Wicklow vs Dublin 2 (City Centre South): which is better to live in? (2026)

Wicklow (A67) and Dublin 2 (City Centre South) (D02) compared on price, safety, schools and quality of life.

The verdict
Wicklow is the cheaper of the two — a median €425,000 against Dublin 2 (City Centre South)'s €445,750 (5% lower). Wicklow has the stronger safety score (69/100 vs 0/100); on the other facets the two are closely matched.

Wicklow vs Dublin 2 (City Centre South): common questions

Is Wicklow cheaper than Dublin 2 (City Centre South)?
Yes. The median sale price in Wicklow over the last 12 months was €425,000, against €445,750 in Dublin 2 (City Centre South) (Property Price Register).
Is Wicklow or Dublin 2 (City Centre South) safer?
Wicklow scores higher on safety — 69/100 vs 0/100, based on Garda-division crime rates per 1,000 residents.
Which is better for buy-to-let, Wicklow or Dublin 2 (City Centre South)?
Dublin 2 (City Centre South) has the stronger gross rental yield — 6.2% vs 5.1% — though net returns depend on price, condition and tenancy regulation.

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Methodology

Sale prices, premiums and days-to-sale are computed from the Property Price Register (rolling 12 months) matched to original listing prices. Safety scores derive from Garda-division crime rates per 1,000 residents; education and profile figures from CSO census small-area data. The Quality of Life composite averages six equally-weighted dimensions built from 40+ metrics across 13 public datasets. Figures refresh daily; both areas are scoped to their Eircode routing key (A67 and D02).