Bray vs Dublin 16 (Ballinteer): which is better to live in? (2026)

Bray (A98) and Dublin 16 (Ballinteer) (D16) compared on price, safety, schools and quality of life.

The verdict
Bray is the cheaper of the two — a median €510,000 against Dublin 16 (Ballinteer)'s €640,000 (25% lower). Bray has the stronger safety score (69/100 vs 56/100); on the other facets the two are closely matched.

Bray vs Dublin 16 (Ballinteer): common questions

Is Bray cheaper than Dublin 16 (Ballinteer)?
Yes. The median sale price in Bray over the last 12 months was €510,000, against €640,000 in Dublin 16 (Ballinteer) (Property Price Register).
Is Bray or Dublin 16 (Ballinteer) safer?
Bray scores higher on safety — 69/100 vs 56/100, based on Garda-division crime rates per 1,000 residents.
Which is better for buy-to-let, Bray or Dublin 16 (Ballinteer)?
Dublin 16 (Ballinteer) has the stronger gross rental yield — 4.3% vs 4.3% — 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 (A98 and D16).