Place profile · Rathcoole, Co. Cork

Is Rathcoole a good place to live?

Rathcoole, Co. Cork scores 58/100 for quality of life, #67 of the 108 Irish areas BuyerIQ ranks, and its fundamentals are rated “steady — moves with the market”. The median home sells for €250,000 (most €200,000–€295,370), it scores 56/100 for safety (67 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents), 218 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

Rathcoole is moving with the market.

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

Unemployment fell 9% → 5%, in line with nationally Third-level education up 12 points — faster than nationally Recorded crime rising faster than the town is growing

Where Rathcoole sits.

Co. Cork.

56 min
drive to Cork

#67 of 108 for quality of life in Ireland.

58/100
#67 liveability#58 value
Affordability99
Family & community82
Environment66
Transport & services57
Safety56
Local economy49
Schools & education41

These seven scores and the 58/100 are measured across the P51 Eircode area, not Rathcoole alone — an area that takes in much of CORK. 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 Rathcoole is #58 of 108 for value for money (most quality of life per euro).

House prices in Rathcoole: €250,000 median.

€200,000€295,370
17 sales / 2yr

Affordable for its access.

99/100
Affordability score

Good for families.

82/100
Family & community score

Clean, green surrounds.

66/100
Environment score

Middling on safety.

56/100
67/1,000 · Cork North
Recorded crime rising faster than the town is growing

The score is for the P51 Eircode area; the crime rate is recorded per Garda division (Cork North). Neither is measured for Rathcoole on its own.

The community here.

218 people.

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

Going out, and getting things done.

0
social venues
not ranked
0
everyday shops & services
not ranked

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

Who lives here.

29%
third-level
35%
professional
7.1%
unemployment
Affluence: below average

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

83.5% own11.7% rent3.8% social

The honest trade-offs.

Schools & education 41/100

Rathcoole: common questions

Is Rathcoole a good place to live?

Rathcoole, Co. Cork, scores 58/100 on BuyerIQ's Quality of Life composite (cost of living excluded) — #67 of the 108 areas we rank. It's strongest on affordability and family & community.

Is Rathcoole safe?

Rathcoole scores 56/100 on safety, ~67.0 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents.

What are house prices in Rathcoole?

The median sale price in Rathcoole over the last 24 months was €250,000, with most sales between €200,000 and €295,370 (Property Price Register, rolling 24 months).

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

The median sale price in Rathcoole over the last 24 months was €250,000, most between €200,000 and €295,370 (Property Price Register).

Is Rathcoole on the up?

Rathcoole is rated "Steady — moves with the market" — unemployment fell 9% → 5%, in line with nationally, third-level education up 12 points — faster than nationally, recorded crime rising faster than the town is growing.

Is there much new development or planning activity in Rathcoole?

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

Is Rathcoole good for families?

Rathcoole scores 82/100 for families and community.

What are the schools like in Rathcoole?

Rathcoole scores 41/100 for schools and education, with 1 school in the area.

What is the commute like from Rathcoole?

Rathcoole is about 56 minutes by road from Cork.

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.