Place profile · Killybegs, Co. Donegal

Is Killybegs a good place to live?

Killybegs, Co. Donegal scores 50/100 for quality of life, #103 of the 108 Irish areas BuyerIQ ranks, and its fundamentals are rated “steady — moves with the market”. The median home sells for €163,000 (most €90,000–€233,000), it scores 71/100 for safety (44.8 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents), 1,258 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

Killybegs is moving with the market.

Below average today — tracking the national trend — no strong local tailwind or headwind.

Unemployment fell 14% → 9%, in line with nationally

Where Killybegs sits.

Co. Donegal · 5 bus stops · no rail.

200 min
drive to Galway

#103 of 108 for quality of life in Ireland.

50/100
#103 liveability#93 value
Affordability100
Family & community83
Environment74
Safety71
Local economy28
Transport & services22
Schools & education20

These seven scores and the 50/100 are measured across the F94 Eircode area, not Killybegs alone — an area that takes in much of DONEGAL. 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 Killybegs is #93 of 108 for value for money (most quality of life per euro).

Homes sell for €163,000.

€90,000€233,000
9.1% new-build33 sales / 2yr

Affordable for its access.

100/100
Affordability score

Good for families.

83/100
Family & community score

Clean, green surrounds.

74/100
Environment score

Quiet and safe.

71/100
44.8/1,000 · Donegal

The score is for the F94 Eircode area; the crime rate is recorded per Garda division (Donegal). Neither is measured for Killybegs on its own.

The community here.

1,258 people.

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

Going out, and getting things done.

16
social venues
1 per 79 residents · not ranked
16
everyday shops & services
1 per 79 residents · not ranked

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

Who lives here.

25%
third-level
25%
professional
11.2%
unemployment
Affluence: disadvantaged

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

76.3% own11.8% rent9% social

The honest trade-offs.

Transport & services 22/100 Schools & education 20/100

Killybegs: common questions

Is Killybegs a good place to live?

Killybegs, Co. Donegal, scores 50/100 on BuyerIQ's Quality of Life composite (cost of living excluded) — #103 of the 108 areas we rank. It's strongest on affordability and family & community.

Is Killybegs safe?

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

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

The median sale price in Killybegs over the last 24 months was €163,000, most between €90,000 and €233,000 (Property Price Register).

Is Killybegs on the up?

Killybegs is rated "Steady — moves with the market" — unemployment fell 14% → 9%, in line with nationally.

Are there new builds in Killybegs?

About 9% of homes sold in Killybegs in the last 24 months were new builds (Property Price Register).

Is there much new development or planning activity in Killybegs?

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

Is Killybegs good for families?

Killybegs scores 83/100 for families and community.

What are the schools like in Killybegs?

Killybegs scores 20/100 for schools and education, with 4 schools in the area.

What is the commute like from Killybegs?

Killybegs is about 200 minutes by road from Galway.

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.