Place profile · Galway, Co. Galway City

Is Galway a good place to live?

Galway, Co. Galway City scores 68/100 for quality of life, #22 of the 108 Irish areas BuyerIQ ranks. The median home sells for €400,881 (most €325,000–€482,250), it scores 61/100 for safety (60.1 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents), 163,289 people live here. It's strongest on environment and transport & services.

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

Where Galway sits.

Co. Galway City · 352 bus stops · 1 rail.

3 min
drive to Galway

#22 of 108 for quality of life in Ireland.

68/100
#22 liveability#26 value
Environment88
Transport & services81
Affordability75
Family & community75
Safety61
Local economy55
Schools & education50

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 Galway is #26 of 108 for value for money (most quality of life per euro).

Homes sell for €400,881.

€325,000€482,250
↑ +54.2%4.3% new-build1256 sales / 2yr

Clean, green surrounds.

88/100
Environment score

Well connected.

81/100
Transport & services score

Affordable for its access.

75/100
Affordability score

Quiet and safe.

61/100
60.1/1,000 · Galway

The community here.

163,289 people.

Who lives here.

46%
third-level
37%
professional
11.5%
unemployment
Affluence: below average

A mix of owners and renters.

53% own34% rent8.6% social

Galway: common questions

Is Galway a good place to live?

Galway, Co. Galway City, scores 68/100 on BuyerIQ's Quality of Life composite (cost of living excluded) — #22 of the 108 areas we rank. It's strongest on environment and transport & services.

Is Galway safe?

Galway scores 61/100 on safety, ~60.1 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents.

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

The median sale price in Galway over the last 24 months was €400,881, most between €325,000 and €482,250 (Property Price Register).

Are there new builds in Galway?

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

Is Galway good for families?

Galway scores 75/100 for families and community.

What are the schools like in Galway?

Galway scores 50/100 for schools and education, with 38 schools in the area.

What is the commute like from Galway?

Galway is about 3 minutes by road from Galway, 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.