Carlow vs Newbridge: which is better to live in? (2026)

Carlow (R93) and Newbridge (W12) compared on price, safety, schools and quality of life.

The verdict
Carlow is the cheaper of the two — a median €290,000 against Newbridge's €400,000 (38% lower). Carlow has the stronger safety score (65/100 vs 63/100); on the other facets the two are closely matched.

Carlow vs Newbridge: common questions

Is Carlow cheaper than Newbridge?
Yes. The median sale price in Carlow over the last 12 months was €290,000, against €400,000 in Newbridge (Property Price Register).
Is Carlow or Newbridge safer?
Carlow scores higher on safety — 65/100 vs 63/100, based on Garda-division crime rates per 1,000 residents.
Which is better for buy-to-let, Carlow or Newbridge?
Carlow has the stronger gross rental yield — 5.8% vs 5.3% — 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 W12).