Macroom vs Portlaoise: which is better to live in? (2026)

Macroom (P12) and Portlaoise (R32) compared on price, safety, schools and quality of life.

The verdict
Portlaoise is the cheaper of the two — a median €280,000 against Macroom's €300,000 (7% lower). Macroom has the stronger safety score (82/100 vs 62/100); on the other facets the two are closely matched.

Macroom vs Portlaoise: common questions

Is Macroom cheaper than Portlaoise?
No. The median sale price in Macroom was €300,000 over the last 12 months, against €280,000 in Portlaoise (Property Price Register).
Is Macroom or Portlaoise safer?
Macroom scores higher on safety — 82/100 vs 62/100, based on Garda-division crime rates per 1,000 residents.
Which is better for buy-to-let, Macroom or Portlaoise?
Macroom has the stronger gross rental yield — 6.5% vs 5.8% — 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 (P12 and R32).