Living in Dundalk, Co. Louth: Schools, Commute & House Prices 2026
Leinster house prices & rents › Louth › Living in Dundalk
Dundalk is a town in Co. Louth, about 71 minutes from Dublin city centre by car and on the rail line, 30 schools, 57.1% of households own their home. Living here costs a median €315,500 to buy or €1,427 a month to rent (a 5.4% gross yield).
Official CSO, Department of Education, Transport for Ireland, PPR & RTB data · 602 sales · updated July 2026
How Dundalk compares: at €315,500 it is 15% below the County Louth median of €370k. Its 5.4% gross yield is above the county average of 4.7%.Recent activity in Dundalk: latest recorded sale Jun 2026; 845 new homes approved in the last year; prices +10.7% 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 Dundalk? Estate agents, mortgage brokers and solicitors — reach people researching Dundalk property right here on this page.
Who lives in Dundalk — 57.1% own their home, full Census breakdown
Who lives in Dundalk
43,112 people live in Dundalk on Census 2022 night. 57% of households own their home and 37% rent, so Dundalk leans towards owner occupiers. The most common way to commute is by car (62%). It skews young: 21% are under 15 against 14% aged 65 and over. 37% of those who have finished education hold a third level qualification.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Population (2022) | 43,112 |
| Owner-occupied households | 57% |
| Rented households | 37% |
| Aged under 15 | 21% |
| Aged 25 to 44 | 28% |
| Aged 65 and over | 14% |
| Third level or higher | 37% |
| At work (aged 15+) | 51% |
| Unemployment rate | 10% |
| Commute by car | 62% |
| Commute by public transport | 10% |
| Commute on foot or bike | 24% |
Source: CSO Census 2022 Small Area Population Statistics for the Dundalk built-up area, CC-BY 4.0.
Getting around and commuting
Nearest train station: Dundalk (in the town), on several Dublin intercity lines
Public transport serving Dundalk — Rail + bus
Getting around Dundalk
Dundalk is served by 11 public-transport operators running 31 scheduled routes. Operators are Bus Éireann, Eamon McEntee, Halpenny Travel, Iarnród Éireann / Irish Rail, Matthews Coach Hire, McGill Coach Travel, Pat Keenan Coach Hire, Robbie Finegan Coaches, Royal Breffni Tours, Streamline Coaches and TFI Local Link Cavan Monaghan.
| Operator | Mode |
|---|---|
| Bus Éireann | Bus / coach |
| Eamon McEntee | Bus / coach |
| Halpenny Travel | Bus / coach |
| Iarnród Éireann / Irish Rail | Rail |
| Matthews Coach Hire | Bus / coach |
| McGill Coach Travel | Bus / coach |
| Pat Keenan Coach Hire | Bus / coach |
| Robbie Finegan Coaches | Bus / coach |
| Royal Breffni Tours | Bus / coach |
| Streamline Coaches | Bus / coach |
| TFI Local Link Cavan Monaghan | Bus / coach |
Scheduled routes (a sample of 31)
- 100 - Drogheda - Dundalk - Newry
- 160 - Dundalk - Ravensdale - Newry
- 161 - Dundalk - Carlingford - Newry
- 162 - Dundalk - Monaghan - Clones - Cavan
- 167 - Dundalk - Louth - Ardee
- 168 - Dundalk - Annagassan
- 169 - Blackrock - Dundalk
- 170 - Cavan - Dundalk
- 171 - Shercock - Dundalk
- 174 - Long Walk - Muirhevnamuir
- 900 - Dundalk - Dublin
- 901 - Dundalk - Drogheda - Dublin
- 916 - Dundalk - Bay Estate
- 917 - Dundalk - Muirhevnamor
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 Dundalk
Driving from Dundalk to Dublin city centre takes about 64 minutes by car on a clear run. That makes it the 2nd-closest to Dublin of the 2 Louth towns we have routed, behind Drogheda at 42 minutes.
| Town | Drive to Dublin |
|---|---|
| Dundalk, Louth This town | 64 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 Dundalk
There are 22 primary and 8 post-primary schools in and around Dundalk, 12 of them in the DEIS programme.
| School | Level | Pupils | DEIS |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Vincent'S Secondary School | Post-primary | 927 | |
| St Mary'S College | Post-primary | 905 | |
| Coláiste Chú Chulainn | Post-primary | 897 | DEIS |
| De La Salle College | Post-primary | 760 | |
| Scoil Mhuire Na Ngael | Primary | 624 | |
| Colaiste Rís | Post-primary | 622 | |
| Dundalk Grammar School | Post-primary | 590 | |
| St Josephs N S | Primary | 574 | DEIS |
| C.B.S. Primary | Primary | 524 | DEIS |
| Scoil Na Gcreagacha Dubha | Primary | 503 | |
| St Louis Secondary School | Post-primary | 498 | DEIS |
| Réalt Na Mara School | Primary | 467 | |
| St. Francis National School | Primary | 441 | |
| Ó Fiaich College | Post-primary | 312 | DEIS |
Showing the 14 largest of 30.
Source: Department of Education, Data on Individual Schools. CC-BY 4.0.
Things to do in and around Dundalk
- Heritage nearby: Proleek Megalithic Tombs (5 km) · Mellifont Abbey (29 km) · Knowth Passage Tomb Cemetery (34 km) · Newgrange Passage Tomb (35 km)
- Walking trails in County Louth: Tain Way · Annaloughan Loop · Barnavave Loop · Boyne Valley Camino
Full guide: things to do in Dundalk →
Where Dundalk is
Map © OpenStreetMap contributors
What it costs: house prices and rent in Dundalk
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Median sale price (12 mo) | €315,500 (+10.7% YoY) |
| Average monthly rent | €1,427 |
| Gross rental yield | 5.4% |
| Net yield (est.) | 4.2% |
| Louth county median | €370k |
| New build / second-hand | €394,999 / €265,000 |
What this means: New builds in Dundalk sell at about a 49% premium to second-hand homes (€394,999 vs €265,000).
Recent sales in Dundalk
| Date | Address | Type | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23 Jun 26 | 21 CULHANE ST, DUNDALK, LOUTH | Second-hand | €170,000 |
| 22 Jun 26 | 48 MANYDOWN CLOSE, RED BARNS ROAD, DUNDALK | Second-hand | €425,000 |
| 22 Jun 26 | 6 MOUNTAIN VIEW, DUNDALK, LOUTH | Second-hand | €225,000 |
| 19 Jun 26 | 59 BAY VIEW, BARNS ROAD, DUNDALK | New | €356,828 |
| 19 Jun 26 | 61 Drayton, Raynoldstown Village, Dundalk | New | €316,863 |
| 18 Jun 26 | BARLEYFIELD, KILCURRY, DUNDALK | Second-hand | €388,000 |
| 18 Jun 26 | BARLEYFIELD, KILCURRY, DUNDALK | Second-hand | €350,000 |
| 18 Jun 26 | BARLEYFIELD, KILCURRY, DUNDALK | Second-hand | €38,000 |
Actual sale prices from the Property Price Register, verifiable at propertypriceregister.ie.
Dundalk median price, year by year
| Year | Median | Relative | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | €240,000 | 505 sales | |
| 2024 | €270,000 | 570 sales | |
| 2025 | €300,000 | 538 sales | |
| 2026 | €339,999 | 279 sales |
Average rent by size
| 1-bed | 2-bed | 3-bed | 4+ bed |
|---|---|---|---|
| €1,093 | €1,272 | €1,503 | €1,938 |
Maximum legal rent increase in Dundalk
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 Dundalk, using the official CSO figures.
The full March 2026 rent review rules
Dundalk compared with County Louth
| County | Median | Relative |
|---|---|---|
| County Louth median | 370000 | |
| Dundalk | 315500 |
Rent or buy in Dundalk?
At a glance: €315,500 to buy versus €1,427 a month to rent, a 5.4% gross yield. Use the calculator for your own numbers.
Local Property Tax in Dundalk
The median home (€315,500) falls in LPT Band 3, a base charge of €333 a year before Louth County Council's local adjustment factor. Use the calculator for your exact valuation.
Renting in Dundalk: 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 Dundalk
In the 12 months to July 2026, 247 planning grants were recorded in and around Dundalk, including 845 new homes approved across those grants.
| Decided | Development | Homes |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-12-03 | 7-year permission for a Large-scale Residential Development (LRD) on lands (c.18.54 ha) The development will consist of:- 502 no. residential units... | 462 |
| 2025-12-02 | permission for a proposed residential development on 3.26ha hectares of lands in the townland of Lisdoo at Armagh Road, Dundalk, Co. Louth. The... | 91 |
| 2025-12-08 | Permission for development at a site located on the eastern side of Mount Avenue and is bounded to the north by a permitted residential development... | 60 |
| 2026-05-13 | Permission for a Retirement Village located in and around the former RIC stables and car park. The retirement village will accommodate 46 no... | 45 |
| 2025-07-23 | Permission for the construction of 21 houses comprising 2 no. 5 bedroom three storey semi-detached dwellings (Type A), 1 no. 5 bedroom three storey... | 21 |
See all recent planning applications in and around Dundalk →
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 845 homes approved here in the last year are about 5% of Dundalk's roughly 15,923 households, a supply pipeline that typically eases price pressure.
Flood maps
For the modelled fluvial, coastal and pluvial flood extents around Dundalk, open the official OPW flood maps, the authoritative source for Dundalk, Louth.
View the official OPW flood maps for Dundalk →
Source: Office of Public Works, floodinfo.ie. No OPW flood-extent values are reproduced here.
County context
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Population (2022 Census) | 139,703 |
| Population change 2016 to 2022 | +8.4% |
| Disposable income per person (index, State = 100) | 92.2 |
| New dwelling permissions (Mid-East region, 2017) | 657 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 Dundalk
What's it like to live in Dundalk?
Dundalk is a town in Co. Louth, about 71 minutes from Dublin city centre by car and on the rail line, 30 schools, 57.1% of households own their home (CSO Census 2022, Department of Education, Transport for Ireland).
How much does it cost to live in Dundalk?
A home in Dundalk costs a median €315,500 to buy or €1,427 a month to rent, a 5.4% gross yield (Property Price Register, RTB via CSO).
How long is the commute from Dundalk to Dublin?
About 71 minutes to Dublin city centre by car and on the rail line (OpenStreetMap routing).
What schools are in Dundalk?
Schools in Dundalk include St Vincent'S Secondary School, St Mary'S College, Coláiste Chú Chulainn, De La Salle College, among 22 primary and 8 post-primary in total (Department of Education, 2024/25).
Nearby Louth towns
All Louth house prices · All Leinster house prices · Things to do in Dundalk
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.