Place profile · Blarney, Co. Cork City

Is Blarney a good place to live?

Blarney, Co. Cork City scores 55/100 for quality of life, #83 of the 108 Irish areas BuyerIQ ranks, and its fundamentals are rated “on the up”. The median home sells for €334,500 (most €250,000–€431,288), it scores 61/100 for safety (58.8 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents), 2,559 people live here. It's strongest on transport & services and affordability, weakest on local economy.

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

Blarney is on the up.

About average today — and pulling ahead of the national trend.

Unemployment fell 8% → 6%, in line with nationally Recorded crime falling

Where Blarney sits.

Co. Cork City · 6 bus stops · no rail.

13 min
drive to Cork

#83 of 108 for quality of life in Ireland.

55/100
#83 liveability#81 value
Transport & services93
Affordability92
Environment69
Safety61
Family & community55
Schools & education28
Local economy23

These seven scores and the 55/100 are measured across the T23 Eircode area, not Blarney alone — an area that takes in much of CORK CITY. 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 Blarney is #81 of 108 for value for money (most quality of life per euro).

Homes sell for €334,500.

€250,000€431,288
4.1% new-build170 sales / 2yr

Well connected.

93/100
Transport & services score

Affordable for its access.

92/100
Affordability score

Clean, green surrounds.

69/100
Environment score

Quiet and safe.

61/100
58.8/1,000 · Cork City
Recorded crime falling

The score is for the T23 Eircode area; the crime rate is recorded per Garda division (Cork City). Neither is measured for Blarney on its own.

The community here.

2,559 people.

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

Going out, and getting things done.

52nd most vibrant small town in Ireland, of 131 ranked.

19
social venues
#52 of 131 · #24 per head
24
everyday shops & services
#53 of 130 · #15 per head

Ranked against small towns only; tourist towns read high.

Who lives here.

40%
third-level
42%
professional
7%
unemployment
Affluence: above average

Census profile and the affluence rating are Electoral Division figures — the CSO/Pobal area around Blarney, 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.

75.1% own16.6% rent6.7% social

The honest trade-offs.

Schools & education 28/100 Local economy 23/100

Blarney: common questions

Is Blarney a good place to live?

Blarney, Co. Cork City, scores 55/100 on BuyerIQ's Quality of Life composite (cost of living excluded) — #83 of the 108 areas we rank. It's strongest on transport & services and affordability.

Is Blarney safe?

Blarney scores 61/100 on safety, ~58.8 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents.

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

The median sale price in Blarney over the last 24 months was €334,500, most between €250,000 and €431,288 (Property Price Register).

Is Blarney on the up?

Blarney is rated "On the up" — unemployment fell 8% → 6%, in line with nationally, recorded crime falling.

Are there new builds in Blarney?

About 4% of homes sold in Blarney in the last 24 months were new builds (Property Price Register).

Is there much new development or planning activity in Blarney?

37 planning applications were lodged within Blarney in the last 12 months, covering 125 residential units (106 on record) — measured per town, not just at county level.

Is Blarney good for families?

Blarney scores 55/100 for families and community.

What are the schools like in Blarney?

Blarney scores 28/100 for schools and education, with 3 schools in the area.

What is the commute like from Blarney?

Blarney is about 13 minutes by road from Cork.

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.