Living in Carlow, Co. Carlow: Schools, Commute & House Prices 2026
Leinster house prices & rents › Carlow › Living in Carlow
Carlow is a town in Co. Carlow, about 70 minutes from Dublin city centre by car and on the rail line, 16 schools, 51.1% of households own their home. Living here costs a median €281,000 to buy or €1,349 a month to rent (a 5.8% gross yield).
Official CSO, Department of Education, Transport for Ireland, PPR & RTB data · 416 sales · updated July 2026
How Carlow compares: at €281,000 it is 12% below the County Carlow median of €318k. Its 5.8% gross yield is above the county average of 5.1%.Recent activity in Carlow: latest recorded sale Jun 2026; 469 new homes approved in the last year; prices +10.2% year on year. This page updates as new official data lands.Get Leinster InsiderPlanning grants, sales and rent updates for your county, weekly, from official data. Free.Subscribe
Local to Carlow? Estate agents, mortgage brokers and solicitors — reach people researching Carlow property right here on this page.
Who lives in Carlow — 51.1% own their home, full Census breakdown
Who lives in Carlow
27,351 people live in Carlow on Census 2022 night. 51% of households own their home and 42% rent, so Carlow leans towards owner occupiers. The most common way to commute is by car (67%). It skews young: 20% are under 15 against 12% aged 65 and over. 37% of those who have finished education hold a third level qualification.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Population (2022) | 27,351 |
| Owner-occupied households | 51% |
| Rented households | 42% |
| Aged under 15 | 20% |
| Aged 25 to 44 | 30% |
| Aged 65 and over | 12% |
| Third level or higher | 37% |
| At work (aged 15+) | 53% |
| Unemployment rate | 9% |
| Commute by car | 67% |
| Commute by public transport | 5% |
| Commute on foot or bike | 23% |
Source: CSO Census 2022 Small Area Population Statistics for the Carlow built-up area, CC-BY 4.0.
Getting around and commuting
Nearest train station: Carlow (in the town), on the Waterford line
Public transport serving Carlow — Rail + bus
Getting around Carlow
Carlow is served by 9 public-transport operators running 21 scheduled routes. Operators are Bus Éireann, Dunnes Coaches, Iarnród Éireann / Irish Rail, JJ Kavanagh, Martley's, TFI Local Link Carlow Kilkenny Wicklow, TFI Local Link Kildare South Dublin, TFI Local Link Laois Offaly and Wexford Bus.
| Operator | Mode |
|---|---|
| Bus Éireann | Bus / coach |
| Dunnes Coaches | Bus / coach |
| Iarnród Éireann / Irish Rail | Rail |
| JJ Kavanagh | Bus / coach |
| Martley's | Bus / coach |
| TFI Local Link Carlow Kilkenny Wicklow | Bus / coach |
| TFI Local Link Kildare South Dublin | Bus / coach |
| TFI Local Link Laois Offaly | Bus / coach |
| Wexford Bus | Bus / coach |
Scheduled routes (a sample of 21)
- 73 - Waterford - Athlone - Longford
- 365 - Waterford - Thomastown
- 376 - Wexford - Carlow
- 736 - Dublin Airport - Waterford City
- 800 - Arklow - Carlow
- 822 - Mountrath - Carlow
- 874 - Hacketstown - Carlow
- 880 - Carlow - Naas
- 887 - Carlow - New Ross
- 897 - Kilkenny - Athy
- CW1 - MSD - Tyndall College
- CW2 - Barrow Valley RPK - Business Park
- GD02 - Waterford - Carlow - Dublin
- IW01 - Kilkenny - Carlow
Source: Transport for Ireland GTFS_All feed (NTA), CC-BY 4.0. Stops matched to the town within a 6 km radius; route list capped.
Commute to Dublin from Carlow
Driving from Carlow to Dublin city centre takes about 68 minutes by car on a clear run. That is faster than 7 of the 25 Leinster commuter towns we have routed to Dublin, the 18th-shortest drive in that set.
| Town | Drive to Dublin |
|---|---|
| Carlow, Carlow This town | 68 min |
| Leixlip, Kildare Closest routed town | 22 min |
| Wexford, Wexford Farthest routed town | 106 min |
Door-to-centre driving time routed on OpenStreetMap road data via OSRM, no live traffic. Comparison is against the Leinster commuter towns routed so far. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Schools in Carlow
There are 10 primary and 6 post-primary schools in and around Carlow, 8 of them in the DEIS programme.
| School | Level | Pupils | DEIS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tyndall College | Post-primary | 1002 | DEIS |
| St. Leo'S College | Post-primary | 885 | |
| Presentation College | Post-primary | 804 | |
| Holy Family National School | Primary | 592 | DEIS |
| S N Naomh Fhiach | Primary | 570 | DEIS |
| St Mary'S Knockbeg College | Post-primary | 493 | |
| Gaelscoil Eoghain Uí Thuairisc | Primary | 444 | |
| St Mary'S Academy Cbs | Post-primary | 406 | DEIS |
| Carlow Educate Together Ns | Primary | 389 | DEIS |
| Bennekerry National School | Primary | 377 | |
| Gaelcholáiste Cheatharlach | Post-primary | 359 | |
| S N Muire Gan Smal | Primary | 345 | DEIS |
| Fr Cullen Memorial N S | Primary | 231 | |
| Bishop Foley Memorial School Boys Snr Sch | Primary | 165 | DEIS |
Showing the 14 largest of 16.
Source: Department of Education, Data on Individual Schools. CC-BY 4.0.
Things to do in and around Carlow
- Heritage nearby: Browneshill Megalithic Tomb (3 km) · Baltinglass Abbey (19 km) · Aghowle Church (22 km) · Timahoe Round Tower (23 km)
- Walking trails in County Carlow: Bahana Forest Trail · Clashganny Lock Loop · Clashganny Viewing Point Loop · Clogrennane Wood Loop
Full guide: things to do in Carlow →
Where Carlow is
Map © OpenStreetMap contributors
What it costs: house prices and rent in Carlow
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Median sale price (12 mo) | €281,000 (+10.2% YoY) |
| Average monthly rent | €1,349 |
| Gross rental yield | 5.8% |
| Net yield (est.) | 4.5% |
| Carlow county median | €318k |
| New build / second-hand | €339,999 / €275,250 |
What this means: New builds in Carlow sell at about a 24% premium to second-hand homes (€339,999 vs €275,250).
Recent sales in Carlow
| Date | Address | Type | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Jun 26 | 28 SLANEY BANK, RATHVILLY, CARLOW | Second-hand | €445,000 |
| 25 Jun 26 | 4 DOLMEN GARDENS, POLLERTON, CARLOW | Second-hand | €350,000 |
| 24 Jun 26 | APT 7 BLOCK A, RIVERVIEW APTS, TULLOW | Second-hand | €141,000 |
| 22 Jun 26 | 48 MULLAUNMORE, BALLON, CARLOW | Second-hand | €362,000 |
| 19 Jun 26 | 3 BIRCH AVE, PHELIM WOOD, TULLOW | Second-hand | €270,000 |
| 19 Jun 26 | 63 THE DOWNS, POLLERTON, CARLOW | Second-hand | €328,000 |
| 19 Jun 26 | 7 CHAPEL ST, GRAIGUECULLEN, CARLOW | Second-hand | €370,000 |
| 17 Jun 26 | SHILLELAGH ROAD, TULLOW, CO. CARLOW | Second-hand | €450,000 |
Actual sale prices from the Property Price Register, verifiable at propertypriceregister.ie.
Carlow median price, year by year
| Year | Median | Relative | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | €225,000 | 447 sales | |
| 2024 | €248,250 | 412 sales | |
| 2025 | €269,500 | 456 sales | |
| 2026 | €289,000 | 144 sales |
Average rent by size
| 1-bed | 2-bed | 3-bed | 4+ bed |
|---|---|---|---|
| €970 | €1,122 | €1,306 | €1,817 |
Maximum legal rent increase in Carlow
Since 1 March 2026 a rent review is capped at the lower of 2% a year (pro rata) or CPI inflation. Enter the current rent and the dates to get the maximum legal rent for Carlow, using the official CSO figures.
The full March 2026 rent review rules
Carlow compared with County Carlow
| County | Median | Relative |
|---|---|---|
| County Carlow median | 318000 | |
| Carlow | 281000 |
Rent or buy in Carlow?
At a glance: €281,000 to buy versus €1,349 a month to rent, a 5.8% gross yield. Use the calculator for your own numbers.
Local Property Tax in Carlow
The median home (€281,000) falls in LPT Band 2, a base charge of €235 a year before Carlow County Council's local adjustment factor. Use the calculator for your exact valuation.
Renting in Carlow: the March 2026 rent rules
Every rent increase is now capped at the lesser of 2% a year (pro rata) or CPI inflation, nationwide since 1 March 2026. A review needs 90 days' notice on the RTB form, no more than one in any 12 months, and the notice must cite three comparable homes from the RTB Rent Register. Check any rent increase against the legal cap, or see average rents for every Leinster town.
More free calculators: what can I afford · stamp duty · budget + commute · rent increase cap · Leinster town finder
Before you move: planning and flood
Recent development in Carlow
In the 12 months to July 2026, 119 planning grants were recorded in and around Carlow, including 469 new homes approved across those grants.
| Decided | Development | Homes |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-08-08 | construct (a) 98 no. two-storey semi-detached dwellings which will consist of the following unit mix: 10no. 4-bed dwellings, 76no. 3-bed dwellings... | 98 |
| 2025-07-31 | carry out development which will consist of: (a) The provision of 98no. two-storey semi-detached dwellings consisting of the following unit mix: 8no... | 98 |
| 2025-12-01 | development at this site of c. 2.7 Ha. The development will comprise of the construction of 83 No. residential units and all ancillary works... | 83 |
| 2026-05-26 | construct 46 houses and all associated site works | 46 |
| 2025-11-19 | 48no. residential units (43no.- three bed dwellings, 2no.- four bed dwellings, & 3no.- two bed dwellings), a Childcare Facility (of 319sq.m) and all... | 46 |
See all recent planning applications in and around Carlow →
Source: Irish Planning Applications, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (ArcGIS, CC-BY 4.0). Granted applications keyed to the nearest town within 7 km. Homes column shows residential units in the application where recorded.
What this means: The 469 homes approved here in the last year are about 5% of Carlow's roughly 10,053 households, a supply pipeline that typically eases price pressure.
Flood maps
For the modelled fluvial, coastal and pluvial flood extents around Carlow, open the official OPW flood maps, the authoritative source for Carlow, Carlow.
View the official OPW flood maps for Carlow →
Source: Office of Public Works, floodinfo.ie. No OPW flood-extent values are reproduced here.
County context
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Population (2022 Census) | 61,968 |
| Population change 2016 to 2022 | +8.8% |
| Disposable income per person (index, State = 100) | 93.7 |
| New dwelling permissions (South-East region, 2017) | 292 thousand m² |
Planning permissions are reported at NUTS3 region level; counties in this region share a figure.
Sources: CSO F1001, CIA02, BHQ09. CC-BY 4.0.
Common questions about living in Carlow
What's it like to live in Carlow?
Carlow is a town in Co. Carlow, about 70 minutes from Dublin city centre by car and on the rail line, 16 schools, 51.1% of households own their home (CSO Census 2022, Department of Education, Transport for Ireland).
How much does it cost to live in Carlow?
A home in Carlow costs a median €281,000 to buy or €1,349 a month to rent, a 5.8% gross yield (Property Price Register, RTB via CSO).
How long is the commute from Carlow to Dublin?
About 70 minutes to Dublin city centre by car and on the rail line (OpenStreetMap routing).
What schools are in Carlow?
Schools in Carlow include Tyndall College, St. Leo'S College, Presentation College, Holy Family National School, among 10 primary and 6 post-primary in total (Department of Education, 2024/25).
Nearby Carlow towns
All Carlow house prices · All Leinster house prices · Things to do in Carlow
Sources: CSO Census 2022, Department of Education, Transport for Ireland, Property Price Register (PSRA), CSO RPPI, RTB via CSO. CC-BY. Figures verifiable at the official source.