Photo: Jaggery · CC BY-SA 2.0For the ages of its people, Blaenavon has more residents in bad health than expected
At the 2021 Census, 157 people reported bad or very bad health for every 100 expected from Blaenavon’s ages at England and Wales’s rates. Over 2019 to 2023, life expectancy here is 77.6 for men and 78.8 for women; across Wales it is 78.1 and 81.9. Blaenavon grades D for health: life expectancy, healthy life expectancy, and Census bad health and disability, each adjusted for age; #23 of 38 in Gwent.
What stands out about health in Blaenavon
More people report bad health than its ages predict
At the 2021 Census, 157 residents reported bad or very bad health for every 100 that England and Wales’s rates would give a town with these ages, and 134 were disabled for every 100 expected. Census health ↓
Written from the Census 2021 and NHS Wales figures on this page.
Blaenavon grades D for health
Healthier than 7% of UK towns, on age-adjusted measures.
Behind the typical UK town on every measure. Even its strongest, men’s life expectancy and disability, are in the bottom 20% of UK towns; women’s life expectancy and women’s years in good health are furthest behind.
Each measure is ranked against every UK town of 1,000 or more, the ranks are averaged, and the average is ranked again. Every measure allows for the town’s ages: life expectancy is worked out from the death rate at each age, so it doesn’t depend on how old the town’s residents are; the Census answers are counted against what England and Wales’s rates by single year of age would give a town with these ages, so a seaside town of retired people isn’t marked down for being old.
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.
76% of residents say their health is good or very good
Census 2021, all residents, as answered (not adjusted for age).
Adjusted for age, 157 report bad health for every 100 expected, more than the national rate.
Show as a table
| Census 2021 | Blaenavon | Gwent | Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 76% | 77% | 78% |
| Fair health | 16% | 15% | 15% |
| Bad or very bad health | 8.2% | 7.7% | 7.1% |
| Disabled under the Equality Act | 23% | 22% | 22% |
| Day-to-day activities limited a lot | 12% | 11% | 11% |
Gwent and Wales: all residents of their built-up areas (towns and cities), from the same Census 2021 output areas.
Care in and near Blaenavon
The nearest A&E, GP practices, and where to go when it’s urgent but not an emergency. In an emergency, call 999.
| Distance | Hospital |
|---|---|
| 4.1 mi | Nevill Hall Hospital Abergavenny |
| 5.1 mi | Ysbyty Aneurin Bevan Ebbw Vale |
| 5.6 mi | Maindiff Court Hospital Abergavenny |
| 5.9 mi | Ysbyty Tri Chwm Ebbw Vale |
| 6.2 mi | County Hospital Pontypool |
| 9.5 mi | The Grange University Hospital A&E Cwmbran |
| 9.5 mi | Llanfrechfa Grange Hospital Cwmbran |
| 11 mi | Forglen Day Hospital Newport |
NHS Wales hospital sites from the NHS Organisation Data Service (October 2026). “A&E” marks the 12 hospitals with a major emergency department; minor injury units aren’t listed. Healthcare Inspectorate Wales inspects Welsh hospitals but doesn’t publish ratings, so none are shown.
1 GP practice in Blaenavon
Nearest first.
| Practice | Distance |
|---|---|
| Blaenavon Medical Practice Pontypool NP4 9AW | 0.2 mi |
GP practices in Wales from the NHS Organisation Data Service (October 2026), placed by postcode. Healthcare Inspectorate Wales doesn’t publish practice ratings. You can register with any practice whose area covers your address.
How Blaenavon compares with UK towns of 4,000 to 8,000
Ordered by Health Grade: the top three, the towns either side of Blaenavon, and others in Gwent. Bad health per 100 expected for each town’s ages.
| # | Town | People | Bad health | Health | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brookmans Park Hertfordshire | 4,033 | 37 | A+ | |
| 2 | Prestwood and Great Missenden Buckinghamshire | 7,600 | 50 | A+ | |
| 3 | Chalfont St Giles Buckinghamshire | 4,707 | 47 | A+ | |
| … | |||||
| 157 | Undy and Magor Gwent | 5,742 | 71 | A− | |
| … | |||||
| 275 | Rogerstone Gwent | 7,546 | 70 | B | |
| … | |||||
| 309 | Caerleon Gwent | 7,329 | 91 | B− | |
| … | |||||
| 659 | Bannockburn Stirling | 6,587 | 144 | D | |
| 660 | Loftus North Yorkshire | 4,273 | 144 | D | |
| 661 | Blaenavon Gwent | 5,637 | 157 | D | |
| 662 | Blackheath West Midlands | 6,950 | 152 | D | |
| 663 | Goldthorpe South Yorkshire | 7,493 | 186 | D | |
| … | |||||
| 723 | Ballingry Fife | 5,823 | 224 | D− | |
Health letters rank against every UK town of 1,000 or more; the order here is context only. Welsh towns are graded on life expectancy, healthy life expectancy and the two Census measures: OHID’s early-death, admissions and child-obesity figures cover England.
Health in the places around Blaenavon
Bad health per 100 expected for each place’s ages, and the nearest A&E. Tap a town for its health page.
| Town | People | Bad health | Nearest A&E | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blaenavon | 5,637 | 157 | 9.5 mi | D |
| Abersychan | 7,495 | 163 | 6.5 mi | D− |
| Govilon | 1,342 | 96 | 12 mi | B− |
| Blaina | 4,553 | 172 | 9.8 mi | D− |
| Abertillery | 10,248 | 168 | 8.4 mi | D− |
| Llanfoist | 2,007 | 96 | 12 mi | C+ |
| Gilwern | 2,184 | 90 | 13 mi | B− |
| Nantyglo | 4,548 | 184 | 9.4 mi | D− |
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Adjusted for age. A ratio of 100 means as many deaths, admissions or reports of bad health as England’s rates (England and Wales’s for the Census) would give a town with these ages; 120 means a fifth more.
- Small areas, summed to the town. The Census measures are counted for the town’s own output areas.
- Different years. The Census was taken in March 2021. NHS sites are as listed by NHS Wales in October 2026.
- Distances are straight lines. Miles are measured from the town’s centre to each site; the road is longer. For an emergency, call 999; for urgent advice, call NHS 111.
Questions about health in Blaenavon
How healthy is Blaenavon?
Blaenavon earns a D for health, healthier than 7% of UK towns on measures adjusted for age. Life expectancy is 77.6 for men and 78.8 for women (ONS, 2019 to 2023; Wales 78.1 and 81.9). For Welsh towns the grade uses life expectancy, healthy life expectancy and two Census 2021 measures: 157 residents in bad health and 134 disabled for every 100 expected for the town’s ages. OHID’s early-death, admissions and child-obesity figures cover England only.
Where is the nearest A&E to Blaenavon?
The Grange University Hospital in Cwmbran, about 9.5 mi from the town centre in a straight line. In an emergency call 999; for urgent advice call NHS 111.
How many GP practices are there in Blaenavon?
Blaenavon has 1 GP practice with surgeries inside the town.
Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right 2026.
Sources: ONS health state life expectancy for small areas (MSOAs), England and Wales, 2019 to 2023 (life expectancy and healthy life expectancy) · ONS Census 2021 general health and disability, adjusted for age by TownRatings (observed ÷ expected at England and Wales rates) · NHS Organisation Data Service (GP practices and NHS Wales sites, October 2026) · ONS Postcode Directory · 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.