Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
11% of people here were born outside Ireland. 1,233 people call this town in Co. Wicklow home.
Homes are affordable: the median sale, €237,500, comes to 5.3 times what the median household here earns. Its weakest is jobs & income (D−): jobs reach 58% of 15 to 64s, and unemployment is 15%. It also trails on walkability. 14% of commuters walk, cycle or take the bus or train (the typical Irish town: 23%).
Figures: prices, Property Price Register, 2023 to 2025 · incomes, CSO · work and commuting, CSO Census 2022. Irish towns get an overall grade from 2,500 residents, so Carnew has subject grades only.
Rents for this town aren't published on their own, so its Cost Grade uses the county's average rent. Health less sure: few enough residents report bad health that the town's figure could be well above or below its true level. This town's Hazard risk Grade uses radon and landslides only: open LiDAR heights don't cover enough of its homes to measure flooding, so flood isn't counted for or against it.
The 3 things Carnew does most differently from other towns.
Each subject compares Carnew with Irish towns of 2,500 or more, ordered by how far it is from the middle. Towns in other countries are graded separately.
Irish towns get an overall grade from 2,500 residents, so Carnew has subject grades only.
How TownRatings grades Irish towns →
3 archaeological sites are on the record here too.
11% of its homes were built before 1919, against 3% in the median of Irish towns.
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Carnew.
Households had €45,140 a year before tax, below both Co. Wicklow’s towns (€64,387) and Irish towns (€57,760). Employment among 15- to 64-year-olds stood at 58% at the census. At the census, 7.3% of workers worked mainly from home.
| Census 2022 | Carnew | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate | 15% | 8.9% | 9.2% |
| In work, 15 to 64 | 58% | 69% | 68% |
| Trips under 15 minutes | 47% | 36% | 31% |
| Median household income | €45,140 | €64,387 | €57,760 |
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.
Radon: 100% of homes are in high-radon areas, higher than both Co. Wicklow’s towns (0%) and Irish towns (0%). 0.4% of homes stand on ground with high landslide susceptibility, about level with both Co. Wicklow’s towns (0.4%) and Irish towns (0%). Few of its homes stand low beside water.
| Share of homes | Carnew | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| In high-radon areas | 100% | 0% | 0% |
| On high landslide susceptibility | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0% |
EPA radon map, GSI landslide susceptibility and our low-lying homes estimate from OPW LiDAR.
Allowing for its ages, Carnew has 100 residents in bad health per 100 expected, below both Co. Wicklow’s towns (111) and Irish towns (113). 86% of people in Carnew rate their own health good or very good. A disability affects 30% of people in the town.
| Census 2022 | Carnew | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| With a disability | 30% | 24% | 22% |
| Good or very good health | 86% | 90% | 88% |
| Unpaid carers | 5.8% | 5.6% | 5.4% |
CSO, Census 2022 general health, disability and carers · CSO life expectancy by region, 2016 · HSE medical cards, 2024 · TownRatings age-standardised ratios
51% of households own their home, below Co. Wicklow’s towns (71%) and Irish towns (61%) alike. Private tenants account for 14% of households.
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Second-hand homes | €237,500 | 43 |
| Housing | Carnew | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households in social housing | 33% | 14% | 13% |
| Median sale price | €238K | €440K | €350K |
| Households owning their home | 51% | 71% | 61% |
| Households renting privately | 14% | 16% | 22% |
Property Price Register · CSO residential prices by Eircode area · RTB rents · CSO, Census 2022 tenure
Coláiste Bhríde Carnew is the nearest secondary school, 0.3 km away. 50% of the schools are in the DEIS scheme, higher than both Co. Wicklow’s towns (20%) and Irish towns (35%). Families in the town have 4 schools within 3 km to choose from: 3 primary schools and 1 secondary school.
| School | Level | Pupils | Ethos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carnew N.S. DEISLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 185 | Catholic |
| Coláiste Bhríde CarnewLargest post-primary schoolPost-primary · ETB | Post-primary · ETB | 836 | Multi-denominational |
| All Saints National School DEISIn the DEIS schemePrimary | Primary | 23 | Church of Ireland |
| Schools within 3 km | Carnew | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils since 2019/20 | −5% | +12% | +4% |
| Teach through Irish | 0% | 9% | 8% |
| In the DEIS scheme | 50% | 20% | 35% |
| Single-sex secondaries | 0% | 0% | 39% |
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.
The graded crime recorded most in Carnew was assaults and harassment (2023–2025). Burglary and damage come to 3.8 per 1,000 residents a year. In addition, every year, 29.9 crimes are recorded per 1,000 residents.
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 | Carnew | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burglary & damage | 3.8 | 4.6 | 6.4 |
| Theft | 4.1 | 8.2 | 15.3 |
| All recorded crime | 29.9 | 33.6 | 54.3 |
CSO recorded crime by Garda station, 2023–2025, shared to towns by where residents live · Census 2022 populations
The year’s mean temperature is 10.1°C, below both Co. Wicklow’s towns (10.5°C) and Irish towns (10.3°C). Summer highs in Carnew reach 20.1°C in July. The town gets 1,115 mm of rain a year.
| Climate, 1991–2020 | Carnew | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 2.3°C | 3.3°C | 2.9°C |
| Rain a year | 1,115 mm | 988 mm | 937 mm |
| July high | 20.1°C | 19.7°C | 19.9°C |
| Average temperature over the year | 10.1°C | 10.5°C | 10.3°C |
Met Éireann, 1991–2020 averages.
Within 400 m of green space: 71% of homes. Woodland covers 1.7% of the land within 1 km, below Co. Wicklow’s towns (5.7%) and Irish towns (2.7%) alike.
| Outdoors | Carnew | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sea within 5 km | 0% | 34% | 0% |
| Woodland within 1 km | 1.7% | 5.7% | 2.7% |
| Near a park | 71% | 75% | 92% |
| Paths per km² of town | 0.0 km per km² | 1.2 km per km² | 2.1 km per km² |
OpenStreetMap parks and paths, NPWS protected sites and the National Trails Register.
In a typical November, days climb to about 11°C and nights sink to 4°C, the yardstick for Carnew’s forecast. Expect little more than a sprinkle today, wind picking up to 28 km/h, and a low of 8°C. Plan indoor things for Tuesday, when about 10 mm of rain is forecast.
| Season | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 9°C | 2°C | 307 mm |
| Spring | 13°C | 5°C | 230 mm |
| Summer | 20°C | 11°C | 241 mm |
| Autumn | 14°C | 7°C | 338 mm |
Forecast: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · normals: Met Éireann, 1991–2020
15% of residents are 65 or over, above both Co. Wicklow’s towns (14%) and Irish towns (14%). Overseas births account for just over a tenth of the people living here. One measure of family life: 22% of residents are under 15.
51.0% of Carnew’s residents are women
629 women and 604 men live here; across Ireland, women are 50.6%.
| Carnew | Co. Wicklow | Ireland | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 22% | 24% | 20% |
| 15–24 | 12% | 13% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 23% | 26% | 29% |
| 45–64 | 28% | 26% | 24% |
| 65+ | 15% | 14% | 14% |
| Primary or none | 19% | 10% | 9.7% |
| Lower secondary | 21% | 15% | 14% |
| Leaving Cert | 38% | 36% | 35% |
| Diploma or cert | 5.1% | 6.5% | 5.8% |
| Degree or higher | 17% | 32% | 36% |
CSO, Census 2022 · Co. Wicklow and Ireland: the median of their towns of 2,500+
Turnout at the last local elections was 55%, about level with Co. Wicklow’s towns (54%) and above Irish towns (46%). Carnew is run by Wicklow County Council, its only council: Ireland has one tier of local government. The general election drew a turnout of 61%. Wicklow County Council has no ruling majority: Independent hold 10 of its 32 seats, short of the 17 needed.
| Turnout | Carnew | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| General election, November 2024 | 61% | 68% | 59% |
| Local elections, June 2024 | 55% | 54% | 46% |
Department of Housing count sheets, 2024
Homes from before 1919 make up just over a tenth of the total. 3 archaeological sites are on the record, below Co. Wicklow’s towns (14) and Irish towns (11) alike. Carnew’s built heritage counts 23 inventory entries, each of regional standing.
| Heritage | Carnew | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents | 187 | 54 | 48 |
| Homes built before 1919 | 10.9% | 5.5% | 3.4% |
| Archaeological sites on the record | 3 | 14 | 11 |
NIAH, the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage · Sites and Monuments Record · CSO, Census 2022 homes by year built
Nothing to visit is mapped within 5 km of Carnew; these are the best known within 40 km.
Abbey or prioryGlendalough35 km north
National parkWicklow Mountains National Park35 km north
CastleHuntington Castle and Gardens10 km west
CastleBallyloughan Castle23 km northwest
CastleBallymoon Castle28 km west
CastleCarlow Castle33 km northwestPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Carnew’s built heritage counts 23 inventory entries, each of regional standing. 3 recorded monuments and archaeological sites lie here.
2 notable people were born in Carnew; with them, the best known born in the towns around it.
Michael W. D'Arcy: Houses of the Oireachtas, CC BY 2.0 · Frederick Keppel: Frederick Keppel, photographer unknown., Public domain · Malcolm Byrne: Houses of the Oireachtas, CC BY 4.0
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Boundaries: Tailte Éireann, CSO Urban Areas 2022 and Electoral Divisions.
Carnew had 1,233 people at the 2022 census, up from 1,120 in 2016: 10.1% more, against 7.6% in the median of Irish towns.
The median age in Carnew is 39.6, against 37.6 in the median of Irish towns.
7% mostly work from home, and 47% of journeys take under 15 minutes.
Urban area in Co. Wicklow
1,233 people live in Carnew, 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).