Place profile · Fahan, Co. Donegal

Is Fahan a good place to live?

Fahan, Co. Donegal scores 46/100 for quality of life, #106 of the 108 Irish areas BuyerIQ ranks, and its fundamentals are rated “on the up — emerging”. The median home sells for €215,000 (most €160,000–€300,000), it scores 71/100 for safety (44.8 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents), 589 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

Fahan is on the up.

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

Unemployment fell 16% → 9% — faster than nationally

Where Fahan sits.

Co. Donegal · 4 bus stops · no rail.

208 min
drive to Dublin

#106 of 108 for quality of life in Ireland.

46/100
#106 liveability#101 value
Affordability100
Family & community80
Safety71
Environment69
Transport & services22
Local economy19
Schools & education17

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 Fahan is #101 of 108 for value for money (most quality of life per euro).

Homes sell for €215,000.

€160,000€300,000
21 sales / 2yr

Affordable for its access.

100/100
Affordability score

Good for families.

80/100
Family & community score

Clean, green surrounds.

69/100
Environment score

Quiet and safe.

71/100
44.8/1,000 · Donegal

The community here.

589 people.

Going out, and getting things done.

3
social venues
1 per 196 residents · not ranked
2
everyday shops & services
1 per 294 residents · not ranked

Vibrancy is the plain count of places to eat, drink and go out — restaurants, cafés, pubs, takeaways, nightclubs and cinemas in and around the town. Per head is the different question of whether a town is well served for its size.

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

Who lives here.

37%
third-level
38%
professional
12.4%
unemployment
Affluence: below average

Mostly owner-occupied.

85.8% own11.2% rent1% social

The honest trade-offs.

Local economy 19/100 Schools & education 17/100

Fahan: common questions

Is Fahan a good place to live?

Fahan, Co. Donegal, scores 46/100 on BuyerIQ's Quality of Life composite (cost of living excluded) — #106 of the 108 areas we rank. It's strongest on affordability and family & community.

Is Fahan safe?

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

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

The median sale price in Fahan over the last 24 months was €215,000, most between €160,000 and €300,000 (Property Price Register).

Is Fahan on the up?

Fahan is rated "On the up — emerging" — unemployment fell 16% → 9% — faster than nationally.

Is there much new development or planning activity in Fahan?

12 planning applications were lodged within Fahan in the last 12 months, covering 9 residential units (99 on record) — measured per town, not just at county level.

Is Fahan good for families?

Fahan scores 80/100 for families and community.

What are the schools like in Fahan?

Fahan scores 17/100 for schools and education.

What is the commute like from Fahan?

Fahan is about 208 minutes by road from Dublin.

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.