The data are hard on it. At D overall, Colwyn Bay is better than 6% of UK towns and ranks #37 of 39 in Clwyd. Police record more crime here than in most towns: 58.1 violent and sexual offences and 15.4 home and vehicle crimes per 1,000 residents a year. Against UK towns of 10,000 to 50,000 people, it has more crime per resident than 91%. It also trails on jobs & income (D): households earn a mean £45,402 a year, and 4.5% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits. Buying the median home, at £213,750, takes 4.9 years of household income in the Conwy council area. Getting around on foot or by bus is easy: on the way to work, 18% walk, cycle or take a bus or train.

Figures: commuting, Census 2021 · crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 · income, ONS · claimants, DWP · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years.

This town's Health Grade uses ONS's small-area life expectancy and healthy life expectancy for 2019 to 2023, and two Census 2021 measures, bad health and disability, adjusted for age. English towns' grades also use OHID's small-area early deaths, hospital admissions and child obesity, which OHID publishes for England only.

WeakestDSafety DJobs & income

What makes Colwyn Bay stand out

The 3 things Colwyn Bay does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data

Homes built before 1919

History

Against 15% in the typical UK town

Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period.

Claimant rate, against UK towns

Work

of 16 to 64s in 2026: more than in 93% of UK towns

DWP claimant count, January to August 2026.

Residents 65 and over

Who lives here

26% are 65 or over

Against 21% across Wales’s towns

How Colwyn Bay grades

Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within Wales), ordered by how far Colwyn Bay is from typical. American towns are graded separately.

How grading works

SafetyBased on crimes reported per residentDOpen →Jobs & incomeIncomes and work are among the weakest comparedDOpen →Health6.8% in bad or very bad health, 24% disabled (adjusted for age in the grade)C⁻Open →WalkabilityAhead of most towns comparedB⁺Open →Cost of livingGraded on home prices against local incomesC⁺Open →Hazard risk0.2% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaB⁻Open →

SchoolsNot published in Wales–

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

HistoryUnusually rich in historyA⁻Open →Outdoors77% live within 400 m of a park; 1.9 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsB⁺Open →Civic life1.8 local charities per 1,000 residents; 24% live within 1 km of a libraryB⁻Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

From the woods, Colwyn Bay, Wales, c. 1890 · Photo: Photochrom Print Collection · Public domain

Colwyn Bay’s story

Colwyn Bay in pictures

Cadw lists 117 buildings inside Colwyn Bay’s built-up area, 3 of them Grade II*, and 1 scheduled monument.

31% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.

The archive holds 3 old photos and postcards going back to 1890.

c. 1890Pier and Pavillion, Colwyn Bay, Wales
c. 1890Prominade (i.e., promenade) from station, Colwyn Bay, Wales

Explore the history →

Nearby attractions

Welsh Mountain Zoo and 19 more in and around Colwyn Bay

Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Colwyn Bay. Best known first.

All attractions →

ZooWelsh Mountain Zooin town

Castle · CadwConwy Castle3.5 km outside town, to the west

Historic houseThe Smallest House in Great Britain3.7 km outside town, to the west

CastleDeganwy Castle3.9 km outside town, to the west

CastleGwrych Castle4.3 km outside town, to the east

Fort · CadwConwy Town Walls3.8 km outside town, to the west

Places: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata

Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).

Photo credits (6)

Welsh Mountain Zoo: Frombowen, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Conwy Castle: Source: Llywelyn2000 Derivative: User:MathKnight, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
The Smallest House in Great Britain: JK the Unwise, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Deganwy Castle: Llywelyn2000, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Gwrych Castle: Llywelyn2000, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Conwy Town Walls: David Dixon, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

The data

Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Colwyn Bay.

Safety

More crimes per resident in Colwyn Bay than in 94% of UK towns

Town centres with shops, stations and nightlife record more crime per resident: police.uk counts crimes where they happen, not where victims live.

Anti-social behaviour, shown but not graded, came to 26.8 reports per 1,000, higher than both Clwyd’s towns (15) and Wales’s towns (10.4). Colwyn Bay logged 2,894 reported offences in a year (to August 2026), plus 753 complaints of anti-social conduct. Also worth knowing: 54% of the crimes fell under violence and sexual offences.

58.1violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearDSafety Grade

Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 9% of the 645 UK towns of 10,000 to 50,000 people: more crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.

More crimeLess crime

Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026

Violence & sexual1,575

Public order271

Damage & arson265

Shoplifting257

Other theft164

Drugs88

Burglary84

Other crime71

Anti-social753

Not gradedAnti-social behaviour, shoplifting and other theft are shown but left out of the Safety Grade, which counts violence and crimes against homes and vehicles per resident.

58.1

violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026

15.4

burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026

26.8

anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)

2,894

crimes recorded in the 12 months to August 2026

Full pageColwyn Bay’s safety reportOpen the page

Safety Grade58.1 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 · Colwyn Bay has more crime per resident than 94% of UK towns Crime by typeViolence & sexual leads Vs. the neighboursAhead of 1 of its 7 graded neighbours Questions“Is Colwyn Bay safe?”

data.police.uk street-level crime · points inside the ONS built-up-area boundary · OGL · The police category of violence and sexual offences includes harassment and stalking.

Schools

13 state schools in Colwyn Bay

Three of them are below, each with the reason it’s listed. Between them, nine primaries and two secondaries teach 4,443 pupils in Colwyn Bay.

School	Level	Pupils	Letter
Ysgol Pen Y BrynLargest primary schoolPrimary	Primary	428	–
Eirias High SchoolLargest secondary schoolSecondary	Secondary	1,200	–
Ysgol Bod AlawLargest Welsh-medium schoolPrimary	Primary	331	–

Welsh Government · schools list · Wales publishes no school-level results, so its schools have no letters.See all 13 schools →

History

Much of Colwyn Bay is a conservation area: 9% of its land, more than in both Clwyd’s towns and Wales’s towns

The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.

Grade II* covers 3 of them. 31% of homes date from before 1919. Colwyn Bay counts 117 listed buildings on the national list (Cadw): 3 Grade II*.

117listed buildingsA⁻History Grade

Listed buildings by grade · Cadw

Grade I0

Grade II*3

Grade II114

Among them · Grade II*

scheduled monument

registered parks and gardens

31%

of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%

listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24

Full pageColwyn Bay’s history pageOpen the page

Listed buildings117 listed buildings Homes by age31% built before 1919 · Older homes Vs. the neighboursAhead of 5 of its 7 graded neighbours Questions“How many listed buildings are there in Colwyn Bay?”

Cadw list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL

Health

More people in Colwyn Bay live with a disability than in Clwyd’s towns or across Wales’s towns: 24%

The nearest A&E to Colwyn Bay is Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, 9.7 miles away. Life expectancy here is 82.3 for women and 77.9 for men (2019–23). 2 GP practices serve the town.

77%good or very good healthC⁻Health Grade

General health, self-reported

Good or very good 77%Fair 16%Bad or very bad 7%

Census 2021	Colwyn Bay	Clwyd	Wales
Good or very good health	77%	79%	78%
Bad or very bad health	6.8%	6.5%	7.1%
Disabled (Equality Act)	24%	22%	22%

77.9

life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)

82.3

life expectancy at birth, women

Welsh towns’ Health Grades use ONS’s small-area life expectancy and healthy life expectancy for 2019 to 2023, and two Census 2021 measures, bad health and disability, adjusted for age. English towns’ also use OHID’s small-area early deaths, hospital admissions and child obesity, which OHID publishes for England only.

Full pageColwyn Bay’s health pageOpen the page

Health GradeLife expectancy: women 82.3, men 77.9 Getting care9.7 miles to A&E · Ysbyty Glan Clwyd GP practices2 GP practices · 14,636 residents per practice Census health77% in good health

ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · ONS, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · No age adjustment applies to these census answers, which flatter younger towns; the Health Grade’s measures, life expectancy among them, do allow for age.

Who lives here

Older residents shape Colwyn Bay: 26% are 65 or over, above Clwyd’s towns and Wales’s towns

Among adults, 34% have a degree. People aged 15 to 24 make up 9.7% of the town, near Clwyd’s towns (10%) and lower than Wales’s towns (12%). Ages in Colwyn Bay split evenly at 47.3: half are older, half younger.

47.3median age

Colwyn BayClwydWales

ClwydWales

Ages · share of residents

26%

Qualifications · residents 16 and older

No qualifications17%

Apprenticeship6%

A levels or similar17%

Degree level34%

Women and men · all residents

51% women, 49% men

About 95 men for every 100 women. Across Wales, 51% of residents are women.

Ages and qualifications in Colwyn Bay
	Colwyn Bay	Clwyd	Wales
Under 15	16%	17%	17%
15–24	9.7%	10%	12%
25–44	21%	23%	25%
45–64	27%	27%	26%
65+	26%	23%	21%
No qualifications	17%	20%	20%
Apprenticeship	6%	6.5%	5.6%
A levels or similar	17%	17%	17%
Degree level	34%	29%	31%

Full pageColwyn Bay’s Who lives here pageOpen the page

Ages47.3 median age · 26% are 65 or over Households13,122 households · 64% own their home Where people were born5.9% born outside the UK Questions“What is the population of Colwyn Bay?”

ONS Census 2021 · Clwyd and Wales: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL

Work & commuteJobs & income grade D

More people claim jobless benefits in Colwyn Bay than in 93% of UK towns

The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 22% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.

Just over a third of commuters who live in Colwyn Bay also work there. Jobs per working resident: 1. The car took 80% of commuters, about level with Wales’s towns (81%) and below Clwyd’s towns (83%).

18%walk, cycle or ride

How commuters got to work · March 2021

Driving80%

On foot10%

Bus6%

Bicycle1%

Train1%

22%

worked mainly from home in March 2021

£45K

mean household income, before tax

4.5%

of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)

B⁺

Walkability: more walkable than 69% of UK towns

Full pageColwyn Bay’s work & commute pageOpen the page

Commute map18% walk, cycle or ride Jobs based here12,400 jobs based here · Health and social care is the biggest, 29%Household income£45K a year · Mean household income Getting to work40% go under 5 km · Short trips to work

ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL

HousingCost of living grade C⁺

Private renting is more common in Colwyn Bay than in Clwyd’s towns or Wales’s towns: 21% of households

Social housing holds 14% of households, below Clwyd’s towns (16%) and Wales’s towns (18%) alike. Private rents average £796 a month across the Conwy council area. From September 2023 to August 2026, 1,389 homes sold inside Colwyn Bay’s built-up area at standard prices; the middle one went for £213,750.

£214Kmedian sale

Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026

Colwyn Bay£214K

Typical UK town£277K

By type	Median	Sales
Detached	£325,000	428
Semi-detached	£215,000	434
Terraced	£150,000	202
Flat or maisonette	£125,000	325

64%

of households own their home · Wales 65%

21%

rent privately · Wales 17%

£796

average private rent a month, Conwy council area

£2,473

council tax, Band D, 2026–27

Full pageColwyn Bay’s housing & cost pageOpen the page

House pricesMedian sale £213,750 Renting£796 a month · Average private rent Council tax£2,473 Band D · Council tax, 2026–27 Owners and renters64% own their home

HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Colwyn Bay

15pages on Colwyn Bay

The big questions

SafetyD58.1 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 Cost of livingC⁺Median home £214K · rent £796 a month Housing414 sold in 12 months · busiest street Penrhyn Avenue Schools13 state schools (no results published in Wales)HealthC⁻Work & commuteD58% of working residents work in the town Flood & hazardsB⁻0.2% of homes at high or medium flood risk

Out and about

OutdoorsB⁺77% live within 400 m of a park AttractionsClimateJuly highs of 19°C (67°F), 950 mm of rain a year Weather

The story

Who lives hereMedian age 47.3 · 29,273 people HistoryA⁻117 listed buildings Town Hall & politicsCouncil area: Conwy Famous people28 born here, among them Timothy Dalton

Landmarks

117 listed buildings in Colwyn Bay.

All landmarks →

Church of Saint JohnGrade II* listed

Church of Saint PaulGrade II* listed

Church of St TrilloGrade II* listed

Former Pier Entrance BuildingGrade II listed

Photo credits

Church of Saint John: Photo: Ceri Morgan · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Church of Saint Paul: Photo: Jonathan Wilkins · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Church of St Trillo: Photo: Llywelyn2000 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Former Pier Entrance Building: Photo: GingerBeast · CC BY-SA 4.0

Famous people from Colwyn Bay

28 notable people were born in Colwyn Bay.

See all 28 →

Timothy DaltonBritish actor of stage, film and television · born 1946

Terry JonesWelsh actor, comedian, director, historian and writer (1942…

The VivienneBritish drag performer (1992–2025)

Richard EllisBritish astronomer · born 1950

Ffred FfransisWelsh activist · born 1948

Paula YatesBritish television presenter and writer (1959–2000)

Photo credits

Timothy Dalton: Molendijk, Bart / Anefo, CC BY-SA 3.0 nl · Terry Jones: Eduardo Unda-Sanzana, CC BY 2.0 · The Vivienne: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dvsross/, CC BY 2.0 · Richard Ellis: Gruber Foundation/R. Ellis, CC BY 4.0 · Ffred Ffransis: Geoff Charles, CC BY-SA 4.0

Colwyn Bay’s neighbours

The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →

All towns in Clwyd →

Penrhyn BayMynydd MarianLlansanffraid Glan ConwyLlanddulasConwyLlandudnoAbergeleColwyn Bay

How the neighbours grade

Town	People	Miles	Overall	Cost	Safety	Health
Colwyn Bay	29,273	—	D	C⁺	D	C⁻
Penrhyn Bay	4,201	2.4	B⁺	C⁻	A	A⁻
Mynydd Marian	1,351	3.1	—	B⁻	B	C
Llansanffraid Glan Conwy	1,663	3.5	—	C	A	C⁺
Llanddulas	1,097	3.5	—	C⁺	C⁻	C⁻
Conwy	15,706	3.8	C⁻	C	C	C⁺
Llandudno	14,699	4.4	D	B⁻	D⁻	C⁻
Abergele	8,531	5.9	D	C⁺	C⁻	C⁻

Mynydd Marian, Llansanffraid Glan Conwy and Llanddulas have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.

Questions about Colwyn Bay

How many listed buildings are there in Colwyn Bay?

117 on Cadw’s list, 3 of them Grade II*. That is 1.6 times the typical UK town for its size. It also has 1 scheduled monument.

Is Colwyn Bay expensive to live in?

Homes cost less than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £213,750, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: flats £125,000, terraced houses £150,000, semi-detached houses £215,000 and detached houses £325,000.

About Colwyn Bay

Large town in Clwyd, Wales

Colwyn Bay is a built-up area of 29,273 people, in the Conwy council area. TownRatings uses ONS’s 2022 built-up areas as towns: the physical town, as people mean the word, rather than a council district, so its figures cover the town itself.

Built from ONS geography and Census 2021

Population: 29,273 (Census 2021)
Council: Conwy
County: Clwyd
Region: Wales
Area: 3.4 sq mi (8.7 km²)
ONS code: W45000031

Sources: ONS Census 2021, output areas summed to the ONS 2022 built-up area · HM Land Registry Price Paid (standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026) · ONS Price Index of Private Rents (August 2026, by council) · MHCLG and Welsh Government council tax, Band D 2026–27 (with parish precepts in England) · data.police.uk street-level crime, 36 months to August 2026, points inside the built-up-area boundary · ONS small-area life expectancy and healthy life expectancy, 2019 to 2023 (England and Wales), OHID Fingertips small-area indicators (England) and Census 2021 health, adjusted for age · ONS small-area income estimates (financial year ending 2023) · DWP claimant count via Nomis (January to August 2026) · Cadw listed buildings, scheduled monuments and registered historic parks and gardens via DataMapWales, October 2026, inside the ONS 2022 built-up-area boundary · Valuation Office Agency, Council Tax: stock of properties by build period (31 March 2025) · TownRatings grades: our own summary of the data, ranked against UK towns only. All under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (ONS boundaries). Northern Ireland: Source: NISRA; contains Land & Property Services data and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland information, © Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Scotland: contains National Records of Scotland data, Registers of Scotland data and SEPA data, © Crown copyright / © SEPA 2025, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.