Bree’s story
Bree: 1 building on the National Inventory
The record adds 2 archaeological sites.
Homes built before 1919: 7%, against 3% across Irish towns.
- 1835Catholic Church of the Assumption
BreeCo. Wexford
This town in Co. Wexford has a population of 316. It grew by 9% between the 2016 and 2022 censuses.
Population
316
CSO, Census 2022 · Wexford County Council
Median age
38.8
14% are 65+ · Co. Wexford 15%
Degree level
25%
of residents 15+ · Irish towns 36%
Walk, cycle, transit
7%
of working residents · Irish towns 23%
Is Bree a good place to live?
Prices run to a median €266,600, 4.3 times local household income. On the way to work, 7% walk, cycle or take the bus or train. A degree is held by 25% of adults. Homes here sold for a median €266,600 over 2023 to 2025.
With fewer than 1,000 residents, Bree falls below the line for grades among Irish towns.
What makes Bree stand out
The 3 things Bree does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
7% walk, cycle or ride
The median of Irish towns: 23%
CSO, Census 2022
Degree or higher, residents 15+
Education
The median of Irish towns: 36%
CSO, Census 2022
Median sale price
Housing
28% 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 Bree.
Schools
The nearest secondary school to Bree is 5.6 km away
DEIS, the support scheme, covers 50% of them, above both Co. Wexford’s towns (44%) and Irish towns (35%). 2 schools lie within 3 km of Bree: 2 primary schools.
2schools within 3 km
| School | Level | Pupils | Ethos |
|---|---|---|---|
| S.N. Seosamh NfaLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 227 | Catholic |
| S.N. Mhuire DEISIn the DEIS schemePrimary | Primary | 19 | Catholic |
| Schools within 3 km | Bree | Co. Wexford | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teach through Irish | 0% | 6% | 8% |
| Pupils since 2019/20 | −1% | +5% | +4% |
| In the DEIS scheme | 50% | 44% | 35% |
246
pupils at schools within 3 km, 2025/26
−1%
pupils since 2019/20 · Irish towns +4%
0 km
to the nearest primary school
5.6 km
to the nearest secondary school
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.
Natural hazards
About 12% of Bree’s homes are estimated to hold more radon than the reference level allows
Radon: 100% of homes are in high-radon areas, above Co. Wexford’s towns (93%) and Irish towns (0%) alike. No part of Bree is mapped as high landslide susceptibility. Low ground by water holds almost none of its homes.
100%of homes in high-radon areas
Homes exposed · share of the town’s homes
In high-radon areas100%
On high landslide susceptibility0%
| Share of homes | Bree | Co. Wexford | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| In high-radon areas | 100% | 93% | 0% |
| On high landslide susceptibility | 0% | 0.9% | 0% |
12%
of homes over the radon level
137
homes mapped for these shares
EPA radon map, GSI landslide susceptibility and our low-lying homes estimate from OPW LiDAR.
Climate
Bree has warmer summers than Co. Wexford’s towns or Irish towns: July afternoons reach 20.1°C
1,065 mm of rain falls in a year, about level with Co. Wexford’s towns (1,026 mm) and above Irish towns (937 mm). January nights in Bree drop to 2.8°C on average. The nearest weather station is Johnstown Castle, 17 km away.
20.1°CJuly afternoon high
Average afternoon highs by season · 1991–2020 averages
Winter9.0°C
Spring13.2°C
Summer19.5°C
Autumn14.4°C
| Climate, 1991–2020 | Bree | Co. Wexford | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 20.1°C | 19.8°C | 19.9°C |
| Rain a year | 1,065 mm | 1,026 mm | 937 mm |
| January low | 2.8°C | 3.0°C | 2.9°C |
20.1°C
July high
2.8°C
January low
1,065 mm
Rain a year
120 mm
Wettest month
14
Air frosts
Met Éireann, 1991–2020 averages.
Health
For its ages, fewer people in Bree live with a disability than in Co. Wexford’s towns or Irish towns: 77 per 100 expected
At the census, 90% of people in Bree called their health good or very good, above both Co. Wexford’s towns (85%) and Irish towns (88%). Weighed against its ages, bad health locally runs at 95 per 100 expected. 16% of residents in Bree live with a disability.
90%good or very good health
Per 100 expected at the town’s ages · age-standardised
Bad health95
Disability77
Co. Wexford145
Expected100
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 90%Fair 9%Bad or very bad 2%
| Census 2022 | Bree | Co. Wexford | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| With a disability | 16% | 26% | 22% |
| Unpaid carers | 7.3% | 5.6% | 5.4% |
| Good or very good health | 90% | 85% | 88% |
| Bad or very bad health | 1.7% | 2.7% | 2% |
95
bad health per 100 expected · Co. Wexford 145
77
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
Few households rent privately in Bree: 5%, fewer than in Co. Wexford’s towns and Irish towns
Owners make up 79% of households, above Co. Wexford’s towns (60%) and Irish towns (61%) alike. 14% of households rent from a council or housing body.
€267Kmedian sale price
Median sale price · Eircode area, 2023–2025
Bree€267K
Co. Wexford€250K
Irish towns€350K
| Housing | Bree | Co. Wexford | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households renting privately | 5% | 22% | 22% |
| Households owning their home | 79% | 60% | 61% |
| Median sale price | €267K | €250K | €350K |
| Households in social housing | 14% | 17% | 13% |
79%
own their home · Irish towns 61%
5%
rent privately · Irish towns 22%
€1,179
a month on new tenancies, County Wexford
Property Price Register · CSO residential prices by Eircode area · RTB rents · CSO, Census 2022 tenure · The price is for the postcode area Y21, not the town alone: too few sales inside the town carry a full address.
Outdoors
More woodland lies at the edge of Bree than Co. Wexford’s towns or Irish towns: 13% of the land within 1 km
Green space comes to 7.8 ha per 1,000 people in Bree, above Co. Wexford’s towns (2.3 ha) and Irish towns (4.1 ha) alike. For just over half of homes, green space is under 400 m away. Also worth knowing: this Co. Wexford town has a single park, with 2 ha of green space in all.
51%of homes near green space
Green space per 1,000 residents · per 1,000 residents
Bree7.8 ha
Co. Wexford2.3 ha
Irish towns4.1 ha
| Outdoors | Bree | Co. Wexford | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Near a park | 51% | 83% | 92% |
| Woodland within 1 km | 13% | 6.9% | 2.7% |
| Protected nature within 5 km | 4.7% | 2.1% | 1.8% |
| Green space per 1,000 residents | 7.8 ha | 2.3 ha | 4.1 ha |
51%
Near a park
7.8 ha
Green space
8 km
Footpaths
4.7%
Protected for nature
OpenStreetMap parks and paths, NPWS protected sites and the National Trails Register.
Weather
Bree’s weather today: cloudy, with a high of 11 degrees
A typical November day reaches 11°C and drops to 5°C at night: the forecast for Bree is set against that. Today stays dry but breezy, with wind up to 30 km/h and a low of 9°C. In December, the normal shifts to highs of 9°C and lows of 3°C.
11°C / 9°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 | 3°C | 295 mm |
| Spring | 13°C | 5°C | 212 mm |
| Summer | 20°C | 11°C | 238 mm |
| Autumn | 14°C | 7°C | 320 mm |
11°C / 9°C
Today
None
Rain, next 24 hours
21 km/h
Wind
84%
Humidity
9 h 23 min
Daylight
Forecast: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · normals: Met Éireann, 1991–2020
Work & commute
Fewer commuters in Bree walk, cycle or take the bus or train than in Co. Wexford’s towns or Irish towns: 7.1%
30% of trips took under 15 minutes, below Co. Wexford’s towns (44%) and close to Irish towns (31%). Driving is how 82% of commuters got to work at the census. Of working-age residents (15 to 64), 70% were employed at the census.
7%walk, cycle or take transit
How working residents got to work · census 2022
Car or van82%
Walk4%
Bicycle1%
Bus1%
Train, DART or Luas1%
| Census 2022 | Bree | Co. Wexford | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| In work, 15 to 64 | 70% | 61% | 68% |
| Unemployment rate | 9.4% | 15% | 9.2% |
| Average trip | 29.5 min | 25.2 min | 27.6 min |
| Median household income | €62,140 | €44,117 | €57,760 |
€62,140
household income, 2022 estimate · Co. Wexford €51,437
11%
worked mainly from home, 2022
11%
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
Irish is an everyday language in Bree: 1.7% speak it daily, above Co. Wexford
13% were born abroad, lower than both Co. Wexford’s towns (21%) and Irish towns (22%). Young adults of 15 to 24 account for 13% of the town. Those 65 and older account for 14% of residents.
38.8median age
BreeCo. WexfordIreland
Ages · share of residents
13%
Highest education · residents 15 and older who have finished education
Primary or none11%
Lower secondary16%
Leaving Cert44%
Diploma or cert5%
Degree or higher25%
Women and men · all residents
Women make up 51.3% of Bree
162 women and 154 men live here; across Ireland, women are 50.6%.
| Bree | Co. Wexford | Ireland | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 21% | 21% | 20% |
| 15–24 | 13% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 25% | 28% | 29% |
| 45–64 | 27% | 25% | 24% |
| 65+ | 14% | 15% | 14% |
| Primary or none | 11% | 13% | 9.7% |
| Lower secondary | 16% | 18% | 14% |
| Leaving Cert | 44% | 40% | 35% |
| Diploma or cert | 4.5% | 6% | 5.8% |
| Degree or higher | 25% | 22% | 36% |
CSO, Census 2022 · Co. Wexford and Ireland: the median of their towns of 2,500+
Town hall
Wexford County Council runs on one of the smallest budgets per resident of any council
At the general election 62% voted, about level with Co. Wexford’s towns (62%) and above Irish towns (59%). There is just one council for Bree, Wexford County Council: Ireland has only one tier of local government. Local election turnout came to 50%.
11/34seats held by Independent
Seats on Wexford County · June 2024
Independent11
Fianna Fáil9
Fine Gael8
Sinn Féin3
Labour Party2
Aontú1
| Turnout | Bree | Co. Wexford | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local elections, June 2024 | 50% | 52% | 46% |
| General election, November 2024 | 62% | 62% | 59% |
6
Councillors
11/34
Independent seats on Wexford County, the largest party
50%
turnout, June 2024
4
TDs elected for Wexford
Department of Housing count sheets, 2024
History
Bree has one building on the national inventory
For its size, Bree has 32 inventory buildings per 10,000 residents, lower than both Co. Wexford’s towns (216) and Irish towns (48). 2 recorded monuments and archaeological sites lie in and around the town. 7.2% of homes date from before 1919.
1inventory buildings
Buildings by NIAH rating · NIAH
International0
National0
Regional1
Among them
2
sites on the Sites and Monuments Record
1835
earliest dated inventory building
7%
homes built before 1919 · Irish towns 3%
| Heritage | Bree | Co. Wexford | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents | 32 | 216 | 48 |
| Archaeological sites on the record | 2 | 28 | 11 |
| Homes built before 1919 | 7.2% | 8% | 3.4% |
NIAH, the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage · Sites and Monuments Record · CSO, Census 2022 homes by year built
Nearby attractions
All attractions →St Aidan's Cathedral and 11 more within 40 km
Nothing to visit is mapped within 5 km of Bree; these are the best known within 40 km.
CathedralSt Aidan's Cathedral8.1 km north
CastleEnniscorthy Castle8 km north
Abbey or priory · Office of Public WorksTintern Abbey27 km southwest
CastleBallymoon Castle36 km northwest
Garden · Office of Public WorksThe John F. Kennedy Arboretum26 km southwest
CathedralCathedral of the Most Holy Trinity, Waterford39 km southwestPlaces: 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 (6)
- 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
- Tintern Abbey: Audrius Janecka, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Ballymoon Castle: Poleary91, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- The John F. Kennedy Arboretum: Dr Charles Nelson, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity, Waterford: Merlante, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Bree
15pages on Bree
The big questions
Out and about
Famous people from around Bree
One notable person was born in Bree; with them, the best known born in the towns around it.
P
Paul KehoeIrish Fine Gael politician · born 1973
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
Bree’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Boundaries: Tailte Éireann, CSO Urban Areas 2022 and Electoral Divisions.
EnniscorthyCastlebridgeWexfordFernsBree
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bree | 316 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Enniscorthy | 12,310 | 8.2 | D | A− | C− | D |
| Castlebridge | 1,850 | 12 | — | B− | A− | C |
| Wexford | 21,524 | 14 | C | B | D | D |
| Ferns | 1,317 | 19 | — | B | B | C |
People: CSO, Census 2022. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Bree
How do people in Bree get to work?
11% mostly work from home, and 30% of journeys take under 15 minutes.
Is Bree growing?
Bree had 316 people at the 2022 census, up from 289 in 2016: 9.3% more, against 7.6% in the median of Irish towns.
Is Bree a young town or an old one?
The median age in Bree is 38.8, against 37.6 in the median of Irish towns.
About Bree
Urban area in Co. Wexford
Bree has 316 people, 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
- 316 (CSO, Census 2022)
- County
- Wexford
- Council
- Wexford County Council
- Local electoral area
- Enniscorthy
- Dáil constituency
- Wexford
- Name in Irish
- Brí
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.4 km²)
- CSO code
- UA:14609
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).