Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Some 2,611 people live in this town, in Co. Wicklow. It grew by 11% between the 2016 and 2022 censuses.
Real strengths, and real weak spots. The weak point is jobs & income (D−): 63% of people aged 15 to 64 are in work, and unemployment is 12%. Where it does best is safety: 4 burglaries and acts of criminal damage per 1,000 residents a year, and 2.5 violent crimes. It takes 6 years of the median household income to buy the median home, at €310,000. Overall, that makes a C+, better than 38% of Irish towns. Its place in the ranking is #7 of 9 in Co. Wicklow. Getting around depends on the car. 12% of commuters walk, cycle or take the bus or train (the typical Irish town: 23%).
Figures: crime, CSO recorded crime, 2023 to 2025 · work and commuting, CSO Census 2022 · prices, Property Price Register, 2023 to 2025 · incomes, CSO.
Health less sure: few enough residents report bad health that the town's figure could be well above or below its true level.
The 3 things Baltinglass does most differently from other towns.
Each subject compares Baltinglass with Irish towns of 2,500 or more, ordered by how far it is from the middle. Towns in other countries are graded separately.
How TownRatings grades Irish towns →
11 archaeological sites are on the record here too.
6% of its homes were built before 1919, against 3% in the median of Irish towns.
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Baltinglass.
The car took 80% of commuters, higher than both Co. Wicklow’s towns (72%) and Irish towns (66%). Getting to work takes 34.5 min on average. Average household income comes to €51,922 a year before tax.
| Census 2022 | Baltinglass | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 34.5 min | 31.2 min | 27.6 min |
| Unemployment rate | 12% | 8.5% | 9.2% |
| In work, 15 to 64 | 63% | 69% | 68% |
| Trips under 15 minutes | 41% | 35% | 31% |
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.
Every year, 25.2 crimes are recorded per 1,000 residents. More of the graded crimes in Baltinglass were damage to property than anything else (2023–2025). Thefts came to 3.6 per 1,000 a year (not part of the grade), below both Co. Wicklow’s towns (9.3) and Irish towns (15.3).
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 | Baltinglass | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 2.5 | 3.9 | 5.7 |
| Theft | 3.6 | 9.3 | 15.3 |
| Burglary & damage | 4 | 4.7 | 6.4 |
| All recorded crime | 25.2 | 33.6 | 54.3 |
CSO recorded crime by Garda station, 2023–2025, shared to towns by where residents live · Census 2022 populations
0.9% of homes stand on ground with high landslide susceptibility, higher than both Co. Wicklow’s towns (0.3%) and Irish towns (0%). Next to none of its homes lie low beside a river or the sea.
| Share of homes | Baltinglass | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| In high-radon areas | 100% | 0% | 0% |
| On high landslide susceptibility | 0.9% | 0.3% | 0% |
EPA radon map, GSI landslide susceptibility and our low-lying homes estimate from OPW LiDAR.
At the census, 87% of people in Baltinglass called their health good or very good, below Co. Wicklow’s towns (90%) and Irish towns (88%) alike. Baltinglass’ share in bad or very bad health, 2.6%, is the highest of the 9 towns in Co. Wicklow. Disability, age-adjusted: 109 for every 100 expected here.
| Census 2022 | Baltinglass | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bad or very bad health | 2.6% | 1.8% | 2% |
| Good or very good health | 87% | 90% | 88% |
| Unpaid carers | 5.2% | 5.6% | 5.4% |
| With a disability | 24% | 23% | 22% |
CSO, Census 2022 general health, disability and carers · CSO life expectancy by region, 2016 · HSE medical cards, 2024 · TownRatings age-standardised ratios
Owners make up 60% of households. Baltinglass is the second cheapest of the 9 towns in Co. Wicklow, at €310,000. Private renters make up 16% of households, higher than Co. Wicklow’s towns (14%) yet lower than Irish towns (22%).
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| New homes | €355,000 | 49 |
| Second-hand homes | €270,000 | 99 |
| The last 12 months | €340,000 | 79 |
| Housing | Baltinglass | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households in social housing | 22% | 13% | 13% |
| Median sale price | €310K | €440K | €350K |
| Households owning their home | 60% | 72% | 61% |
| Households renting privately | 16% | 14% | 22% |
Property Price Register · CSO residential prices by Eircode area · RTB rents · CSO, Census 2022 tenure
The annual mean in Baltinglass is 9.7°C. A year brings 1,035 mm of rain, above both Co. Wicklow’s towns (965 mm) and Irish towns (937 mm). This Co. Wicklow town is 0.2°C warmer over the year than in 1981–2010.
| Climate, 1991–2020 | Baltinglass | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 1.9°C | 3.4°C | 2.9°C |
| Average temperature over the year | 9.7°C | 10.6°C | 10.3°C |
| Rain a year | 1,035 mm | 965 mm | 937 mm |
| July high | 19.9°C | 19.7°C | 19.9°C |
Met Éireann, 1991–2020 averages.
Within 5 km, 0.5% of the land is protected nature, below both Co. Wicklow’s towns (4.1%) and Irish towns (1.8%). Protected nature near Baltinglass includes Slaney River Valley SAC. There are 1.4 ha of green space for every 1,000 people here.
| Outdoors | Baltinglass | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Near a park | 64% | 80% | 92% |
| Sea within 5 km | 0% | 34% | 0% |
| Woodland within 1 km | 4.9% | 7.8% | 2.7% |
| Paths per km² of town | 0.2 km per km² | 1.3 km per km² | 2.1 km per km² |
OpenStreetMap parks and paths, NPWS protected sites and the National Trails Register.
Afternoon temperatures for the rest of the week run from 8°C at the low end to 11°C on Thursday. Baltinglass’ forecast, set beside its normal weather: in November a typical day reaches 10°C, and nights drop to 4°C. Today stays dry but breezy, with wind up to 26 km/h and a low of 6°C.
| Season | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 8°C | 2°C | 277 mm |
| Spring | 13°C | 5°C | 211 mm |
| Summer | 19°C | 11°C | 237 mm |
| Autumn | 14°C | 6°C | 311 mm |
Forecast: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · normals: Met Éireann, 1991–2020
20% are under 15, below Co. Wicklow’s towns (24%) and close to Irish towns (20%). The share aged 15 to 24 is 14%. Born abroad: 18% of residents.
50.7% of Baltinglass’ residents are women
1,325 women and 1,286 men live here; across Ireland, women are 50.6%.
| Baltinglass | Co. Wicklow | Ireland | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 20% | 24% | 20% |
| 15–24 | 14% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 26% | 26% | 29% |
| 45–64 | 26% | 26% | 24% |
| 65+ | 14% | 13% | 14% |
| Primary or none | 14% | 9.2% | 9.7% |
| Lower secondary | 18% | 14% | 14% |
| Leaving Cert | 37% | 36% | 35% |
| Diploma or cert | 6.6% | 6.5% | 5.8% |
| Degree or higher | 24% | 34% | 36% |
CSO, Census 2022 · Co. Wicklow and Ireland: the median of their towns of 2,500+
Wicklow County Council is the council for Baltinglass, and the only one: Ireland has a single tier of local government. 68% voted at the general election. Turnout at the last local elections was 55%, near Co. Wicklow’s towns (54%) and higher than Irish towns (46%). Independent lead Wicklow County Council with 10 of 32 seats, but no party has a majority: 17 are needed.
| Turnout | Baltinglass | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| General election, November 2024 | 68% | 68% | 59% |
| Local elections, June 2024 | 55% | 54% | 46% |
Department of Housing count sheets, 2024
5.9% of its homes were built before 1919, higher than both Co. Wicklow’s towns (4.3%) and Irish towns (3.4%). 11 archaeological sites are on the record, about level with Irish towns (11) and below Co. Wicklow’s towns (17). 38 of Baltinglass’ buildings made the national inventory of architectural heritage, all at regional importance.
| Heritage | Baltinglass | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents | 146 | 51 | 48 |
| Homes built before 1919 | 5.9% | 4.3% | 3.4% |
NIAH, the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage · Sites and Monuments Record · CSO, Census 2022 homes by year built
Within 3 km of Baltinglass there are 3 schools (2 primary schools and 1 secondary school). The nearest secondary, Scoil Chonglais, is 0.2 km away.
| School | Level | Pupils | Ethos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scoil Naomh Iosaf Special classesLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 393 | Catholic |
| Scoil ChonglaisLargest post-primary schoolPost-primary · ETB | Post-primary · ETB | 452 | Multi-denominational |
| Schools within 3 km | Baltinglass | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teach through Irish | 0% | 9% | 8% |
| In the DEIS scheme | 0% | 23% | 35% |
| Single-sex secondaries | 0% | 13% | 39% |
| Pupils since 2019/20 | −1% | +12% | +4% |
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.
Castles, abbeys, gardens, museums and days out in and near Baltinglass. Best known first.
Abbey or prioryBaltinglass Abbey100 m outside town, to the northwest
CastleHumewood Castle4.9 km outside town, to the southeastPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
38 of Baltinglass’ buildings made the national inventory of architectural heritage, all at regional importance. The national record lists 11 archaeological sites in and around the town.
9 notable people were born in Baltinglass.
Jennie Wyse Power: Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain · John Thomond O'Brien: Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baltinglass | 2,611 | — | C+ | B | A− | C |
| Rathvilly Carlow | 1,074 | 6.2 | — | B− | A+ | B |
| Castledermot Kildare | 1,685 | 9.9 | — | A− | B | C+ |
| Dunlavin | 1,074 | 14 | — | C | A− | B |
| Tullow Carlow | 5,138 | 15 | C− | B | C+ | D |
| Carlow Carlow | 27,351 | 19 | C− | B | C+ | D |
People: CSO, Census 2022. Distances: centre to centre.
Baltinglass had 2,611 people at the 2022 census, up from 2,345 in 2016: 11.3% more, against 7.6% in the median of Irish towns.
8% mostly work from home, and 41% of journeys take under 15 minutes.
The median age in Baltinglass is 38.2, against 37.6 in the median of Irish towns. 20% of residents are under 15 and 14% are 65 or over.
Urban area in Co. Wicklow
Baltinglass has 2,611 people, 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)
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).