Living in Spencer Dock, Co. Dublin: Schools, Commute & House Prices 2026
Leinster house prices & rents › Dublin › Living in Spencer Dock
Spencer Dock is a town in Co. Dublin, about 9 minutes from Dublin city centre by car and on the rail line, 1 schools, 30.5% of households own their home. Living here costs a median €480,000 to buy or €2,416 a month to rent (a 6.0% gross yield).
Official CSO, Department of Education, Transport for Ireland, PPR & RTB data · 25 sales · updated July 2026
How Spencer Dock compares: at €480,000 it is 4% below the County Dublin median of €500k. Its 6.0% gross yield is above the county average of 5.2%.Recent activity in Spencer Dock: latest recorded sale Jun 2026; prices +10.3% 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 Spencer Dock? Estate agents, mortgage brokers and solicitors — reach people researching Spencer Dock property right here on this page.
Who lives in Spencer Dock — 30.5% own their home, full Census breakdown
Who lives in Spencer Dock
10,173 people live in Spencer Dock on Census 2022 night. 30% of households own their home and 63% rent, so Spencer Dock leans towards renters. The most common way to commute is by foot or bike (51%). It skews young: 14% are under 15 against 5% aged 65 and over. 62% of those who have finished education hold a third level qualification.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Population (2022) | 10,173 |
| Owner-occupied households | 30% |
| Rented households | 63% |
| Aged under 15 | 14% |
| Aged 25 to 44 | 48% |
| Aged 65 and over | 5% |
| Third level or higher | 62% |
| At work (aged 15+) | 68% |
| Unemployment rate | 5% |
| Commute by car | 21% |
| Commute by public transport | 26% |
| Commute on foot or bike | 51% |
Source: CSO Census 2022 Small Area Population Statistics, CC-BY 4.0. Figures are for the North Dock B electoral division around Spencer Dock.
Getting around and commuting
Nearest train station: Docklands (in the town), on the Maynooth line
Public transport serving Spencer Dock — Rail + bus
Getting around Spencer Dock
Spencer Dock is served by 14 public-transport operators running 51 scheduled routes. Operators are Aircoach, Ashbourne Connect, Balbriggan Express, Bus Átha Cliath – Dublin Bus, Bus Éireann, Collins Coaches, Dublin Express, Go-Ahead Ireland, Iarnród Éireann / Irish Rail, JJ Kavanagh, LUAS, Matthews Coach Hire, Swords Express and Wexford Bus. The Luas tram network reaches the town.
| Operator | Mode |
|---|---|
| Aircoach | Bus / coach |
| Ashbourne Connect | Bus / coach |
| Balbriggan Express | Bus / coach |
| Bus Átha Cliath – Dublin Bus | Bus / coach |
| Bus Éireann | Bus / coach |
| Collins Coaches | Bus / coach |
| Dublin Express | Bus / coach |
| Go-Ahead Ireland | Bus / coach |
| Iarnród Éireann / Irish Rail | Rail |
| JJ Kavanagh | Bus / coach |
| LUAS | Tram |
| Matthews Coach Hire | Bus / coach |
| Swords Express | Bus / coach |
| Wexford Bus | Bus / coach |
Scheduled routes (a sample of 51)
- 60 - Forbes Street - Tallaght
- G1 - Red Cow LUAS - Spencer Dock
- G2 - Liffey Valley SC - Spencer Dock
- N4 - Blanchardstown - Point Village
- 115 - Dublin - Mullingar
- 120 - Dublin - Edenderry
- 126 - Dublin - Rathangan
- 132 - Dublin - Carnew - Bunclody
- 142 - Portmarnock - UCD (Belfield)
- 151 - Foxborough (Balgaddy Rd) - Docklands (East Rd)
- 191 - Stamullen - Dublin
- 193 - Ashbourne - Dublin
- 194 - Ratoath - Dublin
- 33D - Portrane - St Stephens Green
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.
Schools in Spencer Dock
There is 1 primary school in and around Spencer Dock, 1 of them in the DEIS programme.
| School | Level | Pupils | DEIS |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Laurence O'Toole'S National School | Primary | 159 | DEIS |
Source: Department of Education, Data on Individual Schools. CC-BY 4.0.
Things to do in and around Spencer Dock
- Heritage nearby: St. Mary's Abbey Abbey, Dublin City (2 km) · St. Audoens Church, Dublin City (3 km) · Casino Marino, Dublin City (3 km) · Kilmainham Gaol (5 km)
- Walking trails in County Dublin: Wicklow Way · Barnaslingan - Pine loop trail (Blue) · Barnaslingan - Scalp Lookout Trail (Red) · Carrickgollogan - Lead Mines Way - (Orange)
- Nature reserves: Wicklow Mountains National Park · North Bull Island Nature Reserve · Rogerstown Estuary Nature Reserve
Where Spencer Dock is
Map © OpenStreetMap contributors
What it costs: house prices and rent in Spencer Dock
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Median sale price (12 mo) | €480,000 (+10.3% YoY) |
| Average monthly rent | €2,416 |
| Gross rental yield | 6.0% |
| Net yield (est.) | 4.7% |
| Dublin county median | €500k |
| New build / second-hand | — / €480,000 |
Recent sales in Spencer Dock
| Date | Address | Type | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09 Jun 26 | Apartment 41, Hill of Down House, Spencer Dock | Second-hand | €575,000 |
| 28 May 26 | APT 21 - RIVERSTOWN HOUSE, SPENCER DOCK, DUBLIN 1 | Second-hand | €412,000 |
| 25 May 26 | 7 PAKENHAM HOUSE, SPENCER DOCK, DUBLIN 1 | Second-hand | €500,000 |
| 14 May 26 | 54 HILL OF DOWN, SPENCER DOCK, NORTH WALL QUAY | Second-hand | €560,000 |
| 08 May 26 | 5 KIRKPATRICK HOUSE, SPENCER DOCK, DUBLIN 1 | Second-hand | €284,000 |
| 24 Apr 26 | APT 3 COPEBRIDGE HOUSE, SPENCER DOCK, DUBLIN 1 | Second-hand | €285,000 |
| 23 Apr 26 | 19 PAKENHAM HOUSE, SPENCER DOCK, IFSC | Second-hand | €482,000 |
| 17 Apr 26 | 4 KIRKPATRICK HOUSE, SPENCER DOCK, DUBLIN 1 | Second-hand | €295,000 |
Actual sale prices from the Property Price Register, verifiable at propertypriceregister.ie.
Spencer Dock median price, year by year
| Year | Median | Relative | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | €400,000 | 17 sales | |
| 2024 | €420,000 | 23 sales | |
| 2025 | €468,500 | 28 sales | |
| 2026 | €460,500 | 16 sales |
Average rent by size
| 1-bed | 2-bed | 3-bed | 4+ bed |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | €2,447 | — | — |
Maximum legal rent increase in Spencer Dock
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 Spencer Dock, using the official CSO figures.
The full March 2026 rent review rules
Spencer Dock compared with County Dublin
| County | Median | Relative |
|---|---|---|
| County Dublin median | 500000 | |
| Spencer Dock | 480000 |
Rent or buy in Spencer Dock?
At a glance: €480,000 to buy versus €2,416 a month to rent, a 6.0% gross yield. Use the calculator for your own numbers.
Local Property Tax in Spencer Dock
The median home (€480,000) falls in LPT Band 4, a base charge of €428 a year before Dublin County Council's local adjustment factor. Use the calculator for your exact valuation.
Renting in Spencer Dock: 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 Spencer Dock
In the 12 months to July 2026, 8 planning grants were recorded in and around Spencer Dock.
| Decided | Development | Homes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-31 | RETENTION PERMISSION / PROTECTED STRUCTURE SFDC : Ireland Ltd. intend to apply for retention planning permission for development at this c.1.34 ha... | |
| 2026-03-23 | Permission for rear extensions and internal reconfiguration at the Hilton Garden Inn Hotel, resulting in a net gain of 66 no. bedrooms and 2,279 sq.m... | |
| 2026-02-04 | PROTECTED STRUCCTURE: SFDC Ireland Ltd. intend to apply for planning permission for development at this c. 0.14 ha site located on lands at the... | |
| 2026-01-13 | The development will consist of alterations to existing loading/unloading/set down area (50.874m x 2.4m) on Castleforbes Square (in private... | |
| 2025-11-19 | PROTECTED STRUCTURE: The site includes protected structures at 4 (RPS Ref.:7544) and 5 (RPS Ref.:7545) Sir John Rogerson's Quay and the façade of 2... |
See all recent planning applications in and around Spencer Dock →
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.
Flood maps
For the modelled fluvial, coastal and pluvial flood extents around Spencer Dock, open the official OPW flood maps, the authoritative source for Spencer Dock, Dublin.
View the official OPW flood maps for Spencer Dock →
Source: Office of Public Works, floodinfo.ie. No OPW flood-extent values are reproduced here.
County context
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Population (2022 Census) | 1,458,154 |
| Population change 2016 to 2022 | +8.2% |
| Disposable income per person (index, State = 100) | 116.6 |
| New dwelling permissions (Dublin region, 2017) | 848 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 Spencer Dock
What's it like to live in Spencer Dock?
Spencer Dock is a town in Co. Dublin, about 9 minutes from Dublin city centre by car and on the rail line, 1 schools, 30.5% of households own their home (CSO Census 2022, Department of Education, Transport for Ireland).
How much does it cost to live in Spencer Dock?
A home in Spencer Dock costs a median €480,000 to buy or €2,416 a month to rent, a 6.0% gross yield (Property Price Register, RTB via CSO).
How long is the commute from Spencer Dock to Dublin?
About 9 minutes to Dublin city centre by car and on the rail line (OpenStreetMap routing).
What schools are in Spencer Dock?
Schools in Spencer Dock include St Laurence O'Toole'S National School, among 1 primary and 0 post-primary in total (Department of Education, 2024/25).
Nearby Dublin towns
Dartry · Mount Merrion · Sandycove · Glenageary · Dalkey · Rathgar
All Dublin house prices · All Leinster house prices
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.