Place profile · Swords, Co. Fingal

Is Swords a good place to live?

Swords, Co. Fingal scores 66/100 for quality of life, #35 of the 108 Irish areas BuyerIQ ranks, and its fundamentals are rated “declining”. The median home sells for €430,000 (most €354,000–€489,747), it scores 59/100 for safety (61.8 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents), 38,308 people live here, up 2% since 2016. It's strongest on transport & services and environment.

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

Swords is on the slide.

About average today — the fundamentals are slipping behind the rest of the country.

Unemployment fell just 2 points — lagging the national fall Population grew just 2.0% vs 8% nationally Prices up 9.7%

Where Swords sits.

Co. Fingal · 94 bus stops · no rail.

21 min
drive to Dublin

#35 of 108 for quality of life in Ireland.

66/100
#35 liveability#35 value
Transport & services75
Environment74
Family & community67
Affordability66
Local economy62
Safety59
Schools & education56

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 Swords is #35 of 108 for value for money (most quality of life per euro).

Homes sell for €430,000.

€354,000€489,747
↑ +9.7%0% new-build1066 sales / 2yr

Well connected.

75/100
Transport & services score

Clean, green surrounds.

74/100
Environment score

Good for families.

67/100
Family & community score

Middling on safety.

59/100
61.8/1,000 · DMR North

A community that's growing.

38,308 people, up 2% since 2016.

Who lives here.

43%
third-level
43%
professional
6.8%
unemployment
Affluence: above average

Mostly owner-occupied.

72.2% own19.8% rent5.9% social

Swords: common questions

Is Swords a good place to live?

Swords, Co. Fingal, scores 66/100 on BuyerIQ's Quality of Life composite (cost of living excluded) — #35 of the 108 areas we rank. It's strongest on transport & services and environment.

Is Swords safe?

Swords scores 59/100 on safety, ~61.8 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents.

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

The median sale price in Swords over the last 24 months was €430,000, most between €354,000 and €489,747 (Property Price Register).

Is Swords on the up?

Swords is rated "Declining" — unemployment fell just 2 points — lagging the national fall, population grew just 2.0% vs 8% nationally, prices up 9.7%.

Are there new builds in Swords?

New builds are rare in Swords — under 1% of recent sales (Property Price Register).

Is there much new development or planning activity in Swords?

118 planning applications were lodged within Swords in the last 12 months (745 on record) — measured per town, not just at county level.

Is Swords good for families?

Swords scores 67/100 for families and community, and its population is growing (up 2% since 2016).

What are the schools like in Swords?

Swords scores 56/100 for schools and education, with 13 schools in the area.

What is the commute like from Swords?

Swords is about 21 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 July 2026.