Blessington’s story
Blessington: 27 buildings on the National Inventory
The record adds 19 archaeological sites.
Homes built before 1919: 1%, against 3% across Irish towns.
- 1675Saint Mary's Church (Blessington)
- 1780T. Dempsey
- 1780W. Twyford
BlessingtonCo. Wicklow
The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage lists 27 of its buildings. The town has 5,611 residents and lies in Co. Wicklow.
6 places within 19 kmMap →
Photo: P L Chadwick · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
5,611
CSO, Census 2022 · Wicklow County Council
Median age
37.6
10% are 65+ · Co. Wicklow 14%
Degree level
32%
of residents 15+ · Irish towns 36%
Walk, cycle, transit
13%
of working residents · Irish towns 23%
TownGrade
C+
#186 of 320
Is Blessington a good place to live?
Where it falls short is walkability (C−) — 13% of commuters walk, cycle or take the bus or train, against 23% in the typical Irish town. Housing is expensive: the median home sold for €440,000, 6.3 times the town’s median household income. Households here earn well (B): 69% of working-age residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 7%. The overall grade comes out at C+, #186 of 320 Irish towns. Nationally, it does better than 42% of Irish towns. Its remaining grades are unremarkable: B− for safety and B for health.
Figures: work, commuting and health, CSO Census 2022 · prices, Property Price Register, 2023 to 2025 · incomes, CSO · crime, CSO recorded crime, 2023 to 2025.
WeakestC−Walkability
What makes Blessington stand out
The 2 things Blessington does most differently from other towns.
How Blessington grades
Each subject compares Blessington with Irish towns of 2,500 or more, ordered by how far it is from the middle. Towns in other countries are graded separately.
WalkabilityBased on walking, cycling and transit to everyday placesC−Open →Hazard riskMore exposed to natural hazards than mostCOpen →Cost of livingBehind most towns comparedCOpen →Jobs & income69% of 15-to-64s in work; 7% unemployedBOpen →HealthBased on how healthy residents are for their agesBOpen →Safety4.1 violent crimes per 1,000 residents; 5.5 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 Blessington.
Schools
Irish-medium schooling is strong around Blessington: 17% of schools, above Co. Wicklow’s towns and Irish towns
Pupil numbers changed +8% since 2019/20, below Co. Wicklow’s towns (+12%) but above Irish towns (+4%). 6 schools lie within 3 km of Blessington: 5 primary schools and 1 secondary school. Blessington Community College is the nearest secondary school, 0.2 km away.
6schools within 3 km
| School | Level | Pupils | Ethos |
|---|---|---|---|
| S.N. Mhuire Senior SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 296 | Catholic |
| Blessington Community CollegeLargest post-primary schoolPost-primary · ETB | Post-primary · ETB | 737 | Multi-denominational |
| Gaelscoil na Lochanna GaelscoilTeaches through IrishPrimary | Primary | 151 | Inter-denominational |
Schools by ethos · Schools within 3 km
Catholic2
Multi-denominational2
Church of Ireland1
Inter-denominational1
| Schools within 3 km | Blessington | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the DEIS scheme | 0% | 23% | 35% |
| Teach through Irish | 17% | 8% | 8% |
| Single-sex secondaries | 0% | 13% | 39% |
| Pupils since 2019/20 | +8% | +12% | +4% |
1,711
pupils at schools within 3 km, 2025/26
+8%
pupils since 2019/20 · Irish towns +4%
0.8 km
to the nearest primary school
0.2 km
to the nearest secondary school
Department of Education school lists, 2025/26 (preliminary) · no results are published by school · Letters and results are missing here for a reason: Ireland publishes neither school by school.
Natural hazardsHazard risk C
Radon is the hazard to know in Blessington: 100% of homes sit in high-radon areas, more than in Co. Wicklow’s towns and across Irish towns
The EPA estimates that 11% of homes in Blessington are above the radon reference level. Landslides: none of Blessington lies in a high-susceptibility zone. Its homes mostly stand clear of low ground by water.
100%of homes in high-radon areasCHazard risk Grade
Homes exposed · share of the town’s homes
Low-lying beside water0%
In high-radon areas100%
On high landslide susceptibility0%
Low-lying near a river0%
Low-lying near the coast0%
| Share of homes | Blessington | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| In high-radon areas | 100% | 0% | 0% |
| On high landslide susceptibility | 0% | 0.5% | 0% |
11%
of homes over the radon level
1,524
homes mapped for these shares
EPA radon map, GSI landslide susceptibility and our low-lying homes estimate from OPW LiDAR.
HousingCost of living C
Blessington is graded a C for cost of living
10% of households rent from a council or housing body. A buyer in Blessington paid 61% more for a typical home in 2025 than in 2010: €385K against €239K. Home ownership stands at 71% of households.
€440Kmedian sale priceCCost of living Grade
Median sale price · Property Price Register, 2023–2025
Blessington€440K
Co. Wicklow€430K
Irish towns€350K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| New homes | €465,000 | 128 |
| Second-hand homes | €365,000 | 235 |
| The last 12 months | €420,500 | 84 |
| Housing | Blessington | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households in social housing | 10% | 14% | 13% |
| Median sale price | €440K | €430K | €350K |
| Households owning their home | 71% | 71% | 61% |
| Households renting privately | 18% | 14% | 22% |
71%
own their home · Irish towns 61%
18%
rent privately · Irish towns 22%
€1,610
a month on new tenancies, Blessington
6.9
times median household income, County Wicklow
Property Price Register · CSO residential prices by Eircode area · RTB rents · CSO, Census 2022 tenure
Work & commuteJobs & income B
Fewer people in Blessington are out of work than in Co. Wicklow’s towns or across Irish towns: 7.2%
76% of commuters drove, above Co. Wicklow’s towns (72%) and Irish towns (66%) alike. A trip to work takes 31.6 min on average. Income per household averages €69,341 a year, before tax.
13%walk, cycle or take transit
How working residents got to work · census 2022
Car or van76%
Walk7%
Bus5%
Bicycle1%
Train, DART or Luas1%
| Census 2022 | Blessington | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate | 7.2% | 9.1% | 9.2% |
| Median household income | €69,341 | €64,254 | €57,760 |
| Average trip | 31.6 min | 31.3 min | 27.6 min |
| Trips under 15 minutes | 35% | 37% | 31% |
€69,341
median household income, 2022 · Co. Wicklow €64,077
14%
trips of an hour or more
4,688
on the Live Register, County Wicklow, September 2026
C−
Walkability: better than 24% 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.
Climate
Winter nights bite in Blessington: January lows of 1.2°C, colder than Co. Wicklow’s towns or Irish towns
Day and night, summer and winter, Blessington averages 9.1°C. Here July highs average 19.2°C, below both Co. Wicklow’s towns (19.7°C) and Irish towns (19.9°C). The town gets 988 mm of rain a year.
19.2°CJuly afternoon high
Average afternoon highs by season · 1991–2020 averages
Winter7.6°C
Spring12.3°C
Summer18.6°C
Autumn13.2°C
| Climate, 1991–2020 | Blessington | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 1.2°C | 3.4°C | 2.9°C |
| Average temperature over the year | 9.1°C | 10.6°C | 10.3°C |
| July high | 19.2°C | 19.7°C | 19.9°C |
| Rain a year | 988 mm | 969 mm | 937 mm |
19.2°C
July high
1.2°C
January low
988 mm
Rain a year
110 mm
Wettest month
36
Air frosts
1,397 hrs
Sunshine
Met Éireann, 1991–2020 averages.
Outdoors
Woodland runs close to Blessington: 10% of the land within 1 km, more than in Co. Wicklow’s towns and across Irish towns
A short walk to green space: nearly three in five homes, below Co. Wicklow’s towns (80%) and Irish towns (92%) alike. Protected nature near Blessington includes Poulaphouca Reservoir SPA. The town has 2 parks, with 6 ha of green space in all.
59%of homes near green space
Green space per 1,000 residents · per 1,000 residents
Blessington1.1 ha
Co. Wicklow1.8 ha
Irish towns4.1 ha
| Outdoors | Blessington | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodland within 1 km | 10% | 5.3% | 2.7% |
| Near a park | 59% | 80% | 92% |
| Sea within 5 km | 0% | 34% | 0% |
| Paths per km² of town | 1.4 km per km² | 1.1 km per km² | 2.1 km per km² |
59%
Near a park
1.1 ha
Green space
19 km
Footpaths
1.9%
Protected for nature
OpenStreetMap parks and paths, NPWS protected sites and the National Trails Register.
Who lives here
Children make up 24% of Blessington, above Co. Wicklow’s towns and Irish towns
9.7% of residents are 65 or over, below both Co. Wicklow’s towns (14%) and Irish towns (14%). Overseas births account for 18% of the people living here. The share aged 15 to 24 is 13%.
37.6median age
BlessingtonCo. WicklowIreland
Ages · share of residents
13%
Highest education · residents 15 and older who have finished education
Primary or none8%
Lower secondary15%
Leaving Cert39%
Diploma or cert7%
Degree or higher32%
Women and men · all residents
Women make up 50.8% of Blessington
2,850 women and 2,761 men live here; across Ireland, women are 50.6%.
| Blessington | Co. Wicklow | Ireland | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 24% | 22% | 20% |
| 15–24 | 13% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 26% | 26% | 29% |
| 45–64 | 27% | 26% | 24% |
| 65+ | 9.7% | 14% | 14% |
| Primary or none | 7.5% | 11% | 9.7% |
| Lower secondary | 15% | 15% | 14% |
| Leaving Cert | 39% | 36% | 35% |
| Diploma or cert | 6.9% | 6.5% | 5.8% |
| Degree or higher | 32% | 34% | 36% |
CSO, Census 2022 · Co. Wicklow and Ireland: the median of their towns of 2,500+
Town hall
Turnout in Wicklow was among the highest at the 2024 general election
Local elections drew 55% of voters to the polls last time. Blessington is split between local electoral areas: 91% of its residents are in Baltinglass, most of the rest in Naas (Kildare County). At the general election 68% voted, near Co. Wicklow’s towns (68%) and higher than Irish towns (59%). With 10 of 32 seats, Independent are the largest group on Wicklow County Council, short of the 17 a majority needs.
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 | Blessington | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| General election, November 2024 | 68% | 68% | 59% |
| Local elections, June 2024 | 55% | 54% | 46% |
6
Councillors
10/32
Independent seats on Wicklow County, the largest party
55%
turnout, June 2024
4
TDs elected for Wicklow
Department of Housing count sheets, 2024
History
Blessington counts 27 buildings on the architectural inventory
Homes from before 1919 make up 1.3% of the total, lower than both Co. Wicklow’s towns (5.6%) and Irish towns (3.4%). 19 recorded monuments and archaeological sites lie in and around the town. Blessington has 48 inventory buildings for every 10,000 residents.
27inventory buildings
Buildings by NIAH rating · NIAH
International0
National0
Regional27
Among them
19
sites on the Sites and Monuments Record
1675
earliest dated inventory building
1%
homes built before 1919 · Irish towns 3%
2
places pictured on the history page
| Heritage | Blessington | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1919 | 1.3% | 5.6% | 3.4% |
| Archaeological sites on the record | 19 | 13 | 11 |
| Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents | 48 | 57 | 48 |
NIAH, the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage · Sites and Monuments Record · CSO, Census 2022 homes by year built
HealthHealth B
Fewer people in Blessington live with a disability than in Co. Wicklow’s towns or across Irish towns: 21%
90% of Blessington’s residents described their health as good or very good at the census, above Co. Wicklow’s towns (89%) and Irish towns (88%) alike. Weighed against its ages, disability in the town runs at 106 per 100 expected. Poor health, by residents’ own account, affects 1.7% of the town.
90%good or very good healthBHealth Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 90%Fair 8%Bad or very bad 2%
| Census 2022 | Blessington | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| With a disability | 21% | 24% | 22% |
| Good or very good health | 90% | 89% | 88% |
| Bad or very bad health | 1.7% | 1.9% | 2% |
| Unpaid carers | 5.6% | 5.5% | 5.4% |
106
disability per 100 expected · Co. Wicklow 112
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
SafetySafety B−
Recorded crime per resident in Blessington fell 22% from 2016 to 2025
Damage to property topped the graded crimes in Blessington (2023–2025). Among the 201 Irish towns of 2,500 to 10,000 people, Blessington has less crime per resident than 64% of them. The overall crime rate is 30.5 per 1,000 residents a year.
4.1violent incidents per 1,000 a yearB−Safety Grade
Compared with towns its sizeFewer incidents against residents per 1,000 than 64% of the 201 Irish towns of 2,500 to 10,000 people: about the middle for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Recorded by type · per 1,000 residents a year, 2023–2025
Theft8.2
Road traffic5.2
Dangerous acts4
Damage3.7
Assault3.4
Public order1.9
Burglary1.8
Drugs0.9
Weapons0.6
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 | Blessington | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| All recorded crime | 30.5 | 33.6 | 54.3 |
| Burglary & damage | 5.5 | 4.6 | 6.4 |
| Violent crime | 4.1 | 3.5 | 5.7 |
| Theft | 8.2 | 8.6 | 15.3 |
4.1
violent incidents per 1,000 a year
5.5
burglary and damage per 1,000 a year
325
incidents a year, Blessington Garda area
9.6
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 →Downshire Gallery and 3 more in and around Blessington
Castles, abbeys, gardens, museums and days out in and near Blessington. Best known first.
Art galleryArt galleryDownshire Galleryin town
Historic houseRussborough House and Parklands2.4 km outside town, to the southwest
CastleThreecastles Castle2.5 km outside town, to the northeastAttractionAttractionNational Bird of Prey Centre2.5 km outside town, to the southwest
Historic houseRussborough House and Parklands2.4 km outside town, to the southwestCastleThreecastles Castle2.5 km outside town, to the northeastAttractionAttractionNational Bird of Prey Centre2.5 km outside town, to the 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 (2)
- Russborough House and Parklands: Ramón, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Threecastles Castle: Hamish Bain, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Blessington
15pages on Blessington
The big questions
Out and about
Landmarks
The national inventory of architectural heritage lists 27 buildings in Blessington, each rated of regional importance. 19 archaeological sites are on the record here.
Famous people from Blessington
3 notable people were born in Blessington.
E
Edward Ernest BowenEnglish schoolmaster, songwriter and cricketer (1836–1901)Photo credits
Ninette de Valois: Rob Croes for Anefo, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Louise Quinn: Anders Henrikson, CC BY 2.0
Blessington’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Boundaries: Tailte Éireann, CSO Urban Areas 2022 and Electoral Divisions.
JohnstownKillNaasSallinsRathcooleSaggartBlessington
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blessington | 5,611 | — | C+ | C | B− | B |
| Johnstown Kildare | 1,320 | 8.9 | — | B− | B | A− |
| Kill Kildare | 3,818 | 9.2 | B+ | C+ | B | A |
| Naas Kildare | 26,180 | 10 | A− | C+ | B | A |
| Sallins Kildare | 6,269 | 13 | A | B+ | B | B+ |
| Rathcoole Dublin | 5,792 | 13 | A− | C+ | C+ | A− |
| Saggart Dublin | 4,573 | 14 | B | C+ | C+ | B+ |
People: CSO, Census 2022. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Blessington
How old are the people of Blessington?
The median age in Blessington is 37.6, against 37.6 in the median of Irish towns.
Is Blessington growing?
Blessington had 5,611 people at the 2022 census, up from 5,460 in 2016: 2.8% more, against 7.6% in the median of Irish towns.
About Blessington
Urban area in Co. Wicklow
Blessington has 5,611 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)
- Population
- 5,611 (CSO, Census 2022)
- County
- Wicklow
- Council
- Wicklow County Council
- Local electoral area
- Baltinglass
- Dáil constituency
- Wicklow
- Name in Irish
- Baile Coimín
- Area
- 0.7 sq mi (1.8 km²)
- CSO code
- UA:15395
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).