Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Some 7,209 people live in this town, in Co. Limerick.
Newcastle West grades A− overall, better than just over four fifths of Irish towns. In the ranking it comes #1 of 15 in Co. Limerick. Where it does best is cost of living: home prices sit at a median €223,000, which is 4.5 years of the town’s median household income. Police record less crime here than in most towns: 3.7 burglaries and acts of criminal damage per 1,000 residents a year, and 3.9 violent crimes. Health outcomes fall short of most towns: 122 residents in bad health and 115 with a disability for every 100 its ages predict. It lags on hazard risk as well (C−): an estimated 7% of homes are above the radon reference level. Its remaining grades are unremarkable: B− for jobs & income and B− for walkability.
Figures: prices, Property Price Register, 2023 to 2025 · incomes, CSO · crime, CSO recorded crime, 2023 to 2025 · health, work and commuting, CSO Census 2022 · radon, EPA.
The 3 things Newcastle West does most differently from other towns.
Each subject compares Newcastle West 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 →
19 archaeological sites are on the record here too.
4% of its homes were built before 1919, against 3% in the median of Irish towns.
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Newcastle West.
Owners make up 53% of households, lower than both Co. Limerick’s towns (61%) and Irish towns (61%). A third of households are private tenants. Only one of the 15 towns in Co. Limerick costs less to buy into than Newcastle West, whose median sale is €223,000.
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Second-hand homes | €214,000 | 196 |
| The last 12 months | €245,000 | 71 |
| Housing | Newcastle West | Co. Limerick | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent on a new tenancy, a month | €1,065 | €1,786 | €1,606 |
| Median sale price | €223K | €312K | €350K |
| Households renting privately | 33% | 26% | 22% |
| Households owning their home | 53% | 61% | 61% |
Property Price Register · CSO residential prices by Eircode area · RTB rents · CSO, Census 2022 tenure
No part of Newcastle West is mapped as high landslide susceptibility.
| Share of homes | Newcastle West | Co. Limerick | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low-lying near a river | 23% | 8.5% | 0.5% |
| In high-radon areas | 0% | 0% | 0% |
EPA radon map, GSI landslide susceptibility and our low-lying homes estimate from OPW LiDAR.
In all, 38.9 crimes per 1,000 residents were recorded a year, below Co. Limerick’s towns (97.5) and Irish towns (54.3) alike. For its size, Newcastle West records less crime per resident than just over four fifths of the 201 Irish towns of 2,500 to 10,000 people.
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 | Newcastle West | Co. Limerick | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burglary & damage | 3.7 | 11.3 | 6.4 |
| All recorded crime | 38.9 | 97.5 | 54.3 |
| Violent crime | 3.9 | 9.7 | 5.7 |
| Theft | 6.8 | 29.2 | 15.3 |
CSO recorded crime by Garda station, 2023–2025, shared to towns by where residents live · Census 2022 populations
4.6% of residents give unpaid care to a relative or friend, below both Co. Limerick’s towns (5.6%) and Irish towns (5.4%). Weighed against its ages, disability in Newcastle West runs at 115 per 100 expected. At the census, 2.2% of people here described their health as bad or very bad.
| Census 2022 | Newcastle West | Co. Limerick | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unpaid carers | 4.6% | 5.6% | 5.4% |
| Bad or very bad health | 2.2% | 3.1% | 2% |
| With a disability | 25% | 25% | 22% |
| Good or very good health | 86% | 86% | 88% |
CSO, Census 2022 general health, disability and carers · CSO life expectancy by region, 2016 · HSE medical cards, 2024 · TownRatings age-standardised ratios
In July, daytime highs in Newcastle West average 19.6°C. December is the wettest month here, with 149 mm of rain on average. The nearest weather station is Shannon Airport, 28 km away.
| Climate, 1991–2020 | Newcastle West | Co. Limerick | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rain a year | 1,206 mm | 1,032 mm | 937 mm |
| July high | 19.6°C | 20.0°C | 19.9°C |
| Average temperature over the year | 10.4°C | 10.5°C | 10.3°C |
Met Éireann, 1991–2020 averages.
Walkers have 0.5 km per km² of paths and tracks, lower than both Co. Limerick’s towns (2.5 km per km²) and Irish towns (2.1 km per km²). 87% of homes are within 400 m of green space. Newcastle West offers 1.3 ha of green space per 1,000 residents.
| Outdoors | Newcastle West | Co. Limerick | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paths per km² of town | 0.5 km per km² | 2.5 km per km² | 2.1 km per km² |
| Protected nature within 5 km | 7% | 9.8% | 1.8% |
| Near a park | 87% | 96% | 92% |
| Woodland within 1 km | 1.5% | 1.5% | 2.7% |
OpenStreetMap parks and paths, NPWS protected sites and the National Trails Register.
Newcastle West’s forecast, set beside its normal weather: in November a typical day reaches 11°C, and nights drop to 5°C. There may be a drop or two today, little to measure, with wind freshening to 20 km/h and a low of 4°C. By December, a normal day reaches 9°C and a normal night 3°C.
| Season | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 9°C | 3°C | 395 mm |
| Spring | 14°C | 5°C | 238 mm |
| Summer | 19°C | 11°C | 237 mm |
| Autumn | 14°C | 7°C | 338 mm |
Forecast: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · normals: Met Éireann, 1991–2020
One measure of family life: just over a fifth of residents are under 15. A tenth of the population is aged 15 to 24, lower than both Co. Limerick’s towns (13%) and Irish towns (12%). Among adults, 27% have a degree.
50.7% of Newcastle West’s residents are women
3,654 women and 3,555 men live here; across Ireland, women are 50.6%.
| Newcastle West | Co. Limerick | Ireland | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 22% | 17% | 20% |
| 15–24 | 9.9% | 13% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 31% | 31% | 29% |
| 45–64 | 22% | 23% | 24% |
| 65+ | 15% | 15% | 14% |
| Primary or none | 12% | 10% | 9.7% |
| Lower secondary | 17% | 14% | 14% |
| Leaving Cert | 39% | 33% | 35% |
| Diploma or cert | 5.6% | 5.5% | 5.8% |
| Degree or higher | 27% | 37% | 36% |
CSO, Census 2022 · Co. Limerick and Ireland: the median of their towns of 2,500+
At the general election, just over three in five voters took part. With 13 of 40 seats, Fine Gael are the largest group on Limerick City and County Council, short of the 21 a majority needs. The voters of Limerick City and County Council also elect its mayor directly: John Moran (Independent), since 7 June 2024.
| Turnout | Newcastle West | Co. Limerick | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local elections, June 2024 | 57% | 48% | 46% |
| General election, November 2024 | 61% | 55% | 59% |
Department of Housing count sheets, 2024
19 archaeological sites are on the record, above both Co. Limerick’s towns (10) and Irish towns (11). Homes from before 1919 make up 3.8% of the total, between Co. Limerick’s towns (4%) and Irish towns (3.4%). 48 of Newcastle West’s buildings made the national inventory of architectural heritage, all at regional importance.
| Heritage | Newcastle West | Co. Limerick | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents | 67 | 15 | 48 |
| Archaeological sites on the record | 19 | 10 | 11 |
NIAH, the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage · Sites and Monuments Record · CSO, Census 2022 homes by year built
Of those in the labour force, 9.3% are unemployed. In work: two thirds of residents aged 15 to 64, about level with Irish towns (68%) and above Co. Limerick’s towns (61%). Getting to work takes 24.9 min on average.
| Census 2022 | Newcastle West | Co. Limerick | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trips under 15 minutes | 45% | 36% | 31% |
| In work, 15 to 64 | 67% | 61% | 68% |
| Average trip | 24.9 min | 22.8 min | 27.6 min |
| Unemployment rate | 9.3% | 12% | 9.2% |
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.
8 schools lie within 3 km of Newcastle West: 6 primary schools and 2 secondary schools. Irish-medium schools make up 13%, higher than both Co. Limerick’s towns (12%) and Irish towns (8%). For secondary school, the closest is Desmond College, 0.6 km from the town.
| School | Level | Pupils | Ethos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Courtenay National School DEISLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 251 | Catholic |
| Scoil Mhuire & ÍdeLargest post-primary schoolPost-primary · Voluntary secondary | Post-primary · Voluntary secondary | 754 | Catholic |
| Gaelscoil O Doghair GaelscoilTeaches through IrishPrimary | Primary | 201 | Catholic |
| Desmond College Irish streamIn the DEIS schemePost-primary · ETB | Post-primary · ETB | 539 | Multi-denominational |
| Schools within 3 km | Newcastle West | Co. Limerick | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-sex secondaries | 0% | 55% | 39% |
| Pupils since 2019/20 | +9% | +3% | +4% |
| Teach through Irish | 13% | 12% | 8% |
| In the DEIS scheme | 38% | 46% | 35% |
Department of Education school lists, 2025/26 (preliminary) · no results are published by school · There are no letters or results on these cards, because Ireland publishes none school by school.
One place to visit is mapped within 5 km of Newcastle West; with it, the best known within 40 km.
Castle · Office of Public WorksDesmond Castle Newcastle Westin town
CastleBunratty Castle32 km northeast
CastleGlenquin Castle8.2 km southwest
Castle · Office of Public WorksListowel Castle29 km west
CathedralSt John's Cathedral38 km northeast
CathedralSaint Mary's Cathedral38 km northeastPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
48 of Newcastle West’s buildings made the national inventory of architectural heritage, all at regional importance. The national record lists 19 archaeological sites in and around the town.
9 notable people were born in Newcastle West.
William Travers: Photographer unidentified, Public domain · Ursula O'Farrell: Ubyrne, CC BY-SA 4.0 · William Nash: Burnham, Brixton (no individual credited), 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newcastle West | 7,209 | — | A− | A | B+ | C |
| Rathkeale | 1,231 | 11 | — | B− | B− | D− |
| Askeaton | 1,236 | 18 | — | B | B− | D |
| Abbeyfeale | 2,206 | 18 | — | A+ | A+ | A− |
People: CSO, Census 2022. Distances: centre to centre.
Newcastle West had 7,209 people at the 2022 census, up from 6,565 in 2016: 9.8% more, against 7.6% in the median of Irish towns.
The median age in Newcastle West is 37.4, against 37.6 in the median of Irish towns.
Urban area in Co. Limerick
7,209 people live in Newcastle West, in the area of Limerick City and 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).