Kilcoole’s story
Kilcoole: 1 building on the National Inventory
The record adds 14 archaeological sites.
Homes built before 1919: 2%, against 3% across Irish towns.
- 1820Saint Patrick's Convent
KilcooleCo. Wicklow
The population grew 13% between 2016 and 2022. Home to 4,569 people, this town lies in Co. Wicklow.
6 places within 19 kmMap →
Photo: 瑞丽江的河水 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
4,569
CSO, Census 2022 · Wicklow County Council
Median age
37.8
12% are 65+ · Co. Wicklow 14%
Degree level
35%
of residents 15+ · Irish towns 36%
Walk, cycle, transit
16%
of working residents · Irish towns 23%
TownGrade
B+
#111 of 320
Is Kilcoole a good place to live?
Kilcoole does the important things well, at a cost. On safety it is strong (A−): per 1,000 residents a year, gardaí record 2 violent crimes and 4.5 burglaries and acts of criminal damage. What holds it back is cost of living (D): prices run to a median €440,000, 6.3 times local household income. The overall grade comes out at B+, #2 of 9 in Co. Wicklow. That leaves it better than nearly two thirds of Irish towns.
Figures: crime, CSO recorded crime, 2023 to 2025 · prices, Property Price Register, 2023 to 2025 · incomes, CSO.
What makes Kilcoole stand out
The 3 things Kilcoole does most differently from other towns.
Median sale price
Housing
€533,200 median home
1.4 times the median of Irish towns, €372,600
Property Price Register, 2023 to 2025.
Cost of living
Cost of living
Behind 89%
of Irish towns on cost of living
Its cost of living grade: D.
Hazard risk
Hazard risk
Better than 85%
of Irish towns on hazard risk
Its hazard risk grade: A.
How Kilcoole grades
Each subject compares Kilcoole with Irish towns of 2,500 or more, ordered by how far it is from the middle. Towns in other countries are graded separately.
Cost of livingAmong the weakest of the towns comparedDOpen →Hazard risk1% of homes above the radon reference levelAOpen →Safety2 violent crimes per 1,000 residentsA−Open →Jobs & income70% of 15-to-64s in work; 7% unemployedB+Open →WalkabilityGraded on how easily people get around without a carB+Open →Health111 in bad health for every 100 its ages predict; 114 with a disability per 100 predictedC+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 Kilcoole.
Schools
Pupil numbers around Kilcoole grew +52% since 2019, above Co. Wicklow’s towns and Irish towns
Colaiste Chraobh Abhann is the nearest secondary school, 0.6 km away. Families in Kilcoole have 8 schools within 3 km to choose from: 5 primary schools, 2 secondary schools and 1 special school.
8schools within 3 km
| School | Level | Pupils | Ethos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kilcoole Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 553 | Catholic |
| Colaiste Chraobh AbhannLargest post-primary schoolPost-primary · ETB | Post-primary · ETB | 778 | Multi-denominational |
Schools by ethos · Schools within 3 km
Catholic2
Multi-denominational4
Church of Ireland2
| Schools within 3 km | Kilcoole | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils since 2019/20 | +52% | +10% | +4% |
| Teach through Irish | 0% | 9% | 8% |
| In the DEIS scheme | 0% | 23% | 35% |
| Single-sex secondaries | 0% | 13% | 39% |
3,046
pupils at schools within 3 km, 2025/26
+52%
pupils since 2019/20 · Irish towns +4%
0.7 km
to the nearest primary school
0.6 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.
HousingCost of living D
More households own their home in Kilcoole than in Co. Wicklow’s towns or across Irish towns: 79%
Rent averaged €1,929 a month, above Co. Wicklow’s towns (€1,617) and Irish towns (€1,606) alike. Private tenants account for 8% of households. The typical sale price in Kilcoole reached €483K in 2025, up 69% from €286K in 2010.
€440Kmedian sale priceDCost of living Grade
Median sale price · Property Price Register, 2023–2025
Kilcoole€440K
Co. Wicklow€430K
Irish towns€350K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Second-hand homes | €416,800 | 110 |
| The last 12 months | €550,000 | 44 |
| Housing | Kilcoole | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households owning their home | 79% | 70% | 61% |
| Households renting privately | 8% | 16% | 22% |
| Rent on a new tenancy, a month | €1,929 | €1,617 | €1,606 |
| Median sale price | €440K | €430K | €350K |
79%
own their home · Irish towns 61%
8%
rent privately · Irish towns 22%
€1,929
a month on new tenancies, Kilcoole
6.9
times median household income, County Wicklow
Property Price Register · CSO residential prices by Eircode area · RTB rents · CSO, Census 2022 tenure
Natural hazardsHazard risk A
Quiet on hazards: Kilcoole has low radon, steady ground and few homes beside big water
The closest place to swim from Kilcoole is Greystones South, 4.1 km away, rated excellent in 2025. Radon above the reference level: an estimated 1.1% of homes locally. Also worth knowing: 0.2% of homes stand on ground with high landslide susceptibility, in line with Co. Wicklow’s towns (0.5%) and Irish towns (0%).
0%of homes in high-radon areasAHazard risk Grade
Homes exposed · share of the town’s homes
Low-lying beside water0%
In high-radon areas0%
On high landslide susceptibility0.2%
Low-lying near a river0%
Low-lying near the coast0%
| Share of homes | Kilcoole | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| On high landslide susceptibility | 0.2% | 0.5% | 0% |
| In high-radon areas | 0% | 6.5% | 0% |
4.1 km
to Greystones South bathing water (excellent)
1,376
homes mapped for these shares
EPA radon map, GSI landslide susceptibility and our low-lying homes estimate from OPW LiDAR.
SafetySafety A−
For a town of its size, Kilcoole is quiet: less crime per resident than 89% of the 201 Irish towns of 2,500 to 10,000 people
Violent crime ran at 2 per 1,000 residents a year, below both Co. Wicklow’s towns (3.9) and Irish towns (5.7). Damage to property topped the graded crimes in Kilcoole (2023–2025). All told, 23.1 crimes per 1,000 residents are recorded each year.
2violent incidents per 1,000 a yearA−Safety Grade
Compared with towns its sizeFewer incidents against residents per 1,000 than 89% of the 201 Irish towns of 2,500 to 10,000 people: less crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Recorded by type · per 1,000 residents a year, 2023–2025
Theft10.3
Damage2.4
Burglary2
Road traffic2
Public order1.8
Assault1.6
Dangerous acts0.9
Drugs0.8
Against justice0.6
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 | Kilcoole | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 2 | 3.9 | 5.7 |
| All recorded crime | 23.1 | 33.6 | 54.3 |
| Burglary & damage | 4.5 | 4.7 | 6.4 |
2
violent incidents per 1,000 a year
4.5
burglary and damage per 1,000 a year
646
incidents a year, Greystones Garda area
6.4
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
Work & commuteJobs & income B+
More people in Kilcoole worked from home than in Co. Wicklow’s towns or Irish towns: 14%
Households had €70,252 a year before tax, higher than both Co. Wicklow’s towns (€64,254) and Irish towns (€57,760). At the census, 16% of commuters walked, cycled or took the bus or train. 7.3% of people in the labour force have no job.
16%walk, cycle or take transit
How working residents got to work · census 2022
Car or van70%
Bus6%
Train, DART or Luas6%
Walk4%
Bicycle1%
| Census 2022 | Kilcoole | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | €70,252 | €64,254 | €57,760 |
| Unemployment rate | 7.3% | 9.1% | 9.2% |
| Average trip | 30.2 min | 31.7 min | 27.6 min |
| In work, 15 to 64 | 70% | 68% | 68% |
€70,252
median household income, 2022 · Co. Wicklow €64,077
14%
worked mainly from home, 2022
13%
trips of an hour or more
4,688
on the Live Register, County Wicklow, September 2026
B+
Walkability: better than 68% 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
Winters are mild in Kilcoole: January nights hold at 3.6°C, above Co. Wicklow’s towns and Irish towns
Kilcoole gets 907 mm of rain a year. The year’s mean temperature is 10.7°C, close to Co. Wicklow’s towns (10.5°C) and above Irish towns (10.3°C). November is the wettest month locally, with 113 mm of rain on average.
19.7°CJuly afternoon high
Average afternoon highs by season · 1991–2020 averages
Winter9.2°C
Spring12.8°C
Summer19.1°C
Autumn14.4°C
| Climate, 1991–2020 | Kilcoole | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 3.6°C | 3.3°C | 2.9°C |
| Average temperature over the year | 10.7°C | 10.5°C | 10.3°C |
| Rain a year | 907 mm | 992 mm | 937 mm |
| July high | 19.7°C | 19.7°C | 19.9°C |
19.7°C
July high
3.6°C
January low
907 mm
Rain a year
113 mm
Wettest month
36
Air frosts
1,397 hrs
Sunshine
Met Éireann, 1991–2020 averages.
Outdoors
More protected nature lies near Kilcoole than Co. Wicklow’s towns or Irish towns: 5.8% of the land within 5 km
Among the protected sites near Kilcoole is The Murrough Wetlands SAC. Woodland covers 4.3% of the land within 1 km, below Co. Wicklow’s towns (7.8%) but above Irish towns (2.7%). 70% of homes have green space within 400 m.
70%of homes near green space
Green space per 1,000 residents · per 1,000 residents
Kilcoole1.1 ha
Co. Wicklow1.8 ha
Irish towns4.1 ha
| Outdoors | Kilcoole | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sea within 5 km | 37% | 25% | 0% |
| Near a park | 70% | 80% | 92% |
| Woodland within 1 km | 4.3% | 7.8% | 2.7% |
| Protected nature within 5 km | 5.8% | 3.7% | 1.8% |
70%
Near a park
1.1 ha
Green space
16 km
Footpaths
5.8%
Protected for nature
OpenStreetMap parks and paths, NPWS protected sites and the National Trails Register.
Weather
Kilcoole today: light showers, topping out at 11 degrees
The heaviest rain of the week is due on Tuesday, around 16 mm. In a typical November, days climb to about 11°C and nights sink to 6°C, the yardstick for Kilcoole’s forecast. Rain totals about 2 mm today, the wind freshens to 33 km/h, and the low is 9°C.
11°C / 9°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 | 4°C | 244 mm |
| Spring | 13°C | 6°C | 189 mm |
| Summer | 19°C | 12°C | 191 mm |
| Autumn | 14°C | 8°C | 283 mm |
11°C / 9°C
Today
2.1 mm
Rain, next 24 hours
29 km/h
Wind
87%
Humidity
9 h 19 min
Daylight
Forecast: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · normals: Met Éireann, 1991–2020
Who lives here
Children make up 24% of Kilcoole, above Co. Wicklow’s towns and Irish towns
14% were born abroad, below both Co. Wicklow’s towns (18%) and Irish towns (22%). Over-65s are just over a tenth of the population. Among adults, 35% have a degree.
37.8median age
KilcooleCo. WicklowIreland
Ages · share of residents
13%
Highest education · residents 15 and older who have finished education
Primary or none8%
Lower secondary14%
Leaving Cert36%
Diploma or cert6%
Degree or higher35%
Women and men · all residents
Women make up 51.3% of Kilcoole
2,346 women and 2,223 men live here; across Ireland, women are 50.6%.
| Kilcoole | Co. Wicklow | Ireland | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 24% | 22% | 20% |
| 15–24 | 13% | 13% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 27% | 26% | 29% |
| 45–64 | 25% | 27% | 24% |
| 65+ | 12% | 14% | 14% |
| Primary or none | 8.4% | 11% | 9.7% |
| Lower secondary | 14% | 15% | 14% |
| Leaving Cert | 36% | 36% | 35% |
| Diploma or cert | 6.2% | 6.6% | 5.8% |
| Degree or higher | 35% | 32% | 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
55% voted at the last local elections. Local government for Kilcoole is Wicklow County Council alone; Ireland has a single tier. Independent lead Wicklow County Council with 10 of 32 seats, but no party has a majority: 17 are needed.
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 | Kilcoole | 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
Kilcoole has one building on the national inventory
Per 10,000 residents, Kilcoole counts 2 inventory buildings, lower than both Co. Wicklow’s towns (57) and Irish towns (48). Before 1919: that is when 2.2% of homes were built. Kilcoole has one building on the national inventory of architectural heritage, rated of regional importance. 14 archaeological sites are on the record here.
1inventory buildings
Buildings by NIAH rating · NIAH
International0
National0
Regional1
Among them
1820
earliest dated inventory building
2%
homes built before 1919 · Irish towns 3%
1
places pictured on the history page
| Heritage | Kilcoole | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents | 2 | 57 | 48 |
| Homes built before 1919 | 2.2% | 5.6% | 3.4% |
NIAH, the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage · Sites and Monuments Record · CSO, Census 2022 homes by year built
HealthHealth C+
Kilcoole has 114 people with a disability for every 100 its ages predict, more than in both Co. Wicklow’s towns and Irish towns
90% of Kilcoole’s residents described their health as good or very good at the census, near Co. Wicklow’s towns (89%) and higher than Irish towns (88%). At the census, 1.8% of people here described their health as bad or very bad. Family carers: 5.8% of the people in Kilcoole look after someone without pay.
90%good or very good healthC+Health Grade
Per 100 expected at the town’s ages · age-standardised
Bad health111
Disability114
Co. Wicklow112
Expected100
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 90%Fair 8%Bad or very bad 2%
| Census 2022 | Kilcoole | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 90% | 89% | 88% |
| Unpaid carers | 5.8% | 5.5% | 5.4% |
| Bad or very bad health | 1.8% | 1.9% | 2% |
| With a disability | 23% | 24% | 22% |
114
disability per 100 expected · Co. Wicklow 110
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
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Kindlestown Castle and 2 more in and around Kilcoole
Castles, abbeys, gardens, museums and days out in and near Kilcoole. Best known first.
CastleKindlestown Castle3.4 km outside town, to the northwest
MuseumAltidore Castle4.4 km outside town, to the westVisitor farmVisitor farmGlenroe Open Farm300 m outside town, to the northeastPlaces: 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)
- Kindlestown Castle: Aoifer, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Altidore Castle: Karen Duell, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Kilcoole
15pages on Kilcoole
The big questions
Out and about
Famous people from around Kilcoole
One notable person was born in Kilcoole; with them, the best known born in the towns around it.
J
Jimmy HattonIrish hurler and gaelic footballer · 1934–2023S
Simon HarrisTánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) of Ire… · born in Greystones-Delgany
Photo credits
Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh: European Communities, CC BY 4.0 · Finn Bálor: Dvtsource (original) Cropped by User:NiciVampireHeart, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Darren Randolph: Michael Kranewitter, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Katie Taylor: cormac70 from London, CC BY 2.0
Kilcoole’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Boundaries: Tailte Éireann, CSO Urban Areas 2022 and Electoral Divisions.
KilpedderNewcastleGreystones-DelganyNewtownmountkennedyKilmacanogueBrayKilcoole
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kilcoole | 4,569 | — | B+ | D | A− | C+ |
| Kilpedder | 1,248 | 3.1 | — | C− | B+ | A |
| Newcastle | 1,010 | 3.7 | — | C− | B+ | B |
| Greystones-Delgany | 22,009 | 3.8 | A− | D− | A− | A |
| Newtownmountkennedy | 3,539 | 4.1 | C+ | D | B+ | C− |
| Kilmacanogue | 1,240 | 9 | — | C− | C+ | B+ |
| Bray | 33,512 | 11 | B− | C | C+ | B |
People: CSO, Census 2022. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Kilcoole
Is Kilcoole growing?
Kilcoole had 4,569 people at the 2022 census, up from 4,031 in 2016: 13.3% more, against 7.6% in the median of Irish towns.
Is Kilcoole a young town or an old one?
The median age in Kilcoole is 37.8, against 37.6 in the median of Irish towns.
About Kilcoole
Urban area in Co. Wicklow
Kilcoole has 4,569 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
- 4,569 (CSO, Census 2022)
- County
- Wicklow
- Council
- Wicklow County Council
- Local electoral area
- Greystones
- Dáil constituency
- Wicklow
- Name in Irish
- Cill Chomhghaill
- Area
- 0.5 sq mi (1.4 km²)
- CSO code
- UA:15368
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).