Place profile · Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal

Is Ballyshannon a good place to live?

Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal scores 50/100 for quality of life, #103 of the 108 Irish areas BuyerIQ ranks, and its fundamentals are rated “steady — moves with the market”. The median home sells for €150,000 (most €100,000–€235,000), it scores 71/100 for safety (44.8 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents), 1,147 people live here. It's strongest on affordability and family & community, weakest on schools & education.

Updated August 2026 · Property Price Register + 20+ official sources, refreshed daily

Ballyshannon is moving with the market.

Below average today — tracking the national trend — no strong local tailwind or headwind.

Unemployment fell 20% → 14% — faster than nationally Third-level education up only 3 points — behind the national rise

Where Ballyshannon sits.

Co. Donegal · 3 bus stops · no rail.

160 min
drive to Galway

#103 of 108 for quality of life in Ireland.

50/100
#103 liveability#93 value
Affordability100
Family & community83
Environment74
Safety71
Local economy28
Transport & services22
Schools & education20

These seven scores and the 50/100 are measured across the F94 Eircode area, not Ballyshannon alone — an area that takes in much of DONEGAL. A strong or weak pocket inside it can read very differently from the area average.

Ranked on quality of life alone — cost of living excluded, so the genuinely best areas rank top even though they cost more. Factor in price and Ballyshannon is #93 of 108 for value for money (most quality of life per euro).

Homes sell for €150,000.

€100,000€235,000
0% new-build85 sales / 2yr

Affordable for its access.

100/100
Affordability score

Good for families.

83/100
Family & community score

Clean, green surrounds.

74/100
Environment score

Quiet and safe.

71/100
44.8/1,000 · Donegal

The score is for the F94 Eircode area; the crime rate is recorded per Garda division (Donegal). Neither is measured for Ballyshannon on its own.

The community here.

1,147 people.

Population is for Ballyshannon itself (Census 2022, Small-Area boundary).

Going out, and getting things done.

21
social venues
1 per 55 residents · not ranked
15
everyday shops & services
1 per 76 residents · not ranked

Not ranked: under 2,000 residents, one pub swings the per-head figure too far.

Who lives here.

28%
third-level
28%
professional
17.3%
unemployment
Affluence: disadvantaged

Census profile and the affluence rating are Electoral Division figures — the CSO/Pobal area around Ballyshannon, which is why this unemployment rate can differ from the one behind the quality-of-life scores above (those are Eircode-area wide).

Mostly owner-occupied.

65.1% own18.4% rent10.2% social

The honest trade-offs.

Transport & services 22/100 Schools & education 20/100

Ballyshannon: common questions

Is Ballyshannon a good place to live?

Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal, scores 50/100 on BuyerIQ's Quality of Life composite (cost of living excluded) — #103 of the 108 areas we rank. It's strongest on affordability and family & community.

Is Ballyshannon safe?

Ballyshannon scores 71/100 on safety, ~44.8 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents.

How much does it cost to buy a house in Ballyshannon?

The median sale price in Ballyshannon over the last 24 months was €150,000, most between €100,000 and €235,000 (Property Price Register).

Is Ballyshannon on the up?

Ballyshannon is rated "Steady — moves with the market" — unemployment fell 20% → 14% — faster than nationally, third-level education up only 3 points — behind the national rise.

Are there new builds in Ballyshannon?

New builds are rare in Ballyshannon — under 1% of recent sales (Property Price Register).

Is there much new development or planning activity in Ballyshannon?

13 planning applications were lodged within Ballyshannon in the last 12 months, covering 7 residential units (79 on record) — measured per town, not just at county level.

Is Ballyshannon good for families?

Ballyshannon scores 83/100 for families and community.

What are the schools like in Ballyshannon?

Ballyshannon scores 20/100 for schools and education, with 6 schools in the area.

What is the commute like from Ballyshannon?

Ballyshannon is about 160 minutes by road from Galway.

Sale prices from the Property Price Register (rolling 24 months). Quality of Life averages seven equal-weighted dimensions from 40+ metrics across 13 public datasets (CSO census + SAPS, Garda crime, SEAI, EPA, DES schools, GTFS). Population is CSO Census 2022; the “on the up” trajectory compares 2016→2022. Figures refresh daily · an area assessment, not advice on a specific property. Updated August 2026.