Safest cities in Ireland
3 cities with 100k+ population · data updated 2026-09-04
What official travel advice warns about
Terrorism
- Terrorism in IrelandTerrorist attacks in Ireland cannot be ruled out.
Demonstrations
- Demonstrations, political gatherings, or marches can take place with little or no warning, particularly in cities.
Crime
- Take precautions to reduce the risk of bag-snatching or pickpocketing. Avoid carrying valuables and large amounts of money. Lock your vehicle and park where possible in a secure car park. Most incidents occur in the larger cities.
Laws and cultural differences
- Illegal drugsPossession of even small quantities of drugs, including cannabis, carry severe penalties.
Transport risks
- Road travelIf you are planning to drive in Ireland, see information on driving abroad and check the rules of the road in the RAC’s Ireland guide. The guide lists driving regulations and other legal requirements you need to be aware of.
Headings and opening lines from the UK FCDO “Safety and security” travel advice for Ireland, updated 2026-02-26 (Open Government Licence v3.0). Read the full advice on gov.uk →
Country figures
- Homicide rate
- 0.7 /100k2024
- Income inequality
- Gini 29.02023
- Human development
- HDI 0.9492023
- Income
- $106,310/yrGNI per capita PPP
- Road deaths
- 3.1 /100kWHO, 2019
- Political stability
- 78/100WGI, 2024 · higher = more stable
- Rule of law
- 84/100WGI, 2024
- Corruption perceptions
- 76/100Transparency Intl, 2025 · higher = cleaner
- Natural-hazard risk
- 2.3/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Women, Peace & Security
- 0.89GIWPS, 2025 · 0-1, higher = better
- Air quality
- 7.5 µg/m³PM2.5, 2023 · WHO guideline is 5
- Safe drinking water
- 96%of population, 2024 · WHO/UNICEF JMP
- Healthcare capacity
- 3.9 doctors /1k3.0 hospital beds per 1,000
Natural hazards
- Flood
- 3.5/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Tsunami
- 1.9/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
Hazard types scoring under 1 out of 10 are not listed.
Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Ireland (as of 2025).
How Ireland compares
| Measure | Ireland | World median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 0.7 /100k | 2.4 /100k | −1.7 /100k — better for Ireland |
| Income inequality (Gini) | 29.0 | 35.2 | −6.2 — better for Ireland |
| Human development (HDI) | 0.949 | 0.763 | +0.186 — better for Ireland |
| Road deaths | 3.1 /100k | 15.4 /100k | −12.3 /100k — better for Ireland |
| Rule of law | 84/100 | 52/100 | +32/100 — better for Ireland |
| Corruption perceptions | 76/100 | 39/100 | +37/100 — better for Ireland |
| Air quality (PM2.5) | 7.5 µg/m³ | 19.7 µg/m³ | −12.2 µg/m³ — better for Ireland |
| Natural-hazard risk | 2.3/10 | 3.8/10 | −1.5/10 — better for Ireland |
| Measure | Ireland | Europe median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 0.7 /100k | 1.0 /100k | −0.3 /100k — better for Ireland |
| Income inequality (Gini) | 29.0 | 30.7 | −1.7 — better for Ireland |
| Human development (HDI) | 0.949 | 0.907 | +0.042 — better for Ireland |
| Road deaths | 3.1 /100k | 5.8 /100k | −2.7 /100k — better for Ireland |
| Rule of law | 84/100 | 73/100 | +11/100 — better for Ireland |
| Corruption perceptions | 76/100 | 56/100 | +21/100 — better for Ireland |
| Air quality (PM2.5) | 7.5 µg/m³ | 11.8 µg/m³ | −4.3 µg/m³ — better for Ireland |
| Natural-hazard risk | 2.3/10 | 2.5/10 | −0.2/10 — better for Ireland |
Medians, not means, so one extreme country cannot drag the reference value. Each row compares only the countries that have a published figure for that measure, and differences are plain arithmetic between stored values.
All 3 cities, safest first
- Cork85.7 · #185 worldwide
- Dublin81.4 · #1750 worldwide
- Blanchardstown81.4 · #1751 worldwide