Is Ballina cheaper than Arklow?

Yes. The median sale price in Ballina over the last 12 months was €215,000, against €310,000 in Arklow (Property Price Register).

Is Ballina or Arklow safer?

Ballina scores higher on safety — 74/100 vs 69/100, based on Garda-division crime rates per 1,000 residents.

Which is better for buy-to-let, Ballina or Arklow?

Arklow has the stronger gross rental yield — 7.0% vs 6.8% — though net returns depend on price, condition and tenancy regulation.

Ballina vs Arklow: Which Is Better to Live In? (2026)

The verdict

Ballina is the cheaper of the two — a median €215,000 against Arklow's €310,000 (44% lower). Ballina has the stronger safety score (74/100 vs 69/100); on the other facets the two are closely matched.

Ballina vs Arklow: common questions

Is Ballina cheaper than Arklow?: Yes. The median sale price in Ballina over the last 12 months was €215,000, against €310,000 in Arklow (Property Price Register).
Is Ballina or Arklow safer?: Ballina scores higher on safety — 74/100 vs 69/100, based on Garda-division crime rates per 1,000 residents.
Which is better for buy-to-let, Ballina or Arklow?: Arklow has the stronger gross rental yield — 7.0% vs 6.8% — though net returns depend on price, condition and tenancy regulation.

Dig deeper

Related comparisons

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 (F26 and Y14).