Aside from the village core, the area has housing developments such as Beechwood Lawns, located between the main street and the park, Forest Hills, Broadfield Manor to the west, and Peyton to the south.

Like neighbouring Saggart and nearby Newcastle, Rathcoole was on the periphery of the Pale and was the site of many battles with mountain-based rebels, particularly the Byrnes and O'Tooles.

The village was the birthplace in 1765 of the United Irishman Felix Rourke, and another local, a member of the Clinch family of Rathcoole House, was executed after the 1798 rising.

Rathcoole has a well-maintained landscaped park, run by South Dublin County Council, at the eastern end of the village.

One of Rathcoole's best-known pubs is An Poitin Stil, which is built on the site of an original inn dating back to 1649.

A pub existed for many years a short distance outside the town on the Naas Road (now N7) named The Blackchurch Inn.

On 11 November 2019 it was closed temporarily by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland due to high levels of E.coli and coliforms which were found in drinking water and ice samples during an inspection, but re-opened some days later.

It is a secondary school for students from Rathcoole and those commuting from the nearby towns of Clondalkin and Tallaght and the villages of Saggart and Brittas.

There is also Holy Family National School located at the western end of Forest Hills, and a Gaelscoil, Scoil Chrónáin, in Rathcoole village itself.

The academy hosts festivals during the summer, with dance, music, pony rides, pet farms, dog shows and equestrian competitions.