Rosslare’s story
Rosslare: 10 buildings on the National Inventory
The record adds 1 archaeological site.
Homes built before 1919: 4%, against 3% across Irish towns.
- 1825Convent of Mercy
- 1825Rosslare Cottage
- 1880Bridge, Rosslare
RosslareCo. Wexford
Its heritage includes 10 buildings on the national inventory. 1,795 people call this town in Co. Wexford home.
3 places within 19 kmMap →
Photo: Chris Gorringe · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,795
CSO, Census 2022 · Wexford County Council
Median age
45.2
24% are 65+ · Co. Wexford 15%
Degree level
34%
of residents 15+ · Irish towns 36%
Walk, cycle, transit
12%
of working residents · Irish towns 23%
Is Rosslare a good place to live?
Health outcomes beat most towns (B): 98 residents in bad health and 111 with a disability for every 100 its ages predict. It is hard to get around without a car. 12% of commuters walk, cycle or take the bus or train (the typical Irish town: 23%). Buying the median home, at €316,500, takes 6.9 times the town’s median household income. The rest of its grades are middling: B− for safety, B− for jobs & income and B− for hazard risk.
Figures: health, commuting and work, CSO Census 2022 · prices, Property Price Register, 2023 to 2025 · incomes, CSO · crime, CSO recorded crime, 2023 to 2025 · radon, EPA. With fewer than 2,500 residents, Rosslare gets subject grades but no overall one among Irish towns.
Health less sure: few enough residents report bad health that the town's figure could be well above or below its true level.
WeakestDWalkability
What makes Rosslare stand out
The 3 things Rosslare does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
12% walk, cycle or ride
Against 23% in the median of Irish towns
CSO, Census 2022
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
24% are 65 or over
Against 14% in the median of Irish towns
CSO, Census 2022
Own outright
Housing
44% own outright
Against 32% in the median of Irish towns
CSO, Census 2022
How Rosslare grades
Each subject compares Rosslare with Irish towns of 2,500 or more, ordered by how far it is from the middle. Towns in other countries are graded separately.
WalkabilityAmong the hardest places to get around without a carDOpen →HealthGraded on how healthy residents areBOpen →Cost of livingAbout average among the towns comparedB−Open →Jobs & income8% unemployedB−Open →Hazard risk0.6% of homes above the radon reference levelB−Open →Safety6.4 burglaries and acts of criminal damage per 1,000 residentsB−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 Rosslare.
Schools
More schools around Rosslare are in DEIS, the support scheme, than in Co. Wexford’s towns or across Irish towns: 100%
Pupil numbers changed −17% since 2019/20, lower than both Co. Wexford’s towns (+5%) and Irish towns (+4%). Families in Rosslare have 3 schools within 3 km to choose from: 3 primary schools.
3schools within 3 km
| School | Level | Pupils | Ethos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kilrane N.S. DEISLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 292 | Catholic |
| S.N. Clochar Mhuire DEISIn the DEIS schemePrimary | Primary | 156 | Catholic |
| Schools within 3 km | Rosslare | Co. Wexford | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the DEIS scheme | 100% | 44% | 35% |
| Pupils since 2019/20 | −17% | +5% | +4% |
| Teach through Irish | 0% | 6% | 8% |
512
pupils at schools within 3 km, 2025/26
−17%
pupils since 2019/20 · Irish towns +4%
1.5 km
to the nearest primary school
8.7 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.
Climate
Rosslare has milder winters than Co. Wexford’s towns or Irish towns: January lows of 4.2°C
In July, daytime highs in Rosslare average 19.1°C. The year’s mean temperature is 10.8°C, above Co. Wexford’s towns (10.4°C) and Irish towns (10.3°C) alike. This Co. Wexford town gets 906 mm of rain a year.
19.1°CJuly afternoon high
Average afternoon highs by season · 1991–2020 averages
Winter9.3°C
Spring12.4°C
Summer18.6°C
Autumn14.3°C
| Climate, 1991–2020 | Rosslare | Co. Wexford | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 4.2°C | 3.0°C | 2.9°C |
| July high | 19.1°C | 19.8°C | 19.9°C |
| Average temperature over the year | 10.8°C | 10.4°C | 10.3°C |
| Rain a year | 906 mm | 1,026 mm | 937 mm |
19.1°C
July high
4.2°C
January low
906 mm
Rain a year
106 mm
Wettest month
14
Air frosts
Met Éireann, 1991–2020 averages.
Outdoors
Fewer homes in Rosslare sit near green space: 62% within 400 m, below Co. Wexford’s towns and Irish towns
Within 1 km, 6.8% of the land is woodland, near Co. Wexford’s towns (6.9%) and higher than Irish towns (2.7%). Protected nature near Rosslare includes Seas off Wexford cSPA. One park, 3 ha of green space: that is the measure of the town’s parkland.
62%of homes near green space
Green space per 1,000 residents · per 1,000 residents
Rosslare1.5 ha
Co. Wexford2.3 ha
Irish towns4.1 ha
| Outdoors | Rosslare | Co. Wexford | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sea within 5 km | 42% | 3.4% | 0% |
| Protected nature within 5 km | 11% | 2.1% | 1.8% |
| Near a park | 62% | 83% | 92% |
| Woodland within 1 km | 6.8% | 6.9% | 2.7% |
62%
Near a park
1.5 ha
Green space
14 km
Footpaths
11%
Protected for nature
OpenStreetMap parks and paths, NPWS protected sites and the National Trails Register.
Weather
Weather in Rosslare: cloudy today, up to 12 degrees
A dry day with a stiff breeze lies ahead today: wind building to 36 km/h, then a low of 10°C. The heaviest rain of the week is due on Tuesday, around 3 mm. Rosslare’s November average makes a useful yardstick: afternoons reach 11°C, nights fall to 6°C.
12°C / 10°CToday
This month and the next three, normal highs · 1991–2020 averages
November11°C
December10°C
January9°C
February9°C
| Season | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 9°C | 4°C | 249 mm |
| Spring | 12°C | 7°C | 176 mm |
| Summer | 19°C | 12°C | 198 mm |
| Autumn | 14°C | 9°C | 283 mm |
12°C / 10°C
Today
1.3 mm
Rain, next 24 hours
35 km/h
Wind
67%
Humidity
9 h 24 min
Daylight
Forecast: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · normals: Met Éireann, 1991–2020
Who lives here
Rosslare skews older, with 24% of residents 65 or over, more than Co. Wexford’s towns or Irish towns
Daily Irish speakers outside school: 1.1%, above Co. Wexford’s towns (0.7%) and close to Irish towns (1.1%). Young adults of 15 to 24 are a tenth of the population. 17% of the people living here were born in another country.
45.2median age
RosslareCo. WexfordIreland
Ages · share of residents
24%
Highest education · residents 15 and older who have finished education
Primary or none8%
Lower secondary14%
Leaving Cert39%
Diploma or cert6%
Degree or higher34%
Women and men · all residents
Women make up 53.7% of Rosslare
964 women and 831 men live here; across Ireland, women are 50.6%.
| Rosslare | Co. Wexford | Ireland | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 19% | 21% | 20% |
| 15–24 | 10% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 20% | 28% | 29% |
| 45–64 | 26% | 25% | 24% |
| 65+ | 24% | 15% | 14% |
| Primary or none | 7.5% | 13% | 9.7% |
| Lower secondary | 14% | 18% | 14% |
| Leaving Cert | 39% | 40% | 35% |
| Diploma or cert | 5.5% | 6% | 5.8% |
| Degree or higher | 34% | 22% | 36% |
CSO, Census 2022 · Co. Wexford and Ireland: the median of their towns of 2,500+
Town hall
Rosslare turns out to vote: 56% at the last local elections, above Co. Wexford’s towns and Irish towns
Wexford County Council runs Rosslare: Ireland has one tier of local government, with no town council below it. At the general election 62% voted, about level with Co. Wexford’s towns (62%) and above Irish towns (59%). There is no majority on Wexford County Council; Independent have the most seats, 11 of 34, short of 18.
11/34seats held by Independent
Seats on Wexford County · June 2024
Independent11
Fianna Fáil9
Fine Gael8
Sinn Féin3
Labour Party2
Aontú1
| Turnout | Rosslare | Co. Wexford | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local elections, June 2024 | 56% | 52% | 46% |
| General election, November 2024 | 62% | 62% | 59% |
5
Councillors
11/34
Independent seats on Wexford County, the largest party
56%
turnout, June 2024
4
TDs elected for Wexford
Department of Housing count sheets, 2024
History
Rosslare has 56 inventory buildings per 10,000 residents (Co. Wexford towns 216, Irish towns 48)
The ground here holds 1 recorded archaeological sites. 3.5% of its homes were built before 1919, about level with Irish towns (3.4%) and below Co. Wexford’s towns (8%). Surveyors for the national inventory recorded 10 buildings in Rosslare, each of regional importance. Archaeologists have recorded one site here.
10inventory buildings
Buildings by NIAH rating · NIAH
International0
National0
Regional10
Among them
1
sites on the Sites and Monuments Record
1825
earliest dated inventory building
4%
homes built before 1919 · Irish towns 3%
1
places pictured on the history page
| Heritage | Rosslare | Co. Wexford | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents | 56 | 216 | 48 |
| Archaeological sites on the record | 1 | 28 | 11 |
| Homes built before 1919 | 3.5% | 8% | 3.4% |
NIAH, the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage · Sites and Monuments Record · CSO, Census 2022 homes by year built
HealthHealth B
88% of people in Rosslare say their health is good or very good, against 85% in Co. Wexford’s towns and 88% in Irish towns
Unpaid carers make up 6.4% of residents, higher than both Co. Wexford’s towns (5.6%) and Irish towns (5.4%). A disability affects 27% of people in Rosslare. Weighed against its ages, disability in the town runs at 111 per 100 expected.
88%good or very good healthBHealth Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 88%Fair 9%Bad or very bad 2%
Per 100 expected at the town’s ages · age-standardised
Bad health98
Disability111
Co. Wexford145
Expected100
| Census 2022 | Rosslare | Co. Wexford | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unpaid carers | 6.4% | 5.6% | 5.4% |
| With a disability | 27% | 26% | 22% |
| Good or very good health | 88% | 85% | 88% |
| Bad or very bad health | 2.3% | 2.7% | 2% |
98
bad health per 100 expected · Co. Wexford 145
111
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
HousingCost of living B−
Few households rent privately in Rosslare: 15%, fewer than in Co. Wexford’s towns and Irish towns
The social rented sector houses 18% of households. Nearly two thirds of households own their home, higher than both Co. Wexford’s towns (60%) and Irish towns (61%).
€317Kmedian sale priceB−Cost of living Grade
Median sale price · Property Price Register, 2023–2025
Rosslare€317K
Co. Wexford€250K
Irish towns€350K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Second-hand homes | €307,500 | 86 |
| The last 12 months | €375,000 | 31 |
| Housing | Rosslare | Co. Wexford | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households renting privately | 15% | 22% | 22% |
| Rent on a new tenancy, a month | €1,211 | €1,111 | €1,606 |
| Households in social housing | 18% | 17% | 13% |
| Households owning their home | 65% | 60% | 61% |
65%
own their home · Irish towns 61%
15%
rent privately · Irish towns 22%
€1,211
a month on new tenancies, Rosslare
6.2
times median household income, County Wexford
Property Price Register · CSO residential prices by Eircode area · RTB rents · CSO, Census 2022 tenure
Work & commuteJobs & income B−
Fewer people in Rosslare are out of work than in Co. Wexford’s towns or across Irish towns: 7.9%
Just over one in ten workers worked mainly from home, above Co. Wexford’s towns (7.8%) and close to Irish towns (11%). Of working-age residents (15 to 64), 68% were employed at the census. Average household income comes to €45,565 a year before tax.
12%walk, cycle or take transit
How working residents got to work · census 2022
Car or van76%
Walk8%
Train, DART or Luas2%
Bus2%
Bicycle1%
| Census 2022 | Rosslare | Co. Wexford | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate | 7.9% | 15% | 9.2% |
| In work, 15 to 64 | 68% | 61% | 68% |
| Trips under 15 minutes | 36% | 44% | 31% |
| Median household income | €45,565 | €44,117 | €57,760 |
€45,565
median household income, 2022 · Co. Wexford €51,437
11%
worked mainly from home, 2022
9%
trips of an hour or more
6,520
on the Live Register, County Wexford, September 2026
D
Walkability: better than 14% 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.
Natural hazardsHazard risk B−
the sea sets Rosslare apart: 35% of its homes stand low, more than in 90% of Irish towns
Rosslare’s nearest bathing water is Rosslare Strand, 0.6 km away, rated excellent in 2025. By estimate, fewer than one home in a hundred in the town has radon above the reference level. Landslides: none of Rosslare 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 water35%
In high-radon areas0%
On high landslide susceptibility0%
Low-lying near a river0%
Low-lying near the coast35%
| Share of homes | Rosslare | Co. Wexford | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low-lying near the coast | 35% | 0% | 0% |
| In high-radon areas | 0% | 93% | 0% |
| On high landslide susceptibility | 0% | 0.9% | 0% |
0.6%
of homes over the radon level
0.6 km
to Rosslare Strand bathing water (excellent)
1,663
homes mapped for these shares
EPA radon map, GSI landslide susceptibility and our low-lying homes estimate from OPW LiDAR.
SafetySafety B−
For recorded crime, Rosslare sits in the middle of Irish towns
Violence came to 3.8 per 1,000 residents a year, below Co. Wexford’s towns (7.9) and Irish towns (5.7) alike. All told, 29.2 crimes per 1,000 residents are recorded each year. For its size, Rosslare records more crime per resident than 82% of the 156 Irish towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people.
3.8violent incidents per 1,000 a yearB−Safety Grade
Compared with towns its sizeFewer incidents against residents per 1,000 than 18% of the 156 Irish towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people: more crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Recorded by type · per 1,000 residents a year, 2023–2025
Dangerous acts7.5
Road traffic4.1
Damage3.8
Theft3.2
Assault3.1
Public order3
Burglary2.6
Against justice0.7
Weapons0.4
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 | Rosslare | Co. Wexford | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| All recorded crime | 29.2 | 65.4 | 54.3 |
| Violent crime | 3.8 | 7.9 | 5.7 |
| Theft | 3.2 | 12.6 | 15.3 |
| Burglary & damage | 6.4 | 7.8 | 6.4 |
3.8
violent incidents per 1,000 a year
6.4
burglary and damage per 1,000 a year
119
incidents a year, Rosslare Strand Garda area
10.2
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
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Rosslare Harbour Maritime Heritage Centre and 12 more within 40 km
One place to visit is mapped within 5 km of Rosslare; with it, the best known within 40 km.
MuseumMuseumRosslare Harbour Maritime Heritage Centre2.6 km outside town, to the southeast
CastleBargy Castle8.7 km southwest
CastleRathmacknee Castle6.8 km west
CastleJohnstown Castle8.3 km west
CathedralSt Aidan's Cathedral29 km northwest
Abbey or priorySelskar Abbey9.5 km northwest
CastleBargy Castle8.7 km southwestCastleRathmacknee Castle6.8 km westCastleJohnstown Castle8.3 km westCathedralSt Aidan's Cathedral29 km northwestAbbey or priorySelskar Abbey9.5 km northwestPlaces: 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)
- Bargy Castle: David Hawgood, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Rathmacknee Castle: Mike Searle, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Johnstown Castle: David Hawgood, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- St Aidan's Cathedral: 瑞丽江的河水, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Selskar Abbey: Andreas F. Borchert, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Rosslare
15pages on Rosslare
The big questions
Out and about
Landmarks
Surveyors for the national inventory recorded 10 buildings in Rosslare, each of regional importance. Archaeologists have recorded one site here.
Famous people from around Rosslare
2 notable people were born in Rosslare; with them, the best known born in the towns around it.
L
Liam GriffinIrish hurler · born 1945R
Rod GuineyIrish hurler · born 1970
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 · Robert John McClure: unknown, from The Discovery of the North-West Passage by H.M.S. « Investigator » Capt. R. M'Clure, 1850, 1851, 1852, 1853, 1854 , Robert McClure, Londres, Longman, Brown, Green, Longman, & Roberts, 18, Public domain
Rosslare’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Boundaries: Tailte Éireann, CSO Urban Areas 2022 and Electoral Divisions.
Rosslare HarbourWexfordCastlebridgeRosslare
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rosslare | 1,795 | — | — | B− | B− | B |
| Rosslare Harbour | 2,247 | 4.5 | — | B+ | A− | C |
| Wexford | 21,524 | 9 | C | B | D | D |
| Castlebridge | 1,850 | 13 | — | B− | A− | C |
People: CSO, Census 2022. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Rosslare
How old are the people of Rosslare?
The median age in Rosslare is 45.2, against 37.6 in the median of Irish towns.
Is Rosslare growing?
Rosslare had 1,795 people at the 2022 census, up from 1,697 in 2016: 5.8% more, against 7.6% in the median of Irish towns.
About Rosslare
Urban area in Co. Wexford
1,795 people live in Rosslare, 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
- 1,795 (CSO, Census 2022)
- County
- Wexford
- Council
- Wexford County Council
- Local electoral area
- Rosslare
- Dáil constituency
- Wexford
- Name in Irish
- Ros Láir
- Area
- 1.1 sq mi (2.7 km²)
- CSO code
- UA:14591
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).