Merlin's Bridge’s story
4 listed buildings
Cadw lists them inside Merlin's Bridge’s built-up area.
4% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
Merlin's BridgeDyfed
A village of 2,220 in Dyfed, Wales.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Deborah Tilley · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
2,220
Census 2021 · Pembrokeshire council
Median home
£196K
62 sales in 3 years
Median age
41.9
21% are 65+ · Dyfed 24%
Degree level
24%
of residents 16+ · Wales 31%
Walk, cycle, bus
11%
of commuters · Wales 16%
Is Merlin's Bridge a good place to live?
Merlin's Bridge 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 £196,000, 4.7 years of area income; rent £694 a month. Its weakest is jobs & income (D): mean household income £42,590; 3.8% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits.
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 Merlin's Bridge stand out
The 3 things Merlin's Bridge does most differently from other towns.
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
29% below the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
Household income, against UK towns
Work
Mean, before tax: lower than in 88% of UK towns
ONS small-area income estimates.
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 Merlin's Bridge grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within Wales), ordered by how far Merlin's Bridge is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Jobs & incomeDOpen →Safety46.6 violent and sexual offences and 9.6 home and vehicle crimes per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026C−Open →Health8.3% in bad or very bad health, 25% disabled (adjusted for age in the grade)C−Open →Cost of livingB+Open →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaB+Open →WalkabilityCOpen →
SchoolsNot published in Wales–
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryDOpen →Outdoors100% live within 400 m of a park; 11% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeA−Open →Civic life0.9 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryDOpen →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Merlin's Bridge.
History
4 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.
Merlin's Bridge has 4 listed buildings inside its built-up area on Cadw’s list: 0 Grade I, 0 Grade II*. 4% of its homes were built before 1919.
4listed buildingsDHistory Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Cadw
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II4
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
4%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
18
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Cadw list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Schools
1 state school in Merlin's Bridge
Its one school is below. Wales publishes no school-level results, so its schools have no letters.
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Marks V.A.P. SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 114 | – |
Welsh Government · schools listThe Schools page →
Safety
Merlin's Bridge has more crime per resident than 85% of UK towns
Violent crime ran at 46.6 per 1,000 residents a year, above both Dyfed’s towns (38.9) and Wales’s towns (33.8). Police recorded 163 crimes inside Merlin's Bridge’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, plus 13 reports of anti-social behaviour. Violence and sexual offences were 62% of the crimes; the police category includes harassment and stalking.
46.6violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearC−Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 6% 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 & sexual101
Damage & arson15
Public order14
Other theft8
Burglary7
Drugs7
Other crime6
Theft from person2
Anti-social13
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.
46.6
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
9.6
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
5.1
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
163
crimes recorded in the 12 months to August 2026
data.police.uk street-level crime · points inside the ONS built-up-area boundary · OGL
Health
More people in Merlin's Bridge live with a disability than in Dyfed’s towns or across Wales’s towns: 25%
In the comparison, Merlin's Bridge comes above both Dyfed’s towns (23%) and Wales’s towns (22%). Merlin's Bridge has no GP practice of its own; the nearest is 0.7 miles away. These answers aren’t adjusted for age, so young towns look healthier; the Health Grade uses age-adjusted measures, including life expectancy.
77%good or very good healthC−Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 77%Fair 14%Bad or very bad 8%
| Census 2021 | Merlin's Bridge | Dyfed | Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 77% | 77% | 78% |
| Bad or very bad health | 8.3% | 7.4% | 7.1% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 25% | 23% | 22% |
78.9
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
82.5
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+
More households in Merlin's Bridge live in social housing than in Dyfed’s towns or Wales’s towns: 33%
For Merlin's Bridge, that is above both Dyfed’s towns (17%) and Wales’s towns (18%). Private renters make up 10% of households.
£196Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Merlin's Bridge£196K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £267,500 | 29 |
| Semi-detached | £178,250 | 24 |
| Terraced | £140,000 | 9 |
57%
of households own their home · Wales 65%
10%
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
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
More commuters in Merlin's Bridge work nearby than in Dyfed’s towns or Wales’s towns: 56% travel under 5 km
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 13% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
Merlin's Bridge sits above both Dyfed’s towns (41%) and Wales’s towns (41%) on this measure. At the census, 11% of commuters walked, cycled or took the bus or train.
11%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving87%
On foot8%
Bus1%
Bicycle1%
56%
of commuters travel under 5 km · Wales 41%
13%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£43K
mean household income, before tax
3.8%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
C
Walkability: more walkable than 31% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Who lives here
Fewer people in Merlin's Bridge hold a degree than in Dyfed’s towns or Wales’s towns: 24%
That puts Merlin's Bridge below both Dyfed’s towns (30%) and Wales’s towns (31%). Children are 19% of the town. Half the people of Merlin's Bridge are older than 41.9.
41.9median age
Merlin's BridgeDyfedWales
Ages · share of residents
21%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications21%
Apprenticeship6%
A levels or similar17%
Degree level24%
Women and men · all residents
54% women, 46% men
About 86 men for every 100 women. Across Wales, 51% of residents are women.
| Merlin's Bridge | Dyfed | Wales | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 19% | 16% | 17% |
| 15–24 | 12% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 23% | 22% | 25% |
| 45–64 | 26% | 26% | 26% |
| 65+ | 21% | 24% | 21% |
| No qualifications | 21% | 19% | 20% |
| Apprenticeship | 5.7% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| A levels or similar | 17% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 24% | 30% | 31% |
ONS Census 2021 · Dyfed and Wales: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Haverfordwest Castle and 3 more in and around Merlin's Bridge
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Merlin's Bridge. Best known first.
CastleHaverfordwest Castle1.1 km outside town, to the north
Abbey or priory · CadwPriordy Hwlffordd800 m outside town, to the northeast
MuseumHaverfordwest Museum1.1 km outside town, to the northMuseumMuseumWelsh spitfire museum1.2 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 (3)
- 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
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Merlin's Bridge
14pages on Merlin's Bridge
The big questions
SafetyC−46.6 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingB+Median home £196K · rent £694 a monthHousing19 sold in 12 months · busiest street Tudor GardensSchools1 state school (no results published in Wales)HealthC−Work & commuteD32% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsB+0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Merlin's Bridge’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
HaverfordwestJohnstonCrundaleNeylandMilford HavenPembroke DockPembrokeMerlin's Bridge
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merlin's Bridge | 2,220 | — | — | B+ | C− | C− |
| Haverfordwest | 12,088 | 1 | C− | B+ | D− | C− |
| Johnston | 1,766 | 2.3 | — | B+ | D | C |
| Crundale | 1,065 | 2.8 | — | B− | A | B− |
| Neyland | 3,250 | 5.4 | C− | A− | C− | C |
| Milford Haven | 14,251 | 5.7 | D | A− | D− | D |
| Pembroke Dock | 9,659 | 6.8 | D | A− | D− | D− |
| Pembroke | 7,963 | 8.1 | D | B+ | D | D |
Johnston 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 Merlin's Bridge
Is Merlin's Bridge expensive to live in?
Homes cost less than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £196,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: terraced houses £140,000, semi-detached houses £178,250 and detached houses £267,500.
How much is council tax in Merlin's Bridge?
Band D council tax in Merlin's Bridge 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 Merlin's Bridge
Village in Dyfed, Wales
Merlin's Bridge is a built-up area of 2,220 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
- 2,220 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Pembrokeshire
- County
- Dyfed
- Region
- Wales
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi (0.7 km²)
- ONS code
- W45000326
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.