Gilwern’s story
3 listed buildings
Cadw lists them inside Gilwern’s built-up area, along with 1 scheduled monument.
13% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
GilwernGwent
A village of 2,184 in Gwent, Wales.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: David Purchase · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
2,184
Census 2021 · Monmouthshire council
Median home
£338K
94 sales in 3 years
Median age
51.3
30% are 65+ · Gwent 20%
Degree level
43%
of residents 16+ · Wales 31%
Walk, cycle, bus
6%
of commuters · Wales 16%
Is Gilwern a good place to live?
Gilwern has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Its strongest subject is safety (B): 20.2 violent and sexual offences and 7.9 home and vehicle crimes per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026. Its weakest is walkability (D−): 6% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport. The median home sold for £337,500 in the last three years, 6.8 times what households in the Monmouthshire council area earn in a year.
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 Gilwern stand out
The 3 things Gilwern does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
6% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (Wales’s towns 16%)
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
30% are 65 or over
Against 21% across Wales’s towns
Degree level, 16+
Education
Degree-level qualifications, residents 16+ (Wales’s towns 31%)
Gwent 28%.
How Gilwern grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within Wales), ordered by how far Gilwern is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
WalkabilityD−Open →Cost of livingC−Open →SafetyBOpen →Jobs & income1.5% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefitsC+Open →Hazard risk0.3% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaB−Open →HealthB−Open →
SchoolsNot published in Wales–
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History3 listed buildingsC−Open →Outdoors100% live within 400 m of a park; 83% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeA−Open →Civic life2.3 local charities per 1,000 residents; 100% live within 1 km of a libraryAOpen →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Gilwern.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C+
Households in Gilwern earn more than in both Gwent’s towns and Wales’s towns: £51K a year
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 28% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
Work in town: 4% of resident commuters. 93% of commuters drove, above Gwent’s towns (84%) and Wales’s towns (81%) alike. For a quarter of commuters, work was under 5 km away.
6%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving93%
On foot3%
Train1%
Bicycle1%
Bus1%
25%
of commuters travel under 5 km · Wales 41%
28%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£51K
mean household income, before tax
1.5%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
D−
Walkability: more walkable than 3% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Schools
1 state school in Gilwern
It appears below. Its one primary school teaches 213 pupils.
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gilwern C.P. SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 213 | – |
Welsh Government · schools list · Wales publishes no school-level results, so its schools have no letters.The Schools page →
Who lives here
More people in Gilwern hold a degree than in Gwent’s towns or Wales’s towns: 43%
People 65 and over make up 30% of the town, higher than both Gwent’s towns (20%) and Wales’s towns (21%). Those aged 15 to 24 account for 7% of residents. Typical age in Gilwern: 51.3, the median. Children under 15 make up 16% of residents.
51.3median age
GilwernGwentWales
Ages · share of residents
30%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications14%
Apprenticeship6%
A levels or similar14%
Degree level43%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About 96 men for every 100 women. Across Wales, 51% of residents are women.
| Gilwern | Gwent | Wales | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 16% | 18% | 17% |
| 15–24 | 7% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 20% | 26% | 25% |
| 45–64 | 27% | 27% | 26% |
| 65+ | 30% | 20% | 21% |
| No qualifications | 14% | 23% | 20% |
| Apprenticeship | 5.7% | 5.4% | 5.6% |
| A levels or similar | 14% | 16% | 17% |
| Degree level | 43% | 28% | 31% |
ONS Census 2021 · Gwent and Wales: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
HousingCost of living grade C−
Private renting is less common in Gilwern than in Gwent’s towns or across Wales’s towns: 8%
Social renters account for 12% of households. 80% of households own their home, above both Gwent’s towns (65%) and Wales’s towns (65%). Private rents average £994 a month across the Monmouthshire council area.
£338Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Gilwern£338K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £385,500 | 52 |
| Semi-detached | £285,000 | 29 |
| Terraced | £240,000 | 12 |
80%
of households own their home · Wales 65%
8%
rent privately · Wales 17%
£994
average private rent a month, Monmouthshire council area
£2,417
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
History
All 3 of Gilwern’s listed buildings are Grade II
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
13% of its homes were built before 1919, below Gwent’s towns (26%) and Wales’s towns (27%) alike. One scheduled monument lies in Gilwern.
3listed buildingsC−History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Cadw
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II3
1
scheduled monument
0
registered parks and gardens
13%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
14
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Cadw list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Safety
Crime per resident in Gilwern is lower than in 61% of UK towns
Over the year to August 2026, 93 offences were reported in Gilwern, along with 25 incidents of anti-social behaviour. Of all the crimes, 47% were violence and sexual offences. Anti-social behaviour, shown but not graded, came to 10.2 reports per 1,000, lower than Gwent’s towns (15.3) and near Wales’s towns (10.4).
20.2violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearBSafety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 39% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people: about the middle for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual44
Damage & arson14
Public order11
Other theft10
Vehicle crime5
Other crime3
Burglary2
Drugs1
Anti-social25
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.
20.2
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
7.9
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
10.2
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
93
crimes recorded in the 12 months to August 2026
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.
Health
Fewer people in Gilwern live with a disability than in Gwent’s towns or across Wales’s towns: 19%
At the census, 6.1% of people here described their health as bad or very bad. Just over four fifths of Gilwern’s residents described their health as good or very good at the census, higher than both Gwent’s towns (77%) and Wales’s towns (78%). The town has no GP practice of its own; the nearest is 2.8 miles away.
81%good or very good healthB−Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 81%Fair 13%Bad or very bad 6%
| Census 2021 | Gilwern | Gwent | Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 81% | 77% | 78% |
| Bad or very bad health | 6.1% | 7.7% | 7.1% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 19% | 22% | 22% |
79.7
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
84.5
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 · The census answers take no account of age, so a young town looks healthier; the Health Grade relies on age-adjusted measures, life expectancy among them.
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Abergavenny Castle and 5 more in and around Gilwern
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Gilwern. Best known first.
CastleAbergavenny Castle4.2 km outside town, to the east
CastleCrickhowell Castle3.7 km outside town, to the northwest
MuseumAbergavenny Museum4.2 km outside town, to the eastMuseumMuseum · CadwBlaenavon Iron Works4.9 km outside town, to the southAttractionAttractionRhymney Brewery & Visitors Centre4.9 km outside town, to the southCastleCastleCastell Y Fenni4.2 km outside town, to the eastPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (3)
- Abergavenny Castle: Jeremy Bolwell, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Crickhowell Castle: Niki.L, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Abergavenny Museum: Jeremy Bolwell, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Gilwern
14pages on Gilwern
The big questions
SafetyB20.2 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingC−Median home £338K · rent £994 a monthHousing28 sold in 12 months · busiest street BrynglasSchools1 state school (no results published in Wales)HealthB−Work & commuteC+44% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsB−0.3% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Gilwern’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
GovilonLlanfoistCrickhowellAbergavennyBlaenavonBrynmawrNantygloGilwern
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gilwern | 2,184 | — | — | C− | B | B− |
| Govilon | 1,342 | 1.3 | — | D | A | B− |
| Llanfoist | 2,007 | 2.8 | — | C− | C− | C+ |
| Crickhowell | 2,108 | 3.1 | — | C | B | B+ |
| Abergavenny | 13,689 | 3.2 | D− | C− | D | C− |
| Blaenavon | 5,637 | 3.7 | D− | B | D− | D |
| Brynmawr | 5,250 | 4.1 | D− | B− | D− | D− |
| Nantyglo | 4,548 | 4.3 | D− | C+ | D | D− |
Govilon, Llanfoist and Crickhowell have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Gilwern
Who lives in Gilwern?
An older village. At the 2021 Census, 30% of residents were 65 or over and 27% were 45 to 64, against 21% and 26% across Wales’s towns; 16% were under 15.
Is Gilwern expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £337,500, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: terraced houses £240,000, semi-detached houses £285,000 and detached houses £385,500.
Is Gilwern safe?
Against all UK towns, it grades B. Burglary was rare, with 2 reports in the year.
About Gilwern
Village in Gwent, Wales
Gilwern is a built-up area of 2,184 people, in the Monmouthshire 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
- 2,184 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Monmouthshire
- County
- Gwent
- Region
- Wales
- Area
- 0.4 sq mi (1 km²)
- ONS code
- W45000320
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.