Newcastle’s story
Newcastle has 18 buildings on the National Inventory
The record adds 4 archaeological sites.
Homes built before 1919: 8%, against 3% across Irish towns.
- 1770Newcastle Lodge
- 1770Oldfort
- 1780Newcastle Church (Newcastle Lower)
NewcastleCo. Wicklow
This town in Co. Wicklow has a population of 1,010.
6 places within 19 kmMap →
Photo: Sarah777 · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,010
CSO, Census 2022 · Wicklow County Council
Median age
43.3
17% are 65+ · Co. Wicklow 14%
Degree level
39%
of residents 15+ · Irish towns 36%
Walk, cycle, transit
11%
of working residents · Irish towns 23%
Is Newcastle a good place to live?
Jobs & income is its strong suit: jobs reach 73% of 15 to 64s, and unemployment is 5%. It is a safe place by the numbers: violent crime runs at 3.1 per 1,000 residents a year, burglary and criminal damage at 4.9. The weak point is walkability — 11% of commuters walk, cycle or take the bus or train, against 23% in the typical Irish town. Buying in is costly: half the homes sold for more than €510,000, a price of 7.1 times what the median household earns.
Figures: work and commuting, CSO Census 2022 · crime, CSO recorded crime, 2023 to 2025 · prices, Property Price Register, 2023 to 2025 · incomes, CSO. Newcastle has subject grades but no overall grade: Irish towns get one from 2,500 residents.
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.
What makes Newcastle stand out
The 3 things Newcastle does most differently from other towns.
Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents
History
18 buildings on the national inventory
3.7 times the median of Irish towns for its size, all of regional importance.
National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
11% walk, cycle or ride
The median of Irish towns: 23%
CSO, Census 2022
Unemployment rate, Census 2022
Work
5% unemployment
Of the labour force, Census 2022 (the median of Irish towns: 9%)
58% of residents 15 and over are at work.
How Newcastle grades
Each subject compares Newcastle with Irish towns of 2,500 or more, ordered by how far it is from the middle. Towns in other countries are graded separately.
WalkabilityIn the bottom fifth of the towns comparedDOpen →Cost of livingGraded on home prices against local incomesC−Open →Jobs & income5% unemployedA−Open →SafetyLess crime than in most townsB+Open →Hazard riskBehind most towns comparedC+Open →HealthBased on how healthy residents are for their agesBOpen →
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 Newcastle.
HousingCost of living C−
Few households rent privately in Newcastle: 8%, fewer than in both Co. Wicklow’s towns and Irish towns
10% of households rent from a council or housing body. Owners make up 79% of households, higher than both Co. Wicklow’s towns (71%) and Irish towns (61%).
€510Kmedian sale priceC−Cost of living Grade
Median sale price · Property Price Register, 2023–2025
Newcastle€510K
Co. Wicklow€440K
Irish towns€350K
| Housing | Newcastle | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households owning their home | 79% | 71% | 61% |
| Median sale price | €510K | €440K | €350K |
| Households renting privately | 8% | 16% | 22% |
| Households in social housing | 10% | 14% | 13% |
79%
own their home · Irish towns 61%
8%
rent privately · Irish towns 22%
€1,730
a month on new tenancies, County Wicklow
8
times median household income, County Wicklow
Property Price Register · CSO residential prices by Eircode area · RTB rents · CSO, Census 2022 tenure
Work & commuteJobs & income A−
Commuters in Newcastle travel further than in Co. Wicklow’s towns or Irish towns, 35.5 min on average
Average household income comes to €71,470 a year before tax. 4.9% of the labour force were unemployed, below both Co. Wicklow’s towns (8.9%) and Irish towns (9.2%). 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%
Train, DART or Luas4%
Bus3%
Walk2%
Bicycle1%
| Census 2022 | Newcastle | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 35.5 min | 31.6 min | 27.6 min |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 8.9% | 9.2% |
| In work, 15 to 64 | 73% | 69% | 68% |
| Median household income | €71,470 | €64,387 | €57,760 |
€71,470
household income, 2022 estimate · Co. Wicklow €64,077
13%
worked mainly from home, 2022
17%
trips of an hour or more
4,688
on the Live Register, County Wicklow, September 2026
D
Walkability: better than 8% 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.
SafetySafety B+
Newcastle has less crime per resident than 66% of Irish towns
The graded crime recorded most in Newcastle was burglary (2023–2025). For its size, Newcastle records more crime per resident than 60% of the 156 Irish towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people. Every kind together came to 44.1 per 1,000 residents a year, between Co. Wicklow’s towns (33.6) and Irish towns (54.3).
3.1violent incidents per 1,000 a yearB+Safety Grade
Compared with towns its sizeFewer incidents against residents per 1,000 than 40% of the 156 Irish towns of 1,000 to 2,500 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
Dangerous acts17.5
Road traffic7.2
Theft6.3
Burglary2.7
Public order2.6
Assault2.5
Damage2.2
Against justice1.2
Drugs1
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 | Newcastle | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 3.1 | 3.9 | 5.7 |
| Theft | 6.3 | 8.2 | 15.3 |
| Burglary & damage | 4.9 | 4.6 | 6.4 |
| All recorded crime | 44.1 | 33.6 | 54.3 |
3.1
violent incidents per 1,000 a year
4.9
burglary and damage per 1,000 a year
320
incidents a year, Newtownmountkennedy Garda area
8
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
Schools
Few schools around Newcastle teach through Irish: 0%, below Co. Wicklow’s towns and Irish towns
The nearest secondary, Colaiste Chraobh Abhann, is 3.1 km away. DEIS, the support scheme, covers 20% of them, near Co. Wicklow’s towns (20%) and lower than Irish towns (35%). Families in Newcastle have 5 schools within 3 km to choose from: 3 primary schools, 1 secondary school and 1 special school.
5schools within 3 km
| School | Level | Pupils | Ethos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newtownmountkennedy Primary School DEISLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 368 | Catholic |
| Colaiste Chraobh AbhannLargest post-primary schoolPost-primary · ETB | Post-primary · ETB | 778 | Multi-denominational |
Schools by ethos · Schools within 3 km
Catholic2
Multi-denominational2
Church of Ireland1
| Schools within 3 km | Newcastle | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teach through Irish | 0% | 9% | 8% |
| Single-sex secondaries | 0% | 0% | 39% |
| Pupils since 2019/20 | +12% | +12% | +4% |
| In the DEIS scheme | 20% | 20% | 35% |
1,475
pupils at schools within 3 km, 2025/26
+12%
pupils since 2019/20 · Irish towns +4%
0.6 km
to the nearest primary school
3.1 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+
The ground is the thing to check in Newcastle: 1.8% of homes stand on high landslide susceptibility, more than in both Co. Wicklow’s towns and Irish towns
Greystones South, 7.8 km from Newcastle, is the closest bathing water; it was rated excellent in 2025. Some 1% of homes in the town are estimated to exceed the radon reference level. Next to none of its homes lie low beside a river or the sea.
0%of homes in high-radon areasC+Hazard risk Grade
Homes exposed · share of the town’s homes
Low-lying beside water0%
In high-radon areas0%
On high landslide susceptibility1.8%
Low-lying near a river0%
Low-lying near the coast0%
| Share of homes | Newcastle | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| On high landslide susceptibility | 1.8% | 0.4% | 0% |
| Low-lying near a river | 0% | 0% | 0.5% |
7.8 km
to Greystones South bathing water (excellent)
383
homes mapped for these shares
EPA radon map, GSI landslide susceptibility and our low-lying homes estimate from OPW LiDAR.
Climate
Newcastle has milder winters than Co. Wicklow’s towns or Irish towns: January lows of 3.5°C
The year’s mean temperature is 10.6°C, near Co. Wicklow’s towns (10.5°C) and higher than Irish towns (10.3°C). November is the wettest month in Newcastle, with 115 mm of rain on average. A July afternoon in Newcastle typically reaches 19.8°C.
19.8°CJuly afternoon high
Average afternoon highs by season · 1991–2020 averages
Winter9.2°C
Spring12.9°C
Summer19.2°C
Autumn14.5°C
| Climate, 1991–2020 | Newcastle | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 3.5°C | 3.3°C | 2.9°C |
| Average temperature over the year | 10.6°C | 10.5°C | 10.3°C |
| July high | 19.8°C | 19.7°C | 19.9°C |
| Rain a year | 925 mm | 988 mm | 937 mm |
19.8°C
July high
3.5°C
January low
925 mm
Rain a year
115 mm
Wettest month
36
Air frosts
1,397 hrs
Sunshine
Met Éireann, 1991–2020 averages.
Outdoors
Fewer homes in Newcastle sit near green space: 55% within 400 m, below Co. Wicklow’s towns and Irish towns
Walkers have 0.3 km per km² of paths and tracks, lower than both Co. Wicklow’s towns (1.2 km per km²) and Irish towns (2.1 km per km²). Protected nature near Newcastle includes The Murrough cSPA. This Co. Wicklow town offers 1.4 ha of green space per 1,000 residents.
55%of homes near green space
Green space per 1,000 residents · per 1,000 residents
Newcastle1.4 ha
Co. Wicklow1.5 ha
Irish towns4.1 ha
| Outdoors | Newcastle | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Near a park | 55% | 75% | 92% |
| Woodland within 1 km | 7.8% | 5.7% | 2.7% |
| Sea within 5 km | 29% | 34% | 0% |
| Paths per km² of town | 0.3 km per km² | 1.2 km per km² | 2.1 km per km² |
55%
Near a park
1.4 ha
Green space
4 km
Footpaths
5.9%
Protected for nature
OpenStreetMap parks and paths, NPWS protected sites and the National Trails Register.
Who lives here
Children make up only 18% of Newcastle, fewer than in both Co. Wicklow’s towns and Irish towns
15% were born abroad, below Co. Wicklow’s towns (18%) and Irish towns (22%) alike. Over-65s are 17% of the population. Graduates make up 39% of adults.
43.3median age
NewcastleCo. WicklowIreland
Ages · share of residents
17%
Highest education · residents 15 and older who have finished education
Primary or none8%
Lower secondary11%
Leaving Cert36%
Diploma or cert7%
Degree or higher39%
Women and men · all residents
Women make up 49.0% of Newcastle
495 women and 515 men live here; across Ireland, women are 50.6%.
| Newcastle | Co. Wicklow | Ireland | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 18% | 24% | 20% |
| 15–24 | 13% | 13% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 22% | 26% | 29% |
| 45–64 | 31% | 26% | 24% |
| 65+ | 17% | 14% | 14% |
| Primary or none | 7.8% | 10% | 9.7% |
| Lower secondary | 11% | 15% | 14% |
| Leaving Cert | 36% | 36% | 35% |
| Diploma or cert | 7.1% | 6.5% | 5.8% |
| Degree or higher | 39% | 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
There is no majority on Wicklow County Council; Independent have the most seats, 10 of 32, short of 17. At the general election 68% voted, near Co. Wicklow’s towns (68%) and higher than Irish towns (59%). Turnout at the last local elections was 55%.
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 | Newcastle | 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
178 inventory buildings per 10,000 residents put Newcastle above Co. Wicklow’s towns and Irish towns for heritage
Homes from before 1919 make up 7.5% of the total. 4 archaeological sites are on the record, below Co. Wicklow’s towns (14) and Irish towns (11) alike. The national inventory of architectural heritage lists 18 buildings in Newcastle, each rated of regional importance.
18inventory buildings
Buildings by NIAH rating · NIAH
International0
National0
Regional18
Among them
- Newcastle Lodge 1770
- Oldfort 1770
- Newcastle Church (Newcastle Lower) 1780
- Millbrook House 1790
4
sites on the Sites and Monuments Record
1770
earliest dated inventory building
8%
homes built before 1919 · Irish towns 3%
1
places pictured on the history page
| Heritage | Newcastle | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents | 178 | 54 | 48 |
| Homes built before 1919 | 7.5% | 5.5% | 3.4% |
| Archaeological sites on the record | 4 | 14 | 11 |
NIAH, the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage · Sites and Monuments Record · CSO, Census 2022 homes by year built
HealthHealth B
Bad health runs low in Newcastle for a town of its ages, at 84 per 100 expected, less than in both Co. Wicklow’s towns and Irish towns
Disability touches just over a quarter of Newcastle’s population. Allowing for its ages, Newcastle has 114 residents with a disability per 100 expected, close to Co. Wicklow’s towns (111) and above Irish towns (106). Family carers: 7.1% of the people in Newcastle look after someone without pay.
89%good or very good healthBHealth Grade
Per 100 expected at the town’s ages · age-standardised
Bad health84
Disability114
Co. Wicklow111
Expected100
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 89%Fair 9%Bad or very bad 2%
| Census 2022 | Newcastle | Co. Wicklow | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unpaid carers | 7.1% | 5.6% | 5.4% |
| With a disability | 26% | 24% | 22% |
| Bad or very bad health | 1.7% | 1.8% | 2% |
| Good or very good health | 89% | 90% | 88% |
84
bad health per 100 expected · Co. Wicklow 111
114
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
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Altidore Castle and 3 more in and around Newcastle
Castles, abbeys, gardens, museums and days out in and near Newcastle. Best known first.
MuseumAltidore Castle4.9 km outside town, to the northwestGardenGardenWren’s Wood Garden2.1 km outside town, to the southwestVisitor farmVisitor farmGlenroe Open Farm3.9 km outside town, to the northVisitor farmVisitor farmK2alpacas4.2 km outside town, to the westPlaces: 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 (1)
- Altidore Castle: Karen Duell, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Newcastle
15pages on Newcastle
Landmarks
The national inventory of architectural heritage lists 18 buildings in Newcastle, each rated of regional importance. 4 archaeological sites are on the record here.
Famous people from around Newcastle
No notable person born in Newcastle is on our list; these were born in the towns around it.
S
Simon HarrisTánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) of Ire… · born in Greystones-DelganyK
Katie McGrathIrish actress · born in Ashford · born 1983F
Ferdia Walsh-PeeloIrish actor and musician · born in Ashford · born 1999M
Mason MeliaIrish footballer (born 2007) · born in NewtownmountkennedyT
Tina ReynoldsIrish singer · born in Greystones-Delgany · born 2000S
Stephen DonnellyIrish Fianna Fáil politician · born in Greystones-Delgany · born 1975Newcastle’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Boundaries: Tailte Éireann, CSO Urban Areas 2022 and Electoral Divisions.
NewtownmountkennedyKilcooleKilpedderGreystones-DelganyAshfordRathnewNewcastle
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newcastle | 1,010 | — | — | C− | B+ | B |
| Newtownmountkennedy | 3,539 | 3.6 | C+ | D | B+ | C− |
| Kilcoole | 4,569 | 3.7 | B+ | D | A− | C+ |
| Kilpedder | 1,248 | 5.1 | — | C− | B+ | A |
| Greystones-Delgany | 22,009 | 7.3 | A− | D− | A− | A |
| Ashford | 1,892 | 7.9 | — | C− | B+ | B+ |
| Rathnew | 3,482 | 9.4 | D | C− | B | C− |
People: CSO, Census 2022. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Newcastle
How do people in Newcastle get to work?
13% mostly work from home, and 27% of journeys take under 15 minutes.
Is Newcastle growing?
Newcastle had 1,010 people at the 2022 census, up from 962 in 2016: 5% more, against 7.6% in the median of Irish towns.
Is Newcastle a young town or an old one?
The median age in Newcastle is 43.3, against 37.6 in the median of Irish towns.
About Newcastle
Urban area in Co. Wicklow
Newcastle has 1,010 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
- 1,010 (CSO, Census 2022)
- County
- Wicklow
- Council
- Wicklow County Council
- Local electoral area
- Greystones
- Dáil constituency
- Wicklow
- Name in Irish
- An Caisleán Nua
- Area
- 0.4 sq mi (1 km²)
- CSO code
- UA:15369
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).