Johnston’s story
2 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade II*
Cadw lists them inside Johnston’s built-up area.
14% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
JohnstonDyfed
A village of 1,766 in Dyfed, Wales.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Church of St Peter · Photo: Dylan Moore · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,766
Census 2021 · Pembrokeshire council
Median home
£192K
46 sales in 3 years
Median age
43.3
24% are 65+ · Dyfed 24%
Degree level
28%
of residents 16+ · Wales 31%
Walk, cycle, bus
9%
of commuters · Wales 16%
Is Johnston a good place to live?
Johnston has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Its strongest subject is cost of living (B+): median sale £191,500, 4.6 years of area income; rent £694 a month. Its weakest is safety (D): 63.7 violent and sexual offences and 12.5 home and vehicle crimes per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026. Among UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people, it has less crime per resident than 2%.
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.
What makes Johnston stand out
The 3 things Johnston does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
9% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (Wales’s towns 16%)
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
31% below the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
Band D council tax
Council tax
£2,166 Band D
12% below the typical UK town’s £2,472, 2026–27
The Pembrokeshire council average. Welsh Government.
How Johnston grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within Wales), ordered by how far Johnston is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
SafetyDOpen →Jobs & incomeMean household income £44,700; 3.3% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsDOpen →WalkabilityC−Open →Health7.2% in bad or very bad health, 25% disabled (adjusted for age in the grade)COpen →Cost of livingB+Open →Hazard risk0% 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.
History2 listed buildingsC−Open →Outdoors55% live within 400 m of a park; 5% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeDOpen →Civic life0.6 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryD−Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Johnston.
Safety
Johnston has more crime per resident than 95% of UK towns
Violence came to 63.7 per 1,000 residents a year, above both Dyfed’s towns (38.9) and Wales’s towns (33.8). Police recorded 165 crimes inside Johnston’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, plus 16 reports of anti-social behaviour. Violence and sexual offences were 61% of the crimes; the police category includes harassment and stalking.
63.7violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearDSafety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 2% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people: more crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual100
Damage & arson16
Drugs14
Public order12
Other theft11
Other crime4
Burglary3
Shoplifting2
Anti-social16
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.
63.7
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
12.5
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
10
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
165
crimes recorded in the 12 months to August 2026
data.police.uk street-level crime · points inside the ONS built-up-area boundary · OGL
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
Only 9% of commuters in Johnston go to work without a car, fewer than in Dyfed’s towns and Wales’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 12% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
In the comparison, Johnston comes below both Dyfed’s towns (15%) and Wales’s towns (16%). For 29% of commuters, work was under 5 km away.
9%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving90%
On foot5%
Bus3%
Bicycle1%
29%
of commuters travel under 5 km · Wales 41%
12%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£45K
mean household income, before tax
3.3%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
C−
Walkability: more walkable than 18% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
History
2 listed buildings, 0 of them Grade I
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Johnston has 2 listed buildings inside its built-up area on Cadw’s list: 0 Grade I, 1 Grade II*. 14% of its homes were built before 1919.
2listed buildingsC−History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Cadw
Grade I0
Grade II*1
Grade II1
Among them · Grade II*
- Church of St Peter Grade II*
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
14%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
11
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Cadw list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Health
More people in Johnston live with a disability than in Dyfed’s towns or across Wales’s towns: 25%
For Johnston, that is above both Dyfed’s towns (23%) and Wales’s towns (22%). Johnston has no GP practice of its own; the nearest is 3 miles away. These answers aren’t adjusted for age, so young towns look healthier; the Health Grade uses age-adjusted measures, including life expectancy.
79%good or very good healthCHealth Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 79%Fair 13%Bad or very bad 7%
| Census 2021 | Johnston | Dyfed | Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 79% | 77% | 78% |
| Bad or very bad health | 7.2% | 7.4% | 7.1% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 25% | 23% | 22% |
79.6
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
81
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.
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · ONS, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL
HousingCost of living grade B+
Private renting is less common in Johnston than in Dyfed’s towns or across Wales’s towns: 13%
Johnston sits below both Dyfed’s towns (18%) and Wales’s towns (17%) on this measure.
£192Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Johnston£192K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £242,000 | 19 |
| Semi-detached | £210,000 | 11 |
| Terraced | £170,000 | 16 |
67%
of households own their home · Wales 65%
13%
rent privately · Wales 17%
£694
average private rent a month, Pembrokeshire council area
£2,166
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Who lives here
Few people in Johnston are 15 to 24: 7.8%, fewer than in Dyfed’s towns and Wales’s towns
That puts Johnston below both Dyfed’s towns (12%) and Wales’s towns (12%). Children under 15 make up 19% of residents. Half the people of Johnston are older than 43.3.
43.3median age
JohnstonDyfedWales
Ages · share of residents
24%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications20%
Apprenticeship8%
A levels or similar17%
Degree level28%
Women and men · all residents
52% women, 48% men
About 92 men for every 100 women. Across Wales, 51% of residents are women.
| Johnston | Dyfed | Wales | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 19% | 16% | 17% |
| 15–24 | 7.8% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 25% | 22% | 25% |
| 45–64 | 24% | 26% | 26% |
| 65+ | 24% | 24% | 21% |
| No qualifications | 20% | 19% | 20% |
| Apprenticeship | 7.8% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| A levels or similar | 17% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 28% | 30% | 31% |
ONS Census 2021 · Dyfed and Wales: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Haverfordwest Castle and 5 more in and around Johnston
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Johnston. Best known first.
CastleHaverfordwest Castle4.6 km outside town, to the north
Abbey or priory · CadwPriordy Hwlffordd4.3 km outside town, to the northeast
Abbey or prioryPill Priory3.6 km outside town, to the southwest
MuseumMilford Haven Museum4.8 km outside town, to the southwest
MuseumHaverfordwest Museum4.5 km outside town, to the northMuseumMuseumWelsh spitfire museum4.7 km outside town, to the northPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
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
- Pill Priory: Pillpriory, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Milford Haven Museum: Deborah Tilley, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Haverfordwest Museum: ceridwen, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Johnston
14pages on Johnston
The big questions
SafetyD63.7 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingB+Median home £192K · rent £694 a monthHousing14 sold in 12 months · busiest street Hall CourtSchoolsHealthCWork & commuteD33% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsB+0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Johnston’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
Merlin's BridgeHaverfordwestMilford HavenNeylandPembroke DockCrundalePembrokeJohnston
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnston | 1,766 | — | — | B+ | D | C |
| Merlin's Bridge | 2,220 | 2.3 | — | B+ | C− | C− |
| Haverfordwest | 12,088 | 3.2 | C− | B+ | D− | C− |
| Milford Haven | 14,251 | 3.4 | D | A− | D− | D |
| Neyland | 3,250 | 3.7 | C− | A− | C− | C |
| Pembroke Dock | 9,659 | 5.1 | D | A− | D− | D− |
| Crundale | 1,065 | 5.1 | — | B− | A | B− |
| Pembroke | 7,963 | 6.6 | D | B+ | D | D |
Merlin's Bridge and Crundale have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Johnston
Is Johnston expensive to live in?
Homes cost less than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £191,500, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: terraced houses £170,000, semi-detached houses £210,000 and detached houses £242,000.
How much is council tax in Johnston?
Band D council tax in Johnston is £2,166 for 2026–27, less than in 83% of UK towns (the Pembrokeshire council average, with police and community councils). Your own bill depends on your home’s band; check it on GOV.UK.
About Johnston
Village in Dyfed, Wales
Johnston is a built-up area of 1,766 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
- 1,766 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Pembrokeshire
- County
- Dyfed
- Region
- Wales
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi (0.8 km²)
- ONS code
- W45000361
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.