Place profile · Dalkey, Co. Dublin City

Is Dalkey a good place to live?

Dalkey, Co. Dublin City scores 75/100 for quality of life, #10 of the 108 Irish areas BuyerIQ ranks, and its fundamentals are rated “stagnating”. The median home sells for €995,000 (most €726,375–€1,348,403), it scores 71/100 for safety (41.6 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents), 2,895 people live here. It's strongest on transport & services and environment, weakest on affordability.

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

Dalkey is stagnating.

Above average today — improving in absolute terms, but falling behind the national trend.

Unemployment fell just 1 points — lagging the national fall

Where Dalkey sits.

Co. Dublin City · 22 bus stops · 1 rail.

25 min
drive to Dublin

#10 of 108 for quality of life in Ireland.

75/100
#10 liveability#35 value
Transport & services88
Environment80
Schools & education78
Local economy73
Safety71
Family & community62
Affordability10

These seven scores and the 75/100 are measured across the A96 Eircode area, not Dalkey alone — an area that takes in much of DUBLIN 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 Dalkey is #35 of 108 for value for money (most quality of life per euro).

Homes sell for €995,000.

€726,375€1,348,403
21% new-build238 sales / 2yr

Well connected.

88/100
Transport & services score

Clean, green surrounds.

80/100
Environment score

Schools on the up.

78/100
Schools & education score

Quiet and safe.

71/100
41.6/1,000 · DMR East

The score is for the A96 Eircode area; the crime rate is recorded per Garda division (DMR East). Neither is measured for Dalkey on its own.

The community here.

2,895 people.

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

Going out, and getting things done.

29
social venues
1 per 100 residents · not ranked
18
everyday shops & services
1 per 161 residents · not ranked

Not ranked: a suburb’s boundary is a postal approximation, so its shops serve more people than are counted inside it.

Who lives here.

65%
third-level
60%
professional
6.2%
unemployment
Affluence: affluent

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

69.5% own22.8% rent5.6% social

The honest trade-offs.

Affordability 10/100

Dalkey: common questions

Is Dalkey a good place to live?

Dalkey, Co. Dublin City, scores 75/100 on BuyerIQ's Quality of Life composite (cost of living excluded) — #10 of the 108 areas we rank. It's strongest on transport & services and environment.

Is Dalkey safe?

Dalkey scores 71/100 on safety, ~41.6 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents.

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

The median sale price in Dalkey over the last 24 months was €995,000, most between €726,375 and €1,348,403 (Property Price Register).

Is Dalkey on the up?

Dalkey is rated "Stagnating" — unemployment fell just 1 points — lagging the national fall.

Are there new builds in Dalkey?

About 21% of homes sold in Dalkey in the last 24 months were new builds (Property Price Register).

Is there much new development or planning activity in Dalkey?

77 planning applications were lodged within Dalkey in the last 12 months, covering 1 residential unit (505 on record) — measured per town, not just at county level.

Is Dalkey good for families?

Dalkey scores 62/100 for families and community.

What are the schools like in Dalkey?

Dalkey scores 78/100 for schools and education, with 5 schools in the area.

What is the commute like from Dalkey?

Dalkey is about 25 minutes by road from Dublin, with 1 rail stop nearby.

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.