Town comparison · Galway city and suburbs vs Kilkenny

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Galway city and suburbs or Kilkenny?

Both towns measured at town level, not the wider Eircode area, on the same 53 figures: prices, schools, amenities, social life, commute, affluence and safety.

Galway city and suburbs, Co. Galway City · H91 · 84,998 people | Kilkenny, Co. Kilkenny · R95 · 26,831 people

Galway city and suburbs is the stronger town on the data. It leads on 3 of the 7 dimensions to Kilkenny’s 1, with 3 level.

Galway city and suburbs leads on
affluenceeducation levelsaccess to its nearest city
Kilkenny leads on
affordability
271115

Galway city and suburbs aheadlevel or not comparableKilkenny ahead

AffluenceEducationAmenitiesTransportSafetyAffordabilityCity access
Galway city and suburbsKilkenny
iGalway city and suburbs sits in H91, Kilkenny in R95. Each figure below is tagged with the geographic level it’s actually measured at. The town ahead on a row is the one in green. Scores and percentages are charted against a true 0 to 100 scale; every other row is charted against the larger of the two towns, so the bars compare but don’t imply a ceiling.

Outlines are each town’s CSO Small Areas — the exact footprint every figure is measured over.

Galway city and suburbs
Kilkenny

Size

TOWN · census

Resident population at the 2022 CSO census, summed over the Small Areas that make up each town. Not scored: a bigger town isn’t a better one, it just explains why the counts below differ.

84,998
Population
26,831

Prices & market

TOWN · exact
€405k
Median sale pricelower is better
€312k
Kilkenny leads
€326k – €489k
Typical range (P25–P75)
€235k – €415k
1,223
Sales (24m)
1,246
+15.4%
Price momentum (YoY)
+4.6%
10.0%
New-build share
14.5%

Schools, health & amenities

TOWN · counts

Facilities in and around each town — each counted once, for the town it’s closest to. Bigger towns naturally score higher — read alongside population.

18 prim · 6 sec
Schools
10 prim · 7 sec
Galway city and suburbs leads
Galway city and suburbs · 26 schools (largest first)
St Joseph's College Secondary
767 pupils · 70% to 3rd-level · CATHOLIC
Coláiste Mhuirlinne/merlin College Secondary
725 pupils · 45% to 3rd-level · MULTI DENOMINATIONALDEIS
Coláiste Na Coiribe Secondary
666 pupils · 75% to 3rd-level · MULTI DENOMINATIONALGaelscoil
Coláiste Iognáid S.j. Secondary
636 pupils · 70% to 3rd-level · CATHOLIC
Galway Community College Secondary
454 pupils · 40% to 3rd-level · INTER DENOMINATIONALDEIS
Galway City & Oranmore Educate Together Secondary School Secondary
350 pupils · 65% to 3rd-level · MULTI DENOMINATIONAL
University Of Galway Third-level
enrolment n/a · university
Atlantic Technological University Third-level
enrolment n/a · technological_university
Gaelscoil Mhic Amhlaigh Primary
649 pupils · CatholicGaelscoil
S N Iognaid Primary
499 pupils · Catholic
St. John The Apostle, Knocknacarra Ns Primary
397 pupils · Catholic
Merlin Woods Primary School Primary
383 pupils · Catholic
Radharc Na Mara National School Primary
351 pupils · CatholicDEIS
Tirellan Heights N S Primary
349 pupils · CatholicDEISGaelscoil
Niochlas N S Primary
271 pupils · CatholicDEIS
Scoil An Linbh Iosa Primary
261 pupils · CatholicDEIS
Scoil Mhuire Primary
241 pupils · Catholic
S N Padraic Naofa Primary
231 pupils · Catholic
Scoil Naomh Iosef Primary
206 pupils · CatholicGaelscoil
Knocknacarra Educate Together Ns Primary
205 pupils · Multi DenominationalGaelscoil
S N Bride Naofa Primary
204 pupils · CatholicDEIS
Scoil Croi Iosa Primary
136 pupils · CatholicDEIS
S N Brighde Primary
135 pupils · CatholicGaelscoil
Cuan Na Gaillimhe Community National School Primary
111 pupils · Multi DenominationalGaelscoil
Sn Colmcille Primary
82 pupils · CatholicDEISGaelscoil
Parochial N S Primary
71 pupils · Church Of Ireland
Kilkenny · 17 schools (largest first)
Loreto Secondary School Secondary
994 pupils · 75% to 3rd-level · CATHOLIC
Kilkenny College Secondary
919 pupils · 75% to 3rd-level · CHURCH OF IRELAND
Presentation Secondary School Secondary
902 pupils · 75% to 3rd-level · CATHOLIC
Meánscoil Na Mbráithre Criostaí Secondary
836 pupils · 75% to 3rd-level · CATHOLIC
St Kieran's College Secondary
802 pupils · 75% to 3rd-level · CATHOLIC
City Vocational School Secondary
311 pupils · 40% to 3rd-level · MULTI DENOMINATIONALDEIS
Coláiste Pobail Osraí Secondary
222 pupils · 60% to 3rd-level · INTER DENOMINATIONAL
St Canices Central N S Primary
645 pupils · Catholic
Gaelscoil Osrai Primary
442 pupils · Catholic
Scoil Mhuire Primary
420 pupils · Catholic
S N Padraig Naofa Primary
341 pupils · Catholic
Scoil Naomh Eoin Dea Primary
331 pupils · Catholic
Scoil Iognaid De Ris Primary
255 pupils · Catholic
Kilkenny School Project Primary
240 pupils · Multi Denominational
St Johns Infants N S Primary
223 pupils · CatholicDEIS
St Johns Senior Ns Primary
216 pupils · CatholicDEIS
Kilkenny Mixed N S Primary
208 pupils · Church Of Ireland
48
Creches
29
Galway city and suburbs leads
17
GP practices
17
26
Pharmacies
19
Galway city and suburbs leads
5
Hospitals
5
252
Bus stops
88
Galway city and suburbs leads
2
Rail / Luas stops
1
Galway city and suburbs leads
35
Gyms & leisure
35
55
Parks & playgrounds
48
Galway city and suburbs leads
135
Sports pitches
150
Kilkenny leads

Social life

TOWN · counts

Places to eat, drink and go out in and around each town — each counted once, for the town it’s closest to. The residents per venue row is the fairer read — raw counts just track town size, so a big town wins by being big.

90
Restaurants
38
Galway city and suburbs leads
84
Cafés
51
Galway city and suburbs leads
79
Pubs & bars
54
Galway city and suburbs leads
56
Takeaways
34
Galway city and suburbs leads
2
Nightclubs
0
Galway city and suburbs leads
10
Cinema & theatre
3
Galway city and suburbs leads
265
Residents per venuelower is better
149
Kilkenny leads
#4 of 65 large towns
Most vibrant (national)lower is better
#6 of 65 large towns
Galway city and suburbs leads

Day-to-day

TOWN · counts

The errands you run without thinking about them. Same caveat — read the residents-per-service row alongside the counts.

19
Supermarkets
10
Galway city and suburbs leads
62
Convenience shops
24
Galway city and suburbs leads
15
Bakery, butcher & greengrocer
9
Galway city and suburbs leads
12
Banks
5
Galway city and suburbs leads
6
Post offices
4
Galway city and suburbs leads
51
Hairdressers
42
Galway city and suburbs leads
15
Dentists
14
Galway city and suburbs leads
2
Vets
4
Kilkenny leads
8
Filling stations
12
Kilkenny leads
25
EV charging
36
Kilkenny leads
15
Library & community centre
29
Kilkenny leads
370
Residents per shop or servicelower is better
142
Kilkenny leads

Commute by car

TOWN · from centre

Drive time from the town centre to each city centre — typical off-peak, with an estimated weekday rush hour. OSRM road routing.

3m · ~5 rush
Galwaylower is better
155m · ~180 rush
Galway city and suburbs leads
190m · ~205 rush
Waterfordlower is better
40m · ~55 rush
Kilkenny leads
77m · ~95 rush
Limericklower is better
106m · ~125 rush
Galway city and suburbs leads
147m · ~180 rush
Dublinlower is better
93m · ~130 rush
Kilkenny leads
157m · ~180 rush
Corklower is better
117m · ~140 rush
Kilkenny leads

Affluence & profile

ELECTORAL DIVISION
-0.3
Affluence (Pobal HP)
-2.7
Galway city and suburbs leads
Galway city and suburbs · 47 EDs, poorest → richest
-9ShantallaDisadvantaged
-8NewcastleDisadvantaged
-8MervueDisadvantaged
-6BarnaBelow average
-6ShantallaBelow average
-5MervueBelow average
-5CarrowbrowneBelow average
-4BallintempleBelow average
-4BallybaanBelow average
-3St. NicholasBelow average
-3WellparkBelow average
-3RenmoreBelow average
-2DanganBelow average
-2MenloughBelow average
-2CastlegarBelow average
-1BallintempleBelow average
-1RahoonBelow average
-1BallybaanBelow average
0BarnaBelow average
0Lough AtaliaBelow average
0DanganBelow average
+0NewcastleAbove average
+1Lough AtaliaAbove average
+1CastlegarAbove average
+1MurrooghAbove average
+1WellparkAbove average
+2MenloughAbove average
+2BallybritAbove average
+2RenmoreAbove average
+2Taylors HillAbove average
+3Taylors HillAbove average
+3RahoonAbove average
+3CladdaghAbove average
+3CladdaghAbove average
+3Nuns IslandAbove average
+4St. NicholasAffluent
+5MurrooghAffluent
+5SalthillAffluent
+5RockbartonAffluent
+5Nuns IslandAffluent
+5Eyre SquareAffluent
+5SalthillAffluent
+6Eyre SquareAffluent
+6RockbartonAffluent
+6KnocknacarraghAffluent
+7BallybritAffluent
+9KnocknacarraghAffluent
Kilkenny · 6 EDs, poorest → richest
-8Kilkenny No. 1 UrbanBelow average
-5Kilkenny No. 1 UrbanBelow average
-3Kilkenny No. 2 UrbanBelow average
-3Kilkenny No. 2 UrbanBelow average
-2Kilkenny RuralBelow average
-1Kilkenny RuralBelow average
46.3%
Third-level educated
40.6%
Galway city and suburbs leads
36.8%
Professional class
37.2%
Kilkenny leads
11.5%
Unemploymentlower is better
12.3%
Galway city and suburbs leads
53.0%
Owner-occupier
58.1%
Kilkenny leads
34.0%
Private rental
25.3%
8.6%
Social housing (LA)
13.9%

Liveability & safety

AREA · H91 / R95

Wider-area figures, not the town. Quality of life & rank are for the whole Eircode area each town sits in (Galway city and suburbs → H91, Kilkenny → R95); safety & crime are the Galway Garda division.

69/100
Quality of Life
66/100
Galway city and suburbs leads

Quality of Life is the equal-weighted average of these seven 0–100 dimensions, scored for the whole Eircode routing area (H91 / R95) from official data — Garda crime, CSO income & census, OPW flood, EPA water, and transport/healthcare/broadband coverage. Refreshed quarterly. The dashed line is each town’s overall score (that average) — dimensions to its right beat the average, to its left fall short. Two towns can share a score with a very different mix.

Galway city and suburbsKilkennyOverall (avg)
Safety69616662
Affordability7589
Infrastructure8165
Family7578
Education5043
Environment8877
Economic5549
020406080100020406080100
#26
National ranklower is better
#35
Galway city and suburbs leads
#1
County rank
#1
61/100
Safety
62/100
Kilkenny leads
60.1
Crime / 1,000lower is better
57.6
Kilkenny leads

Affluence range

Pobal HP deprivation index, published per Electoral Division, so the spread shows the town’s poorest to richest ED. A town that is a single ED shows one mark, no range.

Galway city and suburbs Below average-0.3
← more deprivednational avg · 0more affluent →
Spread across the town: Shantalla -9 (least affluent) → Knocknacarragh +9 (most affluent). It straddles the national average.
Kilkenny Below average-2.7
← more deprivednational avg · 0more affluent →
Spread across the town: Kilkenny No. 1 Urban -8 (least affluent) → Kilkenny Rural -1 (most affluent). Every neighbourhood is below the national average.

How accurate is this, and at what level?

TOWN
Prices, amenities and commute are exact and town-specific.

Prices come from individual PPR sales inside the town’s Small-Area boundary; schools, GPs, transport, gyms and parks are counted the same way; commute is routed from the town centre.

ED
Affluence, profile and tenure are Electoral-Division level.

Published per Electoral Division and averaged across the town’s EDs, with a range where the town spans several.

AREA
Liveability and safety are wider-area, not the town.

Quality of life and rank are per Eircode routing key; safety and crime are the Garda division (Galway), coarser than a town, so two towns in the same county read the same.

Population growth isn’t shown: the 2016 and 2022 censuses don’t use the same Small Areas, and the areas that were re-cut are the ones that grew, so a like-for-like comparison understates growth badly. Rent and yield are still too sparse to show per town. Built from 407 CSO Small Areas.

Homes for sale in Galway city and suburbs

The stronger town on the data.

Compare somewhere else

Put any two Irish towns head to head, or step up to the wider Eircode areas.