More weak spots than strong ones. Haverfordwest’s overall grade of C− puts it better than 18% of UK towns, #9 of 23 in Dyfed. Its lowest grade is for safety: 91.4 violent or sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, plus 28.6 home and vehicle crimes. Among UK towns of 10,000 to 50,000 people, it has less crime per resident than 0%. Jobs and pay trail most towns (D): mean household income £41,272; 5% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits. Fewer journeys need a car: just over a fifth of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport. It is strong on cost of living as well: homes sell for a median £190,000, about 4.5 times local household income.

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

Dyfed Powys Police published 32 of the 36 months; rates are per year over the months published. 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.

StrongestA⁻WalkabilityWeakestD⁻Safety DJobs & income

What makes Haverfordwest stand out

The 3 things Haverfordwest does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data

Listed buildings per 10,000 residents

History

3 Grade I, including Haverfordwest Castle; 10.9 times the typical UK town for its size

Cadw’s list, October 2026.

Claimant rate, against UK towns

Work

of 16 to 64s in 2026: more than in 96% of UK towns

DWP claimant count, January to August 2026.

Median sale, £ thousands

Housing

31% below the typical UK town’s £277K

Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.

How Haverfordwest grades

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

How grading works

SafetyCrime runs among the highest comparedD⁻Open →Jobs & incomeNear the bottom of the towns comparedDOpen →Walkability21% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transportA⁻Open →HealthGraded on how healthy residents areC⁻Open →Cost of livingHomes are easier to afford than in most townsB⁺Open →Hazard risk0.4% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaC⁺Open →

SchoolsNot published in Wales–

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

HistoryNear the top of the towns comparedAOpen →Outdoors85% live within 400 m of a park; 8% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeC⁻Open →Civic life3.6 local charities per 1,000 residents; 66% live within 1 km of a libraryAOpen →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Haverfordwest Castle, 1790s · Photo: Smith, J., fl. ca. 1790-1810 Alken, Samuel, fl. 1780-1798 · Public domain

Haverfordwest’s story

Haverfordwest in pictures

Cadw lists 321 buildings inside Haverfordwest’s built-up area, 3 of them Grade I, and 2 scheduled monuments.

21% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.

The archive holds 8 old photos and postcards going back to 1790.

c. 1816Haverfordwest May 27 1816
c. 1817Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire
c. 1829Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire March 2nd 1829

Explore the history →

The data

Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Haverfordwest.

Safety

Crime per resident in Haverfordwest is higher than in 100% of UK towns

The 12 months to August 2026 brought 2,231 recorded crimes inside Haverfordwest’s built-up area, and 303 reports of anti-social behaviour. Among the 645 UK towns of 10,000 to 50,000 people, Haverfordwest has more crime per resident than 100% of them. There were 23.1 anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 residents (not graded), above Dyfed’s towns (6.7) and Wales’s towns (10.4) alike. Violence and sexual offences were 47% of the crimes.

91.4violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearD⁻Safety Grade

Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 0% 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 & sexual1,047

Shoplifting286

Damage & arson246

Public order224

Other theft121

Drugs90

Burglary74

Other crime50

Anti-social303

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.

91.4

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

28.6

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

23.1

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

2,231

crimes recorded in the 12 months to August 2026

Full pageHaverfordwest’s safety reportOpen the page

Safety Grade91.4 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 · Haverfordwest has more crime per resident than 100% of UK towns Crime by typeViolence & sexual leads Vs. the neighboursBehind its 7 graded neighbours Questions“Is Haverfordwest 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

6 state schools in Haverfordwest

Two of them are below, each with the reason it’s listed. Haverfordwest’s four primaries and one secondary have 2,945 pupils between them.

School	Level	Pupils	Letter
Prendergast Community SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary	Primary	446	–
Haverfordwest High VC SchoolLargest secondary schoolSecondary	Secondary	1,699	–

Welsh Government · schools list · Wales publishes no school-level results, so its schools have no letters.See all 6 schools →

History

Listed buildings in Haverfordwest: 321, with 3 at Grade I

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

Per 10,000 residents, Haverfordwest counts 266 listed buildings. The town’s listed buildings include the Church of Saint Mary, Grade I. Conservation areas cover 7% of the town’s land, above Dyfed’s towns (0%) and Wales’s towns (0%) alike. Just over a fifth of homes date from before 1919.

321listed buildingsAHistory Grade

Listed buildings by grade · Cadw

Grade I3

Grade II*23

Grade II295

Among them · Grade I

Church of Saint Mary Grade I
Haverfordwest Castle Grade I
Remains of Priory of Saint Mary and Saint Thomas the Martyr Grade I

scheduled monuments

registered park and garden

21%

of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%

266

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

Full pageHaverfordwest’s history pageOpen the page

Listed buildings321 listed buildings Homes by age21% built before 1919 · Older homes Vs. the neighboursAhead of 6 of its 7 graded neighbours Questions“How many listed buildings are there in Haverfordwest?”

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

Work & commuteJobs & income grade D

More commuters in Haverfordwest work nearby than in Dyfed’s towns or Wales’s towns: 58% travel under 5 km

The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 15% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.

By car: that was how just over three quarters of commuters travelled at the census. Working mainly from home: 15% of workers, below Dyfed’s towns (20%) and Wales’s towns (24%) alike. Jobs per working resident: 2.1. Work in town: 48% of resident commuters.

21%walk, cycle or ride

How commuters got to work · March 2021

Driving76%

On foot18%

Bus2%

Bicycle1%

58%

of commuters travel under 5 km · Wales 41%

15%

worked mainly from home in March 2021

£41K

mean household income, before tax

of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)

A⁻

Walkability: more walkable than 81% of UK towns

Full pageHaverfordwest’s work & commute pageOpen the page

Commute map21% walk, cycle or ride Jobs based here10,950 jobs based here · Health and social care is the biggest, 31%Household income£41K a year · Mean household income Getting to work58% 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

Health

People in Haverfordwest live shorter lives than in 75% of UK towns

At the census, 6.2% of residents said their health was bad or very bad, below both Dyfed’s towns (7.4%) and Wales’s towns (7.1%). 2 GP practices serve the town. The nearest A&E to Haverfordwest is Withybush General Hospital, 0.9 miles away.

79%good or very good healthC⁻Health Grade

General health, self-reported

Good or very good 79%Fair 15%Bad or very bad 6%

Census 2021	Haverfordwest	Dyfed	Wales
Good or very good health	79%	77%	78%
Bad or very bad health	6.2%	7.4%	7.1%
Disabled (Equality Act)	21%	23%	22%

life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)

82.7

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 pageHaverfordwest’s health pageOpen the page

Health GradeLife expectancy: women 82.7, men 78 Getting care0.9 miles to A&E · Withybush General Hospital GP practices2 GP practices · 6,044 residents per practice Census health79% in good health

ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · ONS, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · These shares come straight from the census, without allowing for age, and young towns benefit; the Health Grade instead weighs age-adjusted measures, including life expectancy.

HousingCost of living grade B⁺

Private renting is more common in Haverfordwest than in Dyfed’s towns or Wales’s towns: 23% of households

Owners make up 57% of households. Private rents average £694 a month across the Pembrokeshire council area. From September 2023 to August 2026, 469 homes sold inside Haverfordwest’s built-up area at standard prices; the middle one went for £190,000.

£190Kmedian sale

Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026

Haverfordwest£190K

Typical UK town£277K

By type	Median	Sales
Detached	£275,000	157
Semi-detached	£186,750	128
Terraced	£150,000	158
Flat or maisonette	£64,750	26

57%

of households own their home · Wales 65%

23%

rent privately · Wales 17%

£694

average private rent a month, Pembrokeshire council area

£2,166

council tax, Band D, 2026–27

Full pageHaverfordwest’s housing & cost pageOpen the page

House pricesMedian sale £190,000 Renting£694 a month · Average private rent Council tax£2,166 Band D · Council tax, 2026–27 Owners and renters57% own their home

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

Who lives here

A town of families: 19% of people in Haverfordwest are under 15, more than in Dyfed’s towns or Wales’s towns

Degrees are held by 28% of adults, lower than both Dyfed’s towns (30%) and Wales’s towns (31%). Retirement age and beyond: a fifth of residents are 65 or older. Residents of Haverfordwest have a median age of 40.4.

40.4median age

HaverfordwestDyfedWales

DyfedWales

Ages · share of residents

20%

Qualifications · residents 16 and older

No qualifications19%

Apprenticeship5%

A levels or similar18%

Degree level28%

Women and men · all residents

52% women, 48% men

About 93 men for every 100 women. Across Wales, 51% of residents are women.

Ages and qualifications in Haverfordwest
	Haverfordwest	Dyfed	Wales
Under 15	19%	16%	17%
15–24	11%	12%	12%
25–44	25%	22%	25%
45–64	25%	26%	26%
65+	20%	24%	21%
No qualifications	19%	19%	20%
Apprenticeship	5.3%	6.1%	5.6%
A levels or similar	18%	18%	17%
Degree level	28%	30%	31%

Full pageHaverfordwest’s Who lives here pageOpen the page

Ages40.4 median age · 20% are 65 or over Households5,597 households · 57% own their home Where people were born8.1% born outside the UK Questions“What is the population of Haverfordwest?”

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

Nearby attractions

Haverfordwest Castle and 6 more in and around Haverfordwest

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

All attractions →

CastleHaverfordwest Castlein town

Abbey or priory · CadwPriordy Hwlfforddin town

MuseumHaverfordwest Museumin town

CastlePicton Castle4.7 km outside town, to the east

MuseumScolton Manor Museum3.3 km outside town, to the northeast MuseumMuseumWelsh spitfire museumin town

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

Photo credits (5)

Haverfordwest Castle: Cered, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Priordy Hwlffordd: ceridwen, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Haverfordwest Museum: ceridwen, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Picton Castle: Morris, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
Scolton Manor Museum: Garth Newton, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Haverfordwest

15pages on Haverfordwest

The big questions

SafetyD⁻91.4 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 Cost of livingB⁺Median home £190K · rent £694 a month Housing146 sold in 12 months · busiest street Tasker Way Schools6 state schools (no results published in Wales)HealthC⁻Work & commuteD64% of working residents work in the town Flood & hazardsC⁺0.4% of homes at high or medium flood risk

Out and about

OutdoorsC⁻85% live within 400 m of a park AttractionsClimateJuly highs of 19°C (67°F), 1,264 mm of rain a year Weather

The story

Who lives hereMedian age 40.4 · 12,088 people HistoryA321 listed buildings, 3 Grade I Town Hall & politicsCouncil area: Pembrokeshire Famous people46 born here, among them Christian Bale

Landmarks

321 listed buildings in Haverfordwest, 3 of them Grade I.

All landmarks →

Haverfordwest CastleGrade I listed

Remains of Priory of Saint Mary and Saint Thomas the MartyrGrade I listed

The Shire HallGrade II* listed

Castle HotelGrade II listed

Photo credits

Haverfordwest Castle: Photo: Cered · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Remains of Priory of Saint Mary and Saint Thomas the Martyr: Photo: ceridwen · CC BY-SA 2.0 · The Shire Hall: Photo: Jaggery · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Castle Hotel: Photo: Colin Smith · CC BY-SA 2.0

Famous people from Haverfordwest

46 notable people were born in Haverfordwest.

See all 46 →

Christian BaleAmerican-English actor (born 1974)

Rhys IfansWelsh actor · born 1967

Simon DaviesWelsh former association football player (born 1979)

Gwen JohnWelsh painter (1876-1939)

Sir Thomas PictonWelsh general who served in the British Army (1758-1815)

Mark DelaneyWelsh footballer (born 1976)

Photo credits

Christian Bale: Harald Krichel, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Rhys Ifans: Rhys_Ifans_2011.jpg: Rae Hanson derivative work: RanZag, CC BY 2.0 · Simon Davies: Dan Goddard (Transfered by Ytoyoda/Original uploaded by Foo-med), Public domain · Gwen John: Gwen John, Public domain · Sir Thomas Picton: Thomas Lawrence, Public domain · Mark Delaney: Jonesy702, CC BY-SA 4.0

Haverfordwest’s neighbours

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

All towns in Dyfed →

Merlin's BridgeCrundaleJohnstonNeylandMilford HavenPembroke DockPembrokeHaverfordwest

How the neighbours grade

Town	People	Miles	Overall	Cost	Safety	Health
Haverfordwest	12,088	—	C⁻	B⁺	D⁻	C⁻
Merlin's Bridge	2,220	1	—	B⁺	C⁻	C⁻
Crundale	1,065	2	—	B⁻	A	B⁻
Johnston	1,766	3.2	—	B⁺	D	C
Neyland	3,250	6.4	C⁻	A⁻	C⁻	C
Milford Haven	14,251	6.5	D	A⁻	D⁻	D
Pembroke Dock	9,659	7.8	D	A⁻	D⁻	D⁻
Pembroke	7,963	9.1	D	B⁺	D	D

Merlin's Bridge, Crundale and Johnston have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.

Questions about Haverfordwest

How many listed buildings are there in Haverfordwest?

321 on Cadw’s list, 3 of them Grade I and 23 Grade II*. That is 10.9 times the typical UK town for its size. Its Grade I buildings include Haverfordwest Castle. It also has 2 scheduled monuments.

Is Haverfordwest expensive to live in?

Homes cost less than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £190,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: flats £64,750, terraced houses £150,000, semi-detached houses £186,750 and detached houses £275,000.

About Haverfordwest

Town in Dyfed, Wales

Haverfordwest is a built-up area of 12,088 people, in the Pembrokeshire 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: 12,088 (Census 2021)
Council: Pembrokeshire
County: Dyfed
Region: Wales
Area: 2.4 sq mi (6.2 km²)
ONS code: W45000318

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.