Place profile · Castlebar, Co. Mayo

Is Castlebar a good place to live?

Castlebar is on the up.

Below average today — but the fundamentals are turning, faster than the national trend.

Unemployment fell 17% → 11% Third-level education up 6 points Population grew 5.0% since 2016 Prices up 82.2%

Where Castlebar sits.

Co. Mayo · 12 bus stops · 1 rail.

74 min
drive to Galway

Ranked #4 in Mayo for quality of life.

65/100
#49 nationally
Affordability99
Safety82
Family & community79
Environment76
Schools & education46
Local economy46
Transport & services25

Homes sell for €265,000.

€207,563€330,396
↑ +82.2%10.2% new-build466 sales / 2yr

Affordable for its access.

99/100
Affordability score

Quiet and safe.

82/100
26.9/1,000

Good for families.

79/100
Family & community score

A community that's growing.

12,267 people, up 5% since 2016.

Who lives here.

39%
third-level
34%
professional
14.1%
unemployment
Affluence: below average

A mix of owners and renters.

57.2% own32.3% rent7.9% social

The honest trade-offs.

Transport & services 25/100

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 2026.