Avoca’s story
Avoca: 8 buildings on the National Inventory
7% of its homes were built before 1919, against 3% in the median of Irish towns.
- 1820House, Avoca
- 1830Ballyarthur House (gate lodge)
- 1850Holy Trinity Church (Castlemacadam)
AvocaCo. Wicklow
Some 757 people live in this town, in Co. Wicklow.
6 places within 19 kmMap →
Photo: Sue Mischyshyn · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
757
CSO, Census 2022 · Wicklow County Council
Median age
43.2
16% are 65+ · Co. Wicklow 14%
Degree level
27%
of residents 15+ · Irish towns 36%
Walk, cycle, transit
11%
of working residents · Irish towns 23%
Is Avoca a good place to live?
Set against the median household income, the median home, at €390,000, costs 6.5 times as much. Walking, cycling and public transport carry 11% of commuters.
Grades start at 1,000 residents for Irish towns, so Avoca has none.
What makes Avoca stand out
The one thing Avoca does most differently from other towns.
Avoca’s American namesakes
Four U.S. towns are named after Avoca. The oldest, Avoca, Wisconsin, was settled in 1857.
USUS edition
Wisconsin, USAAvocaSettled in 1857 · 547 people
Avoca, Wisconsin, settled in 1857, takes its name from this village.
Avoca, Co. Wicklow5,990 km · Avoca, WI
People547757 here
Typical home$140,000€287,000 here
Settled1857
Also named after Avoca:Avoca, PA2,551Avoca, AR545Avoca, MN105
Named after: each U.S. town’s Wikipedia article. Grades compare each town with towns in its own country, so they aren’t a head-to-head.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Avoca.
Schools
Pupil numbers around Avoca moved −7% since 2019, below Co. Wicklow’s towns and Irish towns
Within 3 km of Avoca there is one school. Pupils at the school within 3 km of the town: 172.
1schools within 3 km
| School | Level | Pupils | Ethos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Padraig Naofa N.S. Special classesLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 172 | Catholic |
| Schools within 3 km | Avoca | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils since 2019/20 | −7% | +12% | +4% |
| Teach through Irish | 0% | 9% | 8% |
| In the DEIS scheme | 0% | 20% | 35% |
172
pupils at schools within 3 km, 2025/26
−7%
pupils since 2019/20 · Irish towns +4%
0.5 km
to the nearest primary school
6.7 km
to the nearest secondary school
Department of Education school lists, 2025/26 (preliminary) · no results are published by school · No letters, no results: Irish schools aren’t ranked one by one.
Natural hazards
More homes in Avoca stand on ground prone to landslides than in Co. Wicklow’s towns or Irish towns: 11%
Low-lying near a river: 10% of homes, higher than both Co. Wicklow’s towns (0%) and Irish towns (0.5%). In Avoca, an estimated 6.3% of homes exceed the radon reference level.
23%of homes in high-radon areas
Homes exposed · share of the town’s homes
Low-lying beside water10%
In high-radon areas23%
On high landslide susceptibility11%
Low-lying near a river10%
Low-lying near the coast0%
| Share of homes | Avoca | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| On high landslide susceptibility | 11% | 0.4% | 0% |
| In high-radon areas | 23% | 0% | 0% |
| Low-lying near a river | 10% | 0% | 0.5% |
6.3%
of homes over the radon level
11 km
to Brittas Bay South bathing water (excellent)
243
homes mapped for these shares
EPA radon map, GSI landslide susceptibility and our low-lying homes estimate from OPW LiDAR.
Climate
Avoca is wetter than Co. Wicklow’s towns or Irish towns: 1,151 mm of rain a year
Across the year, Avoca averages 10.2°C. A January night in Avoca drops to 2.7°C on average, lower than both Co. Wicklow’s towns (3.3°C) and Irish towns (2.9°C). November is the wettest month here, with 138 mm of rain on average.
19.7°CJuly afternoon high
Average afternoon highs by season · 1991–2020 averages
Winter8.8°C
Spring12.8°C
Summer19.1°C
Autumn14.1°C
| Climate, 1991–2020 | Avoca | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rain a year | 1,151 mm | 988 mm | 937 mm |
| January low | 2.7°C | 3.3°C | 2.9°C |
| Average temperature over the year | 10.2°C | 10.5°C | 10.3°C |
| July high | 19.7°C | 19.7°C | 19.9°C |
19.7°C
July high
2.7°C
January low
1,151 mm
Rain a year
138 mm
Wettest month
Met Éireann, 1991–2020 averages.
Health
Bad health is more common in Avoca than in Co. Wicklow’s towns or across Irish towns: 2.7% of residents
Ages taken into account, Avoca counts 134 people in poor health for every 100 predicted. Unpaid carers make up 6.3% of residents, above Co. Wicklow’s towns (5.6%) and Irish towns (5.4%) alike. A disability affects nearly a quarter of people here.
89%good or very good health
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 89%Fair 8%Bad or very bad 3%
| Census 2022 | Avoca | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bad or very bad health | 2.7% | 1.8% | 2% |
| Unpaid carers | 6.3% | 5.6% | 5.4% |
| With a disability | 24% | 24% | 22% |
| Good or very good health | 89% | 90% | 88% |
134
bad health per 100 expected · Co. Wicklow 111
108
disability per 100 expected · Co. Wicklow 111
84 · 80.3
life expectancy, women · men, the Mid-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
Social housing is more common in Avoca than in Co. Wicklow’s towns or across Irish towns, at 27% of households
Private renters make up 6% of households, below both Co. Wicklow’s towns (16%) and Irish towns (22%). Home ownership stands at 65% of households.
€390Kmedian sale price
Median sale price · Property Price Register, 2023–2025
Avoca€390K
Co. Wicklow€440K
Irish towns€350K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Second-hand homes | €395,000 | 40 |
| Housing | Avoca | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households in social housing | 27% | 14% | 13% |
| Households renting privately | 6% | 16% | 22% |
| Median sale price | €390K | €440K | €350K |
| Households owning their home | 65% | 71% | 61% |
65%
own their home · Irish towns 61%
6%
rent privately · Irish towns 22%
€1,730
a month on new tenancies, County Wicklow
Property Price Register · CSO residential prices by Eircode area · RTB rents · CSO, Census 2022 tenure
Outdoors
More woodland lies at the edge of Avoca than Co. Wicklow’s towns or Irish towns: 17% of the land within 1 km
Its paths and tracks come to 0.1 km per km², below Co. Wicklow’s towns (1.2 km per km²) and Irish towns (2.1 km per km²) alike. 100% of homes are a short walk (400 m) from green space. Every 1,000 residents of Avoca share 1.5 ha of green space.
100%of homes near green space
Green space per 1,000 residents · per 1,000 residents
Avoca1.5 ha
Co. Wicklow1.5 ha
Irish towns4.1 ha
| Outdoors | Avoca | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodland within 1 km | 17% | 5.7% | 2.7% |
| Near a park | 100% | 75% | 92% |
| Sea within 5 km | 0% | 34% | 0% |
| Paths per km² of town | 0.1 km per km² | 1.2 km per km² | 2.1 km per km² |
100%
Near a park
1.5 ha
Green space
1 km
Footpaths
17%
Woodland
OpenStreetMap parks and paths, NPWS protected sites and the National Trails Register.
Weather
Up to 11 degrees in Avoca today, light showers
Plan indoor things for Tuesday, when about 14 mm of rain is forecast. What counts as normal for Avoca in November: highs come to 11°C and lows to 5°C. Around 1 mm of rain is due today, on a breeze of up to 36 km/h, with a low of 10°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 | 3°C | 328 mm |
| Spring | 13°C | 5°C | 236 mm |
| Summer | 19°C | 11°C | 231 mm |
| Autumn | 14°C | 7°C | 357 mm |
11°C / 10°C
Today
0.9 mm
Rain, next 24 hours
32 km/h
Wind
83%
Humidity
9 h 21 min
Daylight
Forecast: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · normals: Met Éireann, 1991–2020
Work & commute
Trips to work from Avoca take longer than from Co. Wicklow’s towns or Irish towns: 33.5 min on average
Employment among 15- to 64-year-olds stood at 65% at the census. Unemployment stood at 11%, above Co. Wicklow’s towns (8.9%) and Irish towns (9.2%) alike. The car carried just over three quarters of commuters at the census.
11%walk, cycle or take transit
How working residents got to work · census 2022
Car or van76%
Walk8%
Bus1%
Train, DART or Luas1%
Bicycle0%
| Census 2022 | Avoca | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 33.5 min | 31.6 min | 27.6 min |
| In work, 15 to 64 | 65% | 69% | 68% |
| Unemployment rate | 11% | 8.9% | 9.2% |
| Trips under 15 minutes | 30% | 36% | 31% |
€59,560
household income, 2022 estimate · Co. Wicklow €64,077
16%
trips of an hour or more
4,688
on the Live Register, County Wicklow, 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
Fewer children live in Avoca than in Co. Wicklow’s towns or Irish towns: 17% are under 15
Degrees are held by 27% of adults, below Co. Wicklow’s towns (32%) and Irish towns (36%) alike. Young adults of 15 to 24 account for 14% of the town. Those 65 and older account for 16% of residents.
43.2median age
AvocaCo. WicklowIreland
Ages · share of residents
16%
Highest education · residents 15 and older who have finished education
Primary or none13%
Lower secondary21%
Leaving Cert35%
Diploma or cert5%
Degree or higher27%
Women and men · all residents
48.1% of Avoca’s residents are women
364 women and 393 men live here; across Ireland, women are 50.6%.
| Avoca | Co. Wicklow | Ireland | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 17% | 24% | 20% |
| 15–24 | 14% | 13% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 22% | 26% | 29% |
| 45–64 | 31% | 26% | 24% |
| 65+ | 16% | 14% | 14% |
| Primary or none | 13% | 10% | 9.7% |
| Lower secondary | 21% | 15% | 14% |
| Leaving Cert | 35% | 36% | 35% |
| Diploma or cert | 4.9% | 6.5% | 5.8% |
| Degree or higher | 27% | 32% | 36% |
CSO, Census 2022 · Co. Wicklow and Ireland: the median of their towns of 2,500+
Town hall
Wicklow County Council runs on one of the smallest budgets per resident of any council
One council serves Avoca: Wicklow County Council. Just over three in five voters cast a ballot at the general election. Turnout at the last local elections was 54%, about level with Co. Wicklow’s towns (54%) and above Irish towns (46%). There is no majority on Wicklow County Council; Independent have the most seats, 10 of 32, short of 17.
10/32seats held by Independent
Seats on Wicklow County · June 2024
Independent10
Fine Gael9
Fianna Fáil4
Social Democrats3
Sinn Féin2
Green Party2
Labour Party1
Independent Ireland1
| Turnout | Avoca | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| General election, November 2024 | 61% | 68% | 59% |
| Local elections, June 2024 | 54% | 54% | 46% |
6
Councillors
10/32
Independent seats on Wicklow County, the largest party
54%
turnout, June 2024
3
TDs elected for Wicklow-Wexford
Department of Housing count sheets, 2024
History
For its size, Avoca has more listed heritage than Co. Wicklow’s towns or Irish towns: 106 inventory buildings per 10,000 residents
Homes from before 1919 make up 7% of the total, above Co. Wicklow’s towns (5.5%) and Irish towns (3.4%) alike. 8 of Avoca’s buildings made the national inventory of architectural heritage, all at regional importance.
8inventory buildings
Buildings by NIAH rating · NIAH
International0
National0
Regional8
Among them
0
sites on the Sites and Monuments Record
1820
earliest dated inventory building
7%
homes built before 1919 · Irish towns 3%
2
places pictured on the history page
| Heritage | Avoca | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents | 106 | 54 | 48 |
| Archaeological sites on the record | 0 | 14 | 11 |
| Homes built before 1919 | 7% | 5.5% | 3.4% |
NIAH, the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage · Sites and Monuments Record · CSO, Census 2022 homes by year built
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Glendalough and 11 more within 40 km
Nothing to visit is mapped within 5 km of Avoca; these are the best known within 40 km.
Abbey or prioryGlendalough19 km northwest
National parkWicklow Mountains National Park22 km northwest
Garden · Office of Public WorksNational Botanic Gardens - Kilmacurragh9.4 km northeast
CastleBallyloughan Castle38 km west
Historic houseRussborough House and Parklands40 km northwest
MuseumArklow Maritime Museum7.6 km southeastPlaces: 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)
- Glendalough: Schcambo at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Wicklow Mountains National Park: Joe King, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- National Botanic Gardens - Kilmacurragh: Darrendirl, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Ballyloughan Castle: VisionsofthePast, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Russborough House and Parklands: Ramón, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Arklow Maritime Museum: Kevweb07, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Avoca
15pages on Avoca
The big questions
Out and about
Landmarks
8 of Avoca’s buildings made the national inventory of architectural heritage, all at regional importance.
Famous people from around Avoca
One notable person was born in Avoca; with them, the best known born in the towns around it.
O
Oliver ByrneIrish mathematician, engineer and writer (1810–1880)
L
Lara GillespieIrish sport cyclist · born in Wicklow · born 2001F
Frank RobinsonField hockey player · born in Rathdrum · 1886–1949Photo credits
Róisín Murphy: The British Library, CC BY 3.0 · Paul McShane: Michael Kranewitter, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Ron Delany: United Press, Public domain
Avoca’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Boundaries: Tailte Éireann, CSO Urban Areas 2022 and Electoral Divisions.
ArklowAughrimRathdrumRathnewWicklowTinahelyAvoca
Questions about Avoca
Is Avoca growing?
Avoca had 757 people at the 2022 census, up from 741 in 2016: 2.2% more, against 7.6% in the median of Irish towns.
How old are the people of Avoca?
The median age in Avoca is 43.2, against 37.6 in the median of Irish towns.
About Avoca
Urban area in Co. Wicklow
757 people live in Avoca, in the area of Wicklow 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
- 757 (CSO, Census 2022)
- County
- Wicklow
- Council
- Wicklow County Council
- Local electoral area
- Arklow
- Dáil constituency
- Wicklow-Wexford
- Name in Irish
- Abhóca
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi (0.9 km²)
- CSO code
- UA:15382
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).