Blackwater’s story
Blackwater has 9 buildings on the National Inventory
9% of its homes were built before 1919, against 3% in the median of Irish towns.
- 1700Bridge, Blackwater
- 1700Easter Cottage
- 1700Farm house, Crosshue Crossroads
BlackwaterCo. Wexford
Between 2016 and 2022, its population grew by 16%. This town in Co. Wexford has a population of 485.
4 places within 19 kmMap →
Photo: Sarah777 at English Wikipedia · Public domain
Population
485
CSO, Census 2022 · Wexford County Council
Median age
44.9
22% are 65+ · Co. Wexford 15%
Degree level
27%
of residents 15+ · Irish towns 36%
Walk, cycle, transit
11%
of working residents · Irish towns 23%
Is Blackwater a good place to live?
The median home here went for €295,000, 5.6 times the median household income. On the way to work, 11% walk, cycle or take the bus or train. Over-65s are just over a fifth of the population. Mortgage-free owners make up 48% of households.
Grades start at 1,000 residents for Irish towns, so Blackwater has none.
What makes Blackwater stand out
The 3 things Blackwater does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
11% walk, cycle or ride
Against 23% in the median of Irish towns
CSO, Census 2022
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
22% are 65 or over
Against 14% in the median of Irish towns
CSO, Census 2022
Own outright
Housing
48% own outright
Against 32% in the median of Irish towns
CSO, Census 2022
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Blackwater.
Natural hazards
Natural hazards are few in Blackwater, with low radon, steady ground and little flood-prone housing
Blackwater’s nearest bathing water is Ballinesker, 4.8 km away, rated excellent in 2025. On high landslide susceptibility: 0.5% of homes, close to both Co. Wexford’s towns (0.9%) and Irish towns (0%). Radon is rarely a worry in the town: under 1% of homes are estimated above the reference level.
0%of homes in high-radon areas
Homes exposed · share of the town’s homes
Low-lying beside water0%
In high-radon areas0%
On high landslide susceptibility0.5%
Low-lying near a river0%
Low-lying near the coast0%
| Share of homes | Blackwater | Co. Wexford | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| In high-radon areas | 0% | 93% | 0% |
| On high landslide susceptibility | 0.5% | 0.9% | 0% |
0%
of homes over the radon level
4.8 km
to Ballinesker bathing water (excellent)
417
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 Blackwater: January nights hold at 3.5°C, above Co. Wexford’s towns and Irish towns
Here July highs average 19.6°C, near Co. Wexford’s towns (19.8°C) and lower than Irish towns (19.9°C). The annual mean in Blackwater is 10.6°C. This Co. Wexford town is 0.2°C warmer over the year than in 1981–2010.
19.6°CJuly afternoon high
Average afternoon highs by season · 1991–2020 averages
Winter9.2°C
Spring12.8°C
Summer19.0°C
Autumn14.5°C
| Climate, 1991–2020 | Blackwater | Co. Wexford | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 3.5°C | 3.0°C | 2.9°C |
| July high | 19.6°C | 19.8°C | 19.9°C |
| Average temperature over the year | 10.6°C | 10.4°C | 10.3°C |
| Rain a year | 987 mm | 1,026 mm | 937 mm |
19.6°C
July high
3.5°C
January low
987 mm
Rain a year
112 mm
Wettest month
14
Air frosts
Met Éireann, 1991–2020 averages.
Health
For its ages, Blackwater has about as much bad health as expected
Allowing for its ages, Blackwater has 101 residents with a disability per 100 expected, lower than both Co. Wexford’s towns (123) and Irish towns (106). Poor health, by residents’ own account, affects 2.6% of the town. Self-reported good health: 85% of the town’s residents.
85%good or very good health
Per 100 expected at the town’s ages · age-standardised
Bad health119
Disability101
Co. Wexford145
Expected100
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 85%Fair 13%Bad or very bad 3%
| Census 2022 | Blackwater | Co. Wexford | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 85% | 85% | 88% |
| With a disability | 24% | 26% | 22% |
| Bad or very bad health | 2.6% | 2.7% | 2% |
119
bad health per 100 expected · Co. Wexford 145
101
disability per 100 expected · Co. Wexford 123
83.1 · 79.3
life expectancy, women · men, the South-East region, 2016
27%
hold a medical card, HSE Dublin and South East
CSO, Census 2022 general health, disability and carers · CSO life expectancy by region, 2016 · HSE medical cards, 2024 · TownRatings age-standardised ratios
Housing
Most households in Blackwater own their home: 65%, more than in both Co. Wexford’s towns and Irish towns
Social housing holds 10% of households. 23% rent privately, about level with Co. Wexford’s towns (22%) and above Irish towns (22%).
€295Kmedian sale price
Median sale price · Property Price Register, 2023–2025
Blackwater€295K
Co. Wexford€250K
Irish towns€350K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Second-hand homes | €295,000 | 57 |
| Housing | Blackwater | Co. Wexford | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households in social housing | 10% | 17% | 13% |
| Households owning their home | 65% | 60% | 61% |
| Median sale price | €295K | €250K | €350K |
65%
own their home · Irish towns 61%
€1,179
a month on new tenancies, County Wexford
Property Price Register · CSO residential prices by Eircode area · RTB rents · CSO, Census 2022 tenure
Outdoors
Green space is close to home in Blackwater: 100% of homes are within 400 m of some, more than in both Co. Wexford’s towns and Irish towns
There are 9.2 ha of green space for every 1,000 people in Blackwater. The sea makes up 28% of the area within 5 km, higher than both Co. Wexford’s towns (3.4%) and Irish towns (0%). Green space in Blackwater adds up to 4 ha, in one park.
100%of homes near green space
Green space per 1,000 residents · per 1,000 residents
Blackwater9.2 ha
Co. Wexford2.3 ha
Irish towns4.1 ha
| Outdoors | Blackwater | Co. Wexford | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sea within 5 km | 28% | 3.4% | 0% |
| Near a park | 100% | 83% | 92% |
| Woodland within 1 km | 6% | 6.9% | 2.7% |
| Paths per km² of town | 0.2 km per km² | 0.7 km per km² | 2.1 km per km² |
100%
Near a park
9.2 ha
Green space
2 km
Footpaths
1.9%
Protected for nature
OpenStreetMap parks and paths, NPWS protected sites and the National Trails Register.
Weather
Weather in Blackwater: cloudy today, up to 11 degrees
Blackwater’s averages for November set the scene: the usual high is 11°C, the usual low 5°C. A dry day with a stiff breeze lies ahead today: wind building to 33 km/h, then a low of 10°C. By December, a normal day reaches 9°C and a normal night 4°C.
11°C / 10°CToday
This month and the next three, normal highs · 1991–2020 averages
November11°C
December9°C
January9°C
February9°C
| Season | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 9°C | 4°C | 270 mm |
| Spring | 13°C | 6°C | 194 mm |
| Summer | 19°C | 12°C | 224 mm |
| Autumn | 14°C | 8°C | 299 mm |
11°C / 10°C
Today
None
Rain, next 24 hours
33 km/h
Wind
75%
Humidity
9 h 20 min
Daylight
Forecast: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · normals: Met Éireann, 1991–2020
Work & commute
Trips to work from Blackwater take longer than from Co. Wexford’s towns or Irish towns: 35.2 min on average
66% of 15 to 64s were in work, between Co. Wexford’s towns (61%) and Irish towns (68%). Household income averages €52,260 a year before tax. The car carried nearly four in five commuters at the census.
11%walk, cycle or take transit
How working residents got to work · census 2022
Car or van79%
Walk7%
Bus3%
Bicycle1%
Train, DART or Luas1%
| Census 2022 | Blackwater | Co. Wexford | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 35.2 min | 25.2 min | 27.6 min |
| Unemployment rate | 11% | 15% | 9.2% |
| In work, 15 to 64 | 66% | 61% | 68% |
| Trips under 15 minutes | 31% | 44% | 31% |
€52,260
household income, 2022 estimate · Co. Wexford €51,437
10%
worked mainly from home, 2022
17%
trips of an hour or more
6,520
on the Live Register, County Wexford, September 2026
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.
Who lives here
Blackwater skews older, with 22% of residents 65 or over, more than in both Co. Wexford’s towns and Irish towns
One measure of its mix: 16% of residents were born abroad. Children under 15 make up 18%, below both Co. Wexford’s towns (21%) and Irish towns (20%). 11% of residents are aged 15 to 24.
44.9median age
BlackwaterCo. WexfordIreland
Ages · share of residents
22%
Highest education · residents 15 and older who have finished education
Primary or none14%
Lower secondary19%
Leaving Cert36%
Diploma or cert5%
Degree or higher27%
Women and men · all residents
54.8% of Blackwater’s residents are women
266 women and 219 men live here; across Ireland, women are 50.6%.
| Blackwater | Co. Wexford | Ireland | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 18% | 21% | 20% |
| 15–24 | 11% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 21% | 28% | 29% |
| 45–64 | 28% | 25% | 24% |
| 65+ | 22% | 15% | 14% |
| Primary or none | 14% | 13% | 9.7% |
| Lower secondary | 19% | 18% | 14% |
| Leaving Cert | 36% | 40% | 35% |
| Diploma or cert | 5% | 6% | 5.8% |
| Degree or higher | 27% | 22% | 36% |
CSO, Census 2022 · Co. Wexford and Ireland: the median of their towns of 2,500+
Town hall
Kilmuckridge had one of the least contested ballots at the 2024 local elections, 6 candidates for 4 seats
Wexford County Council has no ruling majority: Independent hold 11 of its 34 seats, short of the 18 needed. One council serves Blackwater: Wexford County Council. At the general election 62% voted, near Co. Wexford’s towns (62%) and higher than Irish towns (59%). Local election turnout came to 52%.
11/34seats held by Independent
Seats on Wexford County · June 2024
Independent11
Fianna Fáil9
Fine Gael8
Sinn Féin3
Labour Party2
Aontú1
| Turnout | Blackwater | Co. Wexford | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local elections, June 2024 | 52% | 52% | 46% |
| General election, November 2024 | 62% | 62% | 59% |
4
Councillors
11/34
Independent seats on Wexford County, the largest party
52%
turnout, June 2024
4
TDs elected for Wexford
Department of Housing count sheets, 2024
History
Inventory buildings in Blackwater: 186 per 10,000 residents, against 216 in Co. Wexford’s towns and 48 in Irish towns
Homes from before 1919 make up 9% of the total, above both Co. Wexford’s towns (8%) and Irish towns (3.4%).
9inventory buildings
Buildings by NIAH rating · NIAH
International0
National0
Regional9
Among them
0
sites on the Sites and Monuments Record
1700
earliest dated inventory building
9%
homes built before 1919 · Irish towns 3%
1
places pictured on the history page
| Heritage | Blackwater | Co. Wexford | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents | 186 | 216 | 48 |
| Archaeological sites on the record | 0 | 28 | 11 |
| Homes built before 1919 | 9% | 8% | 3.4% |
NIAH, the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage · Sites and Monuments Record · CSO, Census 2022 homes by year built
Schools
Schools around Blackwater are filling: pupils +6% since 2019, more than in both Co. Wexford’s towns and Irish towns
Within 3 km of Blackwater there is one school. 218 pupils attend the one school within 3 km of the town.
1schools within 3 km
| School | Level | Pupils | Ethos |
|---|---|---|---|
| S.N. Nmh BrighdeLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 218 | Catholic |
| Schools within 3 km | Blackwater | Co. Wexford | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the DEIS scheme | 0% | 44% | 35% |
| Teach through Irish | 0% | 6% | 8% |
| Pupils since 2019/20 | +6% | +5% | +4% |
218
pupils at schools within 3 km, 2025/26
+6%
pupils since 2019/20 · Irish towns +4%
0.5 km
to the nearest primary school
8.9 km
to the nearest secondary school
Department of Education school lists, 2025/26 (preliminary) · no results are published by school · Ireland publishes no results school by school, so these cards carry no letters or results.
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Blackwater Open Farm and 12 more within 40 km
One place to visit is mapped within 5 km of Blackwater; with it, the best known within 40 km.
Visitor farmVisitor farmBlackwater Open Farm1.3 km outside town, to the southeast
CathedralSt Aidan's Cathedral16 km northwest
CastleEnniscorthy Castle16 km northwest
GardenWells House & Gardens9.5 km north
Abbey or priorySelskar Abbey14 km southwest
CastleBargy Castle26 km south
CathedralSt Aidan's Cathedral16 km northwestCastleEnniscorthy Castle16 km northwestGardenWells House & Gardens9.5 km northAbbey or priorySelskar Abbey14 km southwestCastleBargy Castle26 km southPlaces: 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 (5)
- St Aidan's Cathedral: 瑞丽江的河水, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Enniscorthy Castle: MikeWest Wexford, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Wells House & Gardens: Wikidee123, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Selskar Abbey: Andreas F. Borchert, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Bargy Castle: David Hawgood, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Blackwater
15pages on Blackwater
The big questions
Out and about
Landmarks
Blackwater’s built heritage counts 9 inventory entries, each of regional standing.
Famous people from around Blackwater
One notable person was born in Blackwater; with them, the best known born in the towns around it.
M
Michael CashIrish stonemason · 1833–1880
C
Colm TóibínIrish novelist and writer (born 1955) · born in Enniscorthy
Photo credits
John Banville: Jindřich Nosek (NoJin), CC BY-SA 4.0 · Eoin Colfer: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Dan O'Herlihy: Cleary, Strauss and Irwin, public relations., Public domain · Eileen Gray: Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain
Blackwater’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Boundaries: Tailte Éireann, CSO Urban Areas 2022 and Electoral Divisions.
CastlebridgeWexfordEnniscorthyFernsBlackwater
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackwater | 485 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Castlebridge | 1,850 | 9.1 | — | B− | A− | C |
| Wexford | 21,524 | 15 | C | B | D | D |
| Enniscorthy | 12,310 | 16 | D | A− | C− | D |
| Ferns | 1,317 | 19 | — | B | B | C |
People: CSO, Census 2022. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Blackwater
Is Blackwater growing?
Blackwater had 485 people at the 2022 census, up from 419 in 2016: 15.8% more, against 7.6% in the median of Irish towns.
How old are the people of Blackwater?
The median age in Blackwater is 44.9, against 37.6 in the median of Irish towns.
About Blackwater
Urban area in Co. Wexford
485 people live in Blackwater, in the area of Wexford 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
- 485 (CSO, Census 2022)
- County
- Wexford
- Council
- Wexford County Council
- Local electoral area
- Kilmuckridge
- Dáil constituency
- Wexford
- Name in Irish
- An Abhainn Dubh
- Area
- 0.4 sq mi (0.9 km²)
- CSO code
- UA:14588
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).