Place profile · Portmarnock, Co. Fingal

Is Portmarnock a good place to live?

Portmarnock, Co. Fingal scores 73/100 for quality of life, #13 of the 108 Irish areas BuyerIQ ranks, and its fundamentals are rated “stagnating”. The median home sells for €660,793 (most €521,118–€764,279), it scores 59/100 for safety (61.5 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents), 8,856 people live here. It's strongest on transport & services and environment.

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

Portmarnock 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 Portmarnock sits.

Co. Fingal · 50 bus stops · 1 rail.

24 min
drive to Dublin

#13 of 108 for quality of life in Ireland.

73/100
#13 liveability#18 value
Transport & services99
Environment88
Family & community70
Local economy65
Safety59
Schools & education58
Affordability49

These seven scores and the 73/100 are measured across the D13 Eircode area, not Portmarnock alone — an area that takes in much of FINGAL. 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 Portmarnock is #18 of 108 for value for money (most quality of life per euro).

Homes sell for €660,793.

€521,118€764,279
-12.5%38.5% new-build322 sales / 2yr

Well connected.

99/100
Transport & services score

Clean, green surrounds.

88/100
Environment score

Good for families.

70/100
Family & community score

Middling on safety.

59/100
61.5/1,000 · DMR North

The score is for the D13 Eircode area; the crime rate is recorded per Garda division (DMR North). Neither is measured for Portmarnock on its own.

The community here.

8,856 people.

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

Going out, and getting things done.

61st most vibrant small town in Ireland, of 131 ranked.

18
social venues
#61 of 131 · #102 per head
17
everyday shops & services
#78 of 130 · #113 per head

Ranked against small towns only; tourist towns read high.

Who lives here.

52%
third-level
55%
professional
6.1%
unemployment
Affluence: affluent

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

83.7% own12.5% rent1.9% social

Portmarnock: common questions

Is Portmarnock a good place to live?

Portmarnock, Co. Fingal, scores 73/100 on BuyerIQ's Quality of Life composite (cost of living excluded) — #13 of the 108 areas we rank. It's strongest on transport & services and environment.

Is Portmarnock safe?

Portmarnock scores 59/100 on safety, ~61.5 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents.

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

The median sale price in Portmarnock over the last 24 months was €660,793, most between €521,118 and €764,279 (Property Price Register).

Is Portmarnock on the up?

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

Are there new builds in Portmarnock?

About 39% of homes sold in Portmarnock in the last 24 months were new builds (Property Price Register).

Is there much new development or planning activity in Portmarnock?

53 planning applications were lodged within Portmarnock in the last 12 months (335 on record) — measured per town, not just at county level.

Is Portmarnock good for families?

Portmarnock scores 70/100 for families and community.

What are the schools like in Portmarnock?

Portmarnock scores 58/100 for schools and education, with 6 schools in the area.

What is the commute like from Portmarnock?

Portmarnock is about 24 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.