Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
The town, home to 587 people, lies in Co. Mayo.
The median home sold for €156,200, 3.3 times the town’s median household income. 19 of its buildings are on the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Of those who commute, 11% go on foot, by bike or by public transport. Homes here sold for a median €193,100 over 2023 to 2025.
At under 1,000 residents, Killala is too small for the grades Irish towns get.
The 3 things Killala does most differently from other towns.
10 archaeological sites are on the record here too.
7% of its homes were built before 1919, against 3% in the median of Irish towns.
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Killala.
Pupil numbers changed −1% since 2019/20, below Co. Mayo’s towns (+10%) and Irish towns (+4%) alike. Within 3 km of Killala there are 3 schools (3 primary schools).
| School | Level | Pupils | Ethos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Killala N.S. DEISLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 85 | Catholic |
| Templemary N.S. DEISIn the DEIS schemePrimary | Primary | 47 | Catholic |
| Schools within 3 km | Killala | Co. Mayo | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the DEIS scheme | 67% | 18% | 35% |
| Teach through Irish | 0% | 4% | 8% |
| Pupils since 2019/20 | −1% | +10% | +4% |
Department of Education school lists, 2025/26 (preliminary) · no results are published by school · Ireland doesn’t publish results for individual schools, so none of these carries a letter.
Radon: 100% of homes are in high-radon areas, about level with Co. Mayo’s towns (97%) and above Irish towns (0%). For a swim, the nearest bathing water is Ross Beach, Killala, 2.6 km from Killala, rated excellent in 2025. Landslides: none of Killala lies in a high-susceptibility zone.
| Share of homes | Killala | Co. Mayo | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| In high-radon areas | 100% | 97% | 0% |
| On high landslide susceptibility | 0% | 0.1% | 0% |
EPA radon map, GSI landslide susceptibility and our low-lying homes estimate from OPW LiDAR.
Midwinter nights in Killala bottom out at 3.2°C on average. The year’s mean temperature is 10.1°C, close to Co. Mayo’s towns (9.9°C) and below Irish towns (10.3°C). The town gets 1,272 mm of rain a year.
| Climate, 1991–2020 | Killala | Co. Mayo | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 18.2°C | 18.7°C | 19.9°C |
| Rain a year | 1,272 mm | 1,314 mm | 937 mm |
| January low | 3.2°C | 2.6°C | 2.9°C |
| Average temperature over the year | 10.1°C | 9.9°C | 10.3°C |
Met Éireann, 1991–2020 averages.
34% of people in the HSE West and North West health region hold a medical card. Unpaid carers make up 6.1% of residents, higher than both Co. Mayo’s towns (5.3%) and Irish towns (5.4%). Asked at the census, 86% of residents of Killala said they were in good or very good health.
| Census 2022 | Killala | Co. Mayo | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unpaid carers | 6.1% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Good or very good health | 86% | 87% | 88% |
| With a disability | 23% | 21% | 22% |
| Bad or very bad health | 2.1% | 2.4% | 2% |
CSO, Census 2022 general health, disability and carers · CSO life expectancy by region, 2016 · HSE medical cards, 2024 · TownRatings age-standardised ratios
67% of households own their home, above both Co. Mayo’s towns (54%) and Irish towns (61%). Social housing holds 18% of households.
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Second-hand homes | €156,200 | 41 |
| Housing | Killala | Co. Mayo | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households renting privately | 11% | 34% | 22% |
| Median sale price | €156K | €190K | €350K |
| Households owning their home | 67% | 54% | 61% |
| Households in social housing | 18% | 12% | 13% |
Property Price Register · CSO residential prices by Eircode area · RTB rents · CSO, Census 2022 tenure
The sea makes up 29% of the area within 5 km, above Co. Mayo’s towns (0%) and Irish towns (0%) alike. Among the protected sites near Killala is Killala Bay/Moy Estuary SAC. Green space in Killala totals 2 ha, in one park.
| Outdoors | Killala | Co. Mayo | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sea within 5 km | 29% | 0% | 0% |
| Near a park | 100% | 85% | 92% |
| Protected nature within 5 km | 5% | 3.4% | 1.8% |
| Paths per km² of town | 0.5 km per km² | 0.6 km per km² | 2.1 km per km² |
OpenStreetMap parks and paths, NPWS protected sites and the National Trails Register.
The heaviest rain of the week is due on Tuesday, around 3 mm. Judged by the averages, Killala sees November days reach 11°C and nights fall to 5°C. It should stay dry today, with a fresh breeze of up to 22 km/h and a low near 8°C.
| Season | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 9°C | 3°C | 395 mm |
| Spring | 13°C | 6°C | 249 mm |
| Summer | 18°C | 11°C | 259 mm |
| Autumn | 14°C | 8°C | 369 mm |
Forecast: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · normals: Met Éireann, 1991–2020
45% of trips took under 15 minutes, between Co. Mayo’s towns (55%) and Irish towns (31%). Among people aged 15 to 64, 65% were working at the census. Driving is how just over three quarters of commuters got to work at the census.
| Census 2022 | Killala | Co. Mayo | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate | 14% | 11% | 9.2% |
| Trips under 15 minutes | 45% | 55% | 31% |
| Average trip | 25.1 min | 20.8 min | 27.6 min |
| Median household income | €46,700 | €49,791 | €57,760 |
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.
Children under 15 make up 19%, lower than Co. Mayo’s towns (21%) and near Irish towns (20%). 17% of residents were born outside the country. Among adults, 23% have a degree.
51.1% of Killala’s residents are women
300 women and 287 men live here; across Ireland, women are 50.6%.
| Killala | Co. Mayo | Ireland | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 19% | 21% | 20% |
| 15–24 | 12% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 25% | 30% | 29% |
| 45–64 | 24% | 24% | 24% |
| 65+ | 21% | 14% | 14% |
| Primary or none | 13% | 9.5% | 9.7% |
| Lower secondary | 16% | 13% | 14% |
| Leaving Cert | 43% | 40% | 35% |
| Diploma or cert | 4.9% | 5.8% | 5.8% |
| Degree or higher | 23% | 31% | 36% |
CSO, Census 2022 · Co. Mayo and Ireland: the median of their towns of 2,500+
Turnout at the last local elections was 58%, close to Co. Mayo’s towns (60%) and above Irish towns (46%). Mayo County Council is the one council for Killala; Ireland has no town or county councils between it and the government. 64% voted at the general election. Also worth knowing: there is no majority on Mayo County Council; Fine Gael have the most seats, 10 of 30, short of 16.
| Turnout | Killala | Co. Mayo | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local elections, June 2024 | 58% | 60% | 46% |
| General election, November 2024 | 64% | 64% | 59% |
Department of Housing count sheets, 2024
Homes built before 1919 account for 7% of the housing. 10 archaeological sites are on the record, below Co. Mayo’s towns (21) and Irish towns (11) alike.
| Heritage | Killala | Co. Mayo | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents | 324 | 85 | 48 |
| Homes built before 1919 | 7% | 4.4% | 3.4% |
| Archaeological sites on the record | 10 | 21 | 11 |
NIAH, the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage · Sites and Monuments Record · CSO, Census 2022 homes by year built
Castles, abbeys, gardens, museums and days out in and near Killala. Best known first.
CathedralSt Patrick's Cathedral, Killalain town
Abbey or prioryRathfran Abbey2.8 km outside town, to the northwest
Abbey or prioryMoyne Abbey1.8 km outside town, to the southeastHistoric siteHistoric siteKillala Round Towerin townBattlefieldBattlefieldBattlefields of Moyne1 km outside town, to the eastPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
19 of Killala’s buildings made the national inventory of architectural heritage, all at regional importance. The national record lists 10 archaeological sites in and around the town.
4 notable people were born in Killala.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Killala | 587 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Enniscrone Sligo | 1,291 | 8.4 | — | B | A | B |
| Ballina | 10,556 | 12 | C+ | A | C | C+ |
| Crossmolina | 1,134 | 14 | — | A | A+ | B+ |
People: CSO, Census 2022. Distances: centre to centre.
12% mostly work from home, and 45% of journeys take under 15 minutes.
Killala had 587 people at the 2022 census, up from 556 in 2016: 5.6% more, against 7.6% in the median of Irish towns.
The median age in Killala is 41, against 37.6 in the median of Irish towns.
Urban area in Co. Mayo
Killala has 587 people, in the area of Mayo 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). 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).