.8 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.
Climate
Midwinter lows in Straffan sink below those of 85% of Irish towns
A year brings 795 mm of rain to Straffan. July afternoons reach 20.1°C here, near Co. Kildare’s towns (20.1°C) and higher than Irish towns (19.9°C). Over twelve months, Straffan averages 10.0°C.
20.1°CJuly afternoon high
Average afternoon highs by season · 1991–2020 averages
Winter8.5°C
Spring13.2°C
Summer19.5°C
Autumn14.1°C
| Climate, 1991–2020 | Straffan | Co. Kildare | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 2.1°C | 2.0°C | 2.9°C |
| Rain a year | 795 mm | 854 mm | 937 mm |
| Average temperature over the year | 10.0°C | 9.9°C | 10.3°C |
| July high | 20.1°C | 20.1°C | 19.9°C |
20.1°C
July high
2.1°C
January low
795 mm
Rain a year
85 mm
Wettest month
36
Air frosts
1,397 hrs
Sunshine
Met Éireann, 1991–2020 averages.
Outdoors
Fewer homes in Straffan sit near green space: 45% within 400 m, below Co. Kildare’s towns and Irish towns
Green space in Straffan adds up to 2 ha, in one park. Within 1 km, 5.8% of the land is woodland, above both Co. Kildare’s towns (2.4%) and Irish towns (2.7%). A waymarked trail or greenway begins within 5 km.
45%of homes near green space
Green space per 1,000 residents · per 1,000 residents
Straffan2.2 ha
Co. Kildare2.2 ha
Irish towns4.1 ha
| Outdoors | Straffan | Co. Kildare | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Near a park | 45% | 79% | 92% |
| Woodland within 1 km | 5.8% | 2.4% | 2.7% |
| Paths per km² of town | 0.8 km per km² | 1.0 km per km² | 2.1 km per km² |
| Protected nature within 5 km | 0% | 0.5% | 1.8% |
45%
Near a park
2.2 ha
Green space
7 km
Footpaths
5.8%
Woodland
OpenStreetMap parks and paths, NPWS protected sites and the National Trails Register.
Weather
Today in Straffan: light showers and 11 degrees at best
Expect roughly 1 mm of rain today, wind picking up to 24 km/h, and a low of 8°C. Tuesday looks like the wettest of the days that follow, with about 6 mm of rain. The forecast for Straffan beside its normal weather: a typical November day reaches 11°C and drops to 4°C at night.
11°C / 8°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 | 202 mm |
| Spring | 13°C | 5°C | 161 mm |
| Summer | 19°C | 11°C | 199 mm |
| Autumn | 14°C | 7°C | 233 mm |
11°C / 8°C
Today
0.8 mm
Rain, next 24 hours
13 km/h
Wind
86%
Humidity
9 h 18 min
Daylight
Forecast: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · normals: Met Éireann, 1991–2020
Who lives here
Children make up 29% of Straffan, above Co. Kildare’s towns and Irish towns
The 65-and-over age group makes up 10% of residents. People aged 15 to 24 make up 7.7% of the town, below both Co. Kildare’s towns (12%) and Irish towns (12%). Among adults, 57% have a degree.
36.7median age
StraffanCo. KildareIreland
Ages · share of residents
10%
Highest education · residents 15 and older who have finished education
Primary or none6%
Lower secondary9%
Leaving Cert24%
Diploma or cert4%
Degree or higher57%
Women and men · all residents
Women make up 51.6% of Straffan
597 women and 561 men live here; across Ireland, women are 50.6%.
| Straffan | Co. Kildare | Ireland | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 29% | 23% | 20% |
| 15–24 | 7.7% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 30% | 30% | 29% |
| 45–64 | 23% | 24% | 24% |
| 65+ | 10% | 10% | 14% |
| Primary or none | 6.4% | 7.4% | 9.7% |
| Lower secondary | 8.6% | 12% | 14% |
| Leaving Cert | 24% | 34% | 35% |
| Diploma or cert | 4.3% | 6.4% | 5.8% |
| Degree or higher | 57% | 39% | 36% |
CSO, Census 2022 · Co. Kildare and Ireland: the median of their towns of 2,500+
Town hall
Kildare County Council runs on one of the smallest budgets per resident of any council
Straffan answers to one council, Kildare County Council; Ireland has no town tier. There is no majority on Kildare County Council; Fianna Fáil have the most seats, 12 of 40, short of 21. It sits in the Maynooth local electoral area, which elects 5 councillors.
12/40seats held by Fianna Fáil
Seats on Kildare County · June 2024
Fianna Fáil12
Fine Gael11
Social Democrats7
Labour Party5
Independent3
Sinn Féin1
Independent Ireland1
| Turnout | Straffan | Co. Kildare | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| General election, November 2024 | 60% | 60% | 59% |
| Local elections, June 2024 | 45% | 45% | 46% |
5
Councillors
12/40
Fianna Fáil seats on Kildare County, the largest party
45%
turnout, June 2024
5
TDs elected for Kildare North
Department of Housing count sheets, 2024
History
More buildings in Straffan are on the national inventory than in Co. Kildare’s towns or Irish towns: 147 per 10,000 residents
The Sites and Monuments Record lists 2 sites here, below both Co. Kildare’s towns (13) and Irish towns (11). Homes built before 1919 account for 2.2% of the housing. The national inventory of architectural heritage lists 17 buildings in Straffan, each rated of regional importance.
17inventory buildings
Buildings by NIAH rating · NIAH
International0
National0
Regional17
Among them
- The Glebe 1740
- Saint Brigid's Catholic Church 1785
- Unknown, Straffan 1810
- Straffan Church 1830
2
sites on the Sites and Monuments Record
1740
earliest dated inventory building
1
places pictured on the history page
| Heritage | Straffan | Co. Kildare | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents | 147 | 50 | 48 |
| Archaeological sites on the record | 2 | 13 | 11 |
NIAH, the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage · Sites and Monuments Record · CSO, Census 2022 homes by year built
Natural hazardsHazard risk B−
Low ground by the River Liffey holds 13% of Straffan’s homes
By estimate, 1.8% of homes in Straffan carry radon above the reference level. Landslides: none of Straffan lies in a high-susceptibility zone.
0%of homes in high-radon areasB−Hazard risk Grade
Homes exposed · share of the town’s homes
Low-lying beside water13%
In high-radon areas0%
On high landslide susceptibility0%
Low-lying near a river13%
Low-lying near the coast0%
| Share of homes | Straffan | Co. Kildare | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low-lying near a river | 13% | 3.2% | 0.5% |
| In high-radon areas | 0% | 0% | 0% |
434
homes mapped for these shares
EPA radon map, GSI landslide susceptibility and our low-lying homes estimate from OPW LiDAR.
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Castletown House and 4 more in and around Straffan
Castles, abbeys, gardens, museums and days out in and near Straffan. Best known first.
Historic house · Office of Public WorksCastletown House4.8 km outside town, to the northeast
CastleBarberstown Castle400 m outside town, to the north
CastleRathcoffey Castle2.9 km outside town, to the northwestMuseumMuseumThe Steam Museum and Lodge Park Walled Garden400 m outside town, to the eastHistoric siteHistoric siteOughterard Round Tower4.5 km outside town, to the southeastPlaces: 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 (3)
- Castletown House: LoriStrang, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Barberstown Castle: Harold Strong, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Rathcoffey Castle: Mike Searle, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Straffan
15pages on Straffan
The big questions
Out and about
Landmarks
The national inventory of architectural heritage lists 17 buildings in Straffan, each rated of regional importance. 2 archaeological sites are on the record here.
Famous people from around Straffan
One notable person was born in Straffan; with them, the best known born in the towns around it.
M
Michael O'HigginsIrish politician (1917-2005)
C
Charlie McCreevyIrish politician · born in Sallins · born 1949W
William Francis Patrick NapierIrish soldier in the British Army and m… · born in CelbridgePhoto credits
Arthur Guinness: User Morrison1917 on en.wikipedia, Public domain · Charles Handy: einalem, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Liam O'Flynn: Ganainm, CC BY-SA 3.0
Straffan’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Boundaries: Tailte Éireann, CSO Urban Areas 2022 and Electoral Divisions.
CelbridgeClaneMaynoothKillNewcastleSallinsStraffan
Questions about Straffan
Is Straffan growing?
Straffan had 1,158 people at the 2022 census, up from 938 in 2016: 23.5% more, against 7.6% in the median of Irish towns.
How do people in Straffan get to work?
75% of working residents drive to work and 8% walk, cycle or take the bus or train (the median of Irish towns: 23%).
Is Straffan a young town or an old one?
The median age in Straffan is 36.7, against 37.6 in the median of Irish towns.
About Straffan
Urban area in Co. Kildare
1,158 people live in Straffan, in the area of Kildare 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
- 1,158 (CSO, Census 2022)
- County
- Kildare
- Council
- Kildare County Council
- Local electoral area
- Maynooth
- Dáil constituency
- Kildare North
- Name in Irish
- Teach Srafáin
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.5 km²)
- CSO code
- UA:06440
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).