Is Carlow cheaper than Kilkenny?

Yes. The median sale price in Carlow over the last 12 months was €290,000, against €322,000 in Kilkenny (Property Price Register).

Is Carlow or Kilkenny safer?

Carlow scores higher on safety — 65/100 vs 65/100, based on Garda-division crime rates per 1,000 residents.

Which is better for buy-to-let, Carlow or Kilkenny?

Carlow has the stronger gross rental yield — 5.8% vs 4.8% — though net returns depend on price, condition and tenancy regulation.

Carlow vs Kilkenny: Which Is Better to Live In? (2026)

The verdict

Carlow is the cheaper of the two — a median €290,000 against Kilkenny's €322,000 (11% lower). Across the facets we measure the two are closely matched — it's a genuine toss-up, so let the categories that matter most to you decide.

Carlow vs Kilkenny: common questions

Is Carlow cheaper than Kilkenny?: Yes. The median sale price in Carlow over the last 12 months was €290,000, against €322,000 in Kilkenny (Property Price Register).
Is Carlow or Kilkenny safer?: Carlow scores higher on safety — 65/100 vs 65/100, based on Garda-division crime rates per 1,000 residents.
Which is better for buy-to-let, Carlow or Kilkenny?: Carlow has the stronger gross rental yield — 5.8% vs 4.8% — 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 (R93 and R95).