Living in Kilkenny

In Kilkenny, unemployment is 10.2% (2022).

In April 2022, the unemployment rate was 10.2%.

Last checked 2026-10-0714 sources

Population27,184people3 Apr 2022Official source · Census 2022 BUA population

Median gross salary (region)3,591EUR/month31 Dec 2025Official source · NEA05: Mean & Median Annual Earnings by Sex & NUTS 3 Region (2011–2025)

Average rent1,390EUR/month31 Mar 2026District figureOfficial source · RTB/ESRI Rent Index Q1 2026, Table 8 - Standardised Average Rent in New Tenancies by LEA

Unemployment rate10.2%country median 9.4% — 9% aboveOfficial source · CSO Census 2022 F7115 — unemployment rate by town

Recorded crime4,566incidents per 100,00031 Dec 2025Regional figureOfficial source · CJQ05 — Recorded crime incidents by Garda Region, Type of Offence, and Quarter

PM2.5, annual mean7µg/m³country median 7.0 — about the sameOfficial source · European Environment Agency

Which Ireland-wide rules apply when you move to Kilkenny?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Visa and entry rulesPassport-specific entry and national residence context.BenefitsCountry-wide eligibility and official application routes.Taxes in IrelandNational rates and thresholds that apply in Kilkenny.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

No city-level rent figure is published for Kilkenny. The available city-level cost figures remain below.

What recurs every month2 published recurring costs, € per month

€ / month

Internet, 60 Mbps€76

Mobile plan, 10 GB€40

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited	75.99 EUR/month	30 Sept 2026	eir 500 Mbps broadband⁷Official · national market
Mobile plan, 10 GB	39.99 EUR/month	30 Sept 2026	eir Mobile Essential⁸Official · national market
Average monthly rent (whole dwelling)	1,390 EUR/month	31 Mar 2026	RTB/ESRI Rent Index Q1 2026, Table 8 - Standardised Average Rent in New Tenancies by LEA¹⁴Official · county

Is Kilkenny a good place to live?

There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile

Remote worker34%strong on work, weak on safety · range 24–44%

Skilled employee53%strong on work, weak on education · range 43–63%

Student42%strong on cost, weak on education · range 30–54%

Family49%strong on family, weak on education · range 37–61%

Retirement45%strong on air quality, weak on admin · range 33–57%

Work and income

What is the unemployment rate in Kilkenny?

The unemployment rate is 10.2 % (April 2022). Source: CSO Census 2022 F7115 — unemployment rate by town⁶

Unemployment across cities in IrelandUnemployment in Kilkenny is 10.2%. Of 90 cities with data, 21 have unemployment of 6 to under 8%.

4–66–88–1010–1212–1414–1616–18

Kilkenny 10.2%

Unemployment rate (%)

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Average gross earnings	4,253 EUR/month	31 Dec 2025	NEA05: Mean & Median Annual Earnings by Sex & NUTS 3 Region (2011–2025)¹²Official · county
Median gross salary (regional)	3,591 EUR/month	31 Dec 2025	NEA05: Mean & Median Annual Earnings by Sex & NUTS 3 Region (2011–2025)¹²Official · county
Unemployment rate	10.2 %country median 9.4%	3 Apr 2022	CSO Census 2022 F7115 — unemployment rate by town⁶Official

What does a salary buy in Kilkenny?

Take-home pay after tax, minus rent and the everyday bills this city publishes. Each line names its source.

Left over each month€1,482of €2,988 take-home

Rent
Internet
Mobile
Left over

Line-by-line breakdown and sources

Each month	€
Take-home payOECD Taxing Wages 2025, single, no children. Includes central and local income tax and employee social contributions.	€2,988
Rentaverage rent of a whole dwelling · official · RTB/ESRI Rent Index Q1 2026, Table 8 - Standardised Average Rent in New Tenancies by LEA · 2026-03-31	− €1,390
Internet€76 · official · eir 500 Mbps broadband · 2026-09-30	− €76
Mobile plan€40 · official · eir Mobile Essential · 2026-09-30	− €40
Other everyday billsnot published for this city: public transport pass, utilities	—
Left overbefore the bills this city does not publish	€1,482

Take-home pay for other salaries and households Compare with another city Check a job offer in Kilkenny Salary needed to live in Kilkenny

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Kilkenny. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.

Country-level information

Intreo employment service — Public employment service

Department of Social Protection, Ireland

Job Search

Open official service

Open the Ireland service overview

Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in Kilkenny. Sources checked through 10 Aug 2026.

Safety

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents	4,566 incidents per 100,000	31 Dec 2025	CJQ05 — Recorded crime incidents by Garda Region, Type of Offence, and Quarter⁴Official · regional context

Mobility and administration

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Public transport access	Bus Éireann / Iarnród Éireann / Local Link (NTA Kilkenny — Dublin–Waterford rail line)	27 Aug 2026	migrationfit.com¹⁰Official
Nearest airport	KKY	3 Aug 2026	OurAirports¹³Official
Distance to nearest airport	3 km	3 Aug 2026	OurAirports¹³Official

Language courses and integration

No exact city-level course record is currently published for Kilkenny. These verified national programmes may still apply; use the official programme page to check local availability.

Country-level information

Education and Training Board adult English language skills and ESOL — State Language Course

The 16 Education and Training Boards across Ireland

For adult migrants, refugees, adults who need to improve English.

EnglishFree

Open official information

Local Authority Integration Teams (LAITs) — Newcomer Adaptation

Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration

For new arrivals, people who applied for International Protection, refugees, people from Ukraine.

EnglishIn Person

Open official information

Open the full Ireland section

National programme information is not treated as proof of a course location in Kilkenny.

Find courses near Kilkenny

Climate and air quality

Is the air quality good in Kilkenny?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 7 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: European Environment Agency⁹

Annual mean at the measuring site(s) serving the city; current-day readings differ.

Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits

Within WHO 2021 guidelineAbove WHO, within EU limitAbove EU legal limitCity annual mean · µg/m³

PM2.57WHO 5 · EU 25

NO₂5WHO 10 · EU 40

City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.

PM2.5 across cities in IrelandAnnual PM2.5 in Kilkenny is 7.0 µg/m³. Of 68 cities with data, 23 have annual PM2.5 of 7 to under 8 µg/m³.

5–66–77–88–99–1010–1111–1212–13

Kilkenny 7.0

Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)

Metric	Value	Period	Source
NO₂ — annual mean	5 µg/m³	31 Dec 2024	European Environment Agency⁹Official
PM2.5 — annual mean	7 µg/m³country median 7.0 — about the same	31 Dec 2024	European Environment Agency⁹Official
Monthly extreme high temperature	Jan 13.82 · Feb 13.83 · Mar 17.18 · Apr 19.41 · May 22.83 · Jun 25.24 · Jul 26 · Aug 26.61 · Sep 23.59 · Oct 19.08 · Nov 15.69 · Dec 13.56 °C	31 Dec 2001	NASA POWER / NASA Langley Research Center¹¹Official
Monthly extreme low temperature	Jan -7.18 · Feb -3.86 · Mar -4.87 · Apr -3.29 · May -0.65 · Jun 3.12 · Jul 5.98 · Aug 4.5 · Sep 1.26 · Oct -1.52 · Nov -3.38 · Dec -6.13 °C	31 Dec 2001	NASA POWER / NASA Langley Research Center¹¹Official
Average temperature by month	Jan 4.97 · Feb 4.89 · Mar 5.86 · Apr 8.11 · May 10.89 · Jun 13.68 · Jul 15.12 · Aug 14.72 · Sep 12.96 · Oct 10.24 · Nov 7.2 · Dec 5.5 °C	31 Dec 2001	NASA POWER / NASA Langley Research Center¹¹Official

Annual PM2.5 over time6 published observations, 2019–2024

5.8

6.6

7.4

8.2

7.02019202120232024

Annual PM2.5 fell 12.5% between 2019 and 2024, from 8.0 to 7.0.

Population and city profile

How many people live in Kilkenny?

The published population was 27,184 people in 2022. Source: Census 2022 BUA population¹

Foreign residents and their share come from different publications that count different groups (for example citizens of another country, or people born abroad, or of foreign origin), so 3,829 is not 17.7% of the population. Each row names its source.

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population

By nationality

National passport85.9%
Foreign residents14.1%

Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Foreign-resident share	17.7 %	31 Dec 2022	Central Statistics Office Ireland (CSO)²Official
Foreign residents	3,829 people	3 Apr 2022	CSO Census 2022 F5003 — population by citizenship and town of usual residence⁵Official
City area	14 km²	31 Dec 2022	migrationfit.com¹⁰Official
Population density	1,918 people/km²	31 Dec 2022	migrationfit.com¹⁰Official
Female residents	14,071 people	31 Dec 2022	Central Statistics Office Ireland (CSO)³Official
Male residents	13,113 people	31 Dec 2022	Central Statistics Office Ireland (CSO)³Official
Population	27,184 people	3 Apr 2022	Census 2022 BUA population¹Official

Additional context

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Administrative handoff status	https://www.irishimmigration.ie/ url	27 Aug 2026	migrationfit.com¹⁰Official

Alternatives for people set on Kilkenny

Three places for the three reasons people leave a city on the shortlist: stay in the region, stay in the country, or keep the budget and change the country. A percentage appears only where both cities publish that metric from the same source, period and grain. Distances are straight lines — travel times are not collected yet.

Galway city and suburbs as a Kilkenny alternative in the same country

Better on 1 of 2 metrics measured the same way, worse on 0. Median gross pay, region cannot be compared like for like.

Median gross pay, region: €3,566 (2024) Galway city and suburbs vs €3,591 (2025) Kilkennyno percentage
Recorded crime, per 100k: 4,247 Galway city and suburbs vs 4,566 Kilkenny−7%
Foreign residents: 18.2% Galway city and suburbs vs 17.7% Kilkennysame level

Full comparison More about Galway city and suburbs

Alternative cities in Ireland

Other cities in Ireland to compare with Kilkenny, nearest in population first.

All Ireland cities

Carlow27,351 residents Ennis27,923 residents Naas26,180 residents Tralee26,079 residents Newbridge24,366 residents Balbriggan24,322 residents

How does Kilkenny compare?

Pick a city. The answer appears here and the address bar keeps it, so the comparison can be shared; the page stays Kilkenny's.

Open the full comparison

Kilkenny in rankings

#10 of 25 in Cities with cleanest air in Ireland #13 of 25 in Cities with lowest unemployment in Ireland #15 of 27 in Largest cities in Ireland #19 of 27 in Most international cities in Ireland

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Kilkenny when the national insurance or residence conditions are met.

Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.

Open the official coverage guide

Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

School for children who move here. School is compulsory from age 6 to 16, and public school is free. Newly arrived pupils get support in the school language: English as additional language support (whole-school approach, National Strategy Literacy and Numeracy 2011). How to enrol a child (gov.ie).

A country-wide rule for Ireland; Kilkenny's school authority applies it locally.

Sources: eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu · 2026.

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

How many people live in Kilkenny?

The published population was 27,184 people in 2022. Source: Census 2022 BUA population.

Is the air quality good in Kilkenny?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 7 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: European Environment Agency.

What is the unemployment rate in Kilkenny?

The unemployment rate is 10.2 % (April 2022). Source: CSO Census 2022 F7115 — unemployment rate by town.

What is the typical salary around Kilkenny?

The median gross salary is 3,591 EUR/month. Source: NEA05: Mean & Median Annual Earnings by Sex & NUTS 3 Region (2011–2025).

How many foreign residents live in Kilkenny?

3,829 residents hold a foreign nationality. Source: CSO Census 2022 F5003 — population by citizenship and town of usual residence.

Is Kilkenny a good place to live?

Kilkenny may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.

Cite this page

Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.

APA citation

ImmigrationDB. (2026, October 25). Kilkenny, Ireland: population, rent, salary, cost of living [ImmigrationDB compilation; version 9d5d70b9020b27caa140dc4378d83e40]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/ie/kilkenny/ Retrieved 2026-10-25. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

BibTeX citation

@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_kilkenny-ireland-population-rent-salary-cost-of-living_c24f1f20514d,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Kilkenny, Ireland: population, rent, salary, cost of living},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-10-25},
  version = {9d5d70b9020b27caa140dc4378d83e40},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/ie/kilkenny/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-10-25. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}

Markdown citation

[Kilkenny, Ireland: population, rent, salary, cost of living](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/ie/kilkenny/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version 9d5d70b9020b27caa140dc4378d83e40; retrieved 2026-10-25; built 2026-10-25.

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.

Sources

JSON Markdown

Census 2022 BUA population cso.ie · checked 2026-07-14
Central Statistics Office Ireland (CSO) cso.ie · checked 2026-08-03
Central Statistics Office Ireland (CSO) ws.cso.ie · checked 2026-08-07
CJQ05 — Recorded crime incidents by Garda Region, Type of Offence, and Quarter CJQ05 · ws.cso.ie · checked 2026-10-05
CSO Census 2022 F5003 — population by citizenship and town of usual residence CSO Census 2022 F5003 · ws.cso.ie · checked 2026-07-27
CSO Census 2022 F7115 — unemployment rate by town CSO Census 2022 F7115 · ws.cso.ie · checked 2026-07-27
eir 500 Mbps broadband eir.ie · checked 2026-09-15
eir Mobile Essential home.eir.ie · checked 2026-09-15
European Environment Agency air.discomap.eea.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-03
migrationfit.com migrationfit.com · checked 2026-06-14

Show 4 more sources

NASA POWER / NASA Langley Research Center power.larc.nasa.gov · checked 2026-08-03
NEA05: Mean & Median Annual Earnings by Sex & NUTS 3 Region (2011–2025) ws.cso.ie · checked 2026-10-07
OurAirports davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-08-03
RTB/ESRI Rent Index Q1 2026, Table 8 - Standardised Average Rent in New Tenancies by LEA rtb.ie · checked 2026-10-06

Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.