Penrhyndeudraeth’s story
12 listed buildings
Cadw lists them inside Penrhyndeudraeth’s built-up area.
53% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
PenrhyndeudraethGwynedd
The village, home to 1,463 people, lies in Gwynedd, Wales.
4 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: SilkTork · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
1,463
Census 2021 · Gwynedd council
Median home
£144K
61 sales in 3 years
Median age
45.6
23% are 65+ · Gwynedd 23%
Degree level
31%
of residents 16+ · Wales 31%
Walk, cycle, bus
15%
of commuters · Wales 16%
Is Penrhyndeudraeth a good place to live?
Buying a home costs less than in most towns: a typical home costs £143,500 and rent runs £724 a month. Its weakest is jobs & income: the mean household earns £42,233 a year. Its other grades sit near the middle: C+ for health, B for walkability and B− for hazard risk. Crime runs high: police record 34.7 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, and 11 home and vehicle crimes. Against UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people, it has more crime per resident than 88%.
Figures: prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · income, ONS · claimants, DWP · health, Census 2021 (the grade adjusts for age) · commuting, Census 2021 · flood risk, Natural Resources Wales · crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026. With fewer than 2,500 residents, Penrhyndeudraeth has subject grades but no overall one.
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 Penrhyndeudraeth stand out
The 3 things Penrhyndeudraeth does most differently from other towns.
Homes built before 1919
History
Against 15% in the typical UK town
Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period.
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
48% 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 89% of UK towns
ONS small-area income estimates.
How Penrhyndeudraeth grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within Wales), ordered by how far Penrhyndeudraeth is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Cost of livingMedian sale £143,500, 3.2 years of area incomeA−Open →Jobs & incomeBelow the middle of the towns comparedC−Open →SafetyGraded on crime per residentCOpen →HealthResidents’ health trails most townsC+Open →WalkabilityClose to the middle of the towns comparedBOpen →Hazard risk0.2% 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.
HistoryGraded on historic places and the town’s ageB+Open →Outdoors100% live within 400 m of a park; 68% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeAOpen →Civic life2.7 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 Penrhyndeudraeth.
HousingCost of living grade A−
Few households rent privately in Penrhyndeudraeth: 11%, fewer than in Gwynedd’s towns and across Wales’s towns
14% of households rent from a council or housing body. Owners make up 74% of households, above Gwynedd’s towns (63%) and Wales’s towns (65%) alike. From September 2023 to August 2026, 61 homes sold inside Penrhyndeudraeth’s built-up area at standard prices; the middle one went for £143,500.
£144Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Penrhyndeudraeth£144K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £174,750 | 12 |
| Terraced | £137,250 | 44 |
74%
of households own their home · Wales 65%
11%
rent privately · Wales 17%
£724
average private rent a month, Gwynedd council area
£2,469
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Schools
2 state schools in Penrhyndeudraeth
One of them is below, with the reason it’s listed. The town’s primary school has 157 pupils.
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ysgol Cefn CochLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 157 | – |
Welsh Government · schools list · Wales publishes no school-level results, so its schools have no letters.See all 2 schools →
History
Old homes shape Penrhyndeudraeth: 53% were built before 1919, more than in Gwynedd’s towns and across Wales’s towns
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
None of the 12 listed buildings reaches Grade II* or Grade I; all are Grade II. Per 10,000 residents, Penrhyndeudraeth counts 82 listed buildings, above Gwynedd’s towns (76) and Wales’s towns (18) alike.
12listed buildingsB+History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Cadw
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II12
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
53%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
82
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 Penrhyndeudraeth is higher than in 73% of UK towns
There were 33 anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 residents (not graded), above Gwynedd’s towns (15) and Wales’s towns (10.4) alike. The 12 months to August 2026 brought 75 recorded crimes inside Penrhyndeudraeth’s built-up area, and 68 reports of anti-social behaviour. Also worth knowing: of all the crimes, 61% were violence and sexual offences.
34.7violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearCSafety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 12% 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 & sexual46
Public order8
Damage & arson6
Other theft5
Shoplifting3
Burglary3
Drugs2
Weapons1
Anti-social68
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.
34.7
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
11
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
33
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
75
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
82% of people in Penrhyndeudraeth say their health is good or very good, more than in Gwynedd’s towns and across Wales’s towns
There is no GP practice in Penrhyndeudraeth: the nearest is 0.2 miles off. The nearest A&E to Penrhyndeudraeth is Ysbyty Gwynedd, 19.5 miles away. A fifth of residents have a disability, near Gwynedd’s towns (20%) and lower than Wales’s towns (22%).
82%good or very good healthC+Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 82%Fair 13%Bad or very bad 6%
| Census 2021 | Penrhyndeudraeth | Gwynedd | Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 82% | 80% | 78% |
| Bad or very bad health | 5.6% | 5.5% | 7.1% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 20% | 20% | 22% |
79.7
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
83.6
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 · Young towns look healthier on these answers, which aren’t adjusted for age; the Health Grade uses measures that are, such as life expectancy.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
Fewer people aged 16 to 64 in Penrhyndeudraeth claim unemployment benefits than in Gwynedd’s towns or Wales’s towns: 2.5%
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.
15% of workers did their job mainly from home at the census. The car took 84% of commuters, above both Gwynedd’s towns (79%) and Wales’s towns (81%). There are 1.1 jobs in Penrhyndeudraeth for each resident in work.
15%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving84%
On foot8%
Bus4%
Bicycle2%
Train1%
15%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£42K
mean household income, before tax
2.5%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
B
Walkability: more walkable than 57% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Who lives here
A typical mix of ages for Wales
Young adults of 15 to 24 are just over one in ten residents, below Gwynedd’s towns (13%) and close to Wales’s towns (12%). The median resident of Penrhyndeudraeth is 45.6 years old. Over-65s are 23% of the population.
45.6median age
PenrhyndeudraethGwyneddWales
Ages · share of residents
23%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications14%
Apprenticeship7%
A levels or similar19%
Degree level31%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About 96 men for every 100 women. Across Wales, 51% of residents are women.
| Penrhyndeudraeth | Gwynedd | Wales | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 16% | 16% | 17% |
| 15–24 | 12% | 13% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 22% | 22% | 25% |
| 45–64 | 28% | 26% | 26% |
| 65+ | 23% | 23% | 21% |
| No qualifications | 14% | 18% | 20% |
| Apprenticeship | 7% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| A levels or similar | 19% | 19% | 17% |
| Degree level | 31% | 32% | 31% |
ONS Census 2021 · Gwynedd and Wales: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Welsh Highland Heritage Railway and 4 more in and around Penrhyndeudraeth
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Penrhyndeudraeth. Best known first.
Heritage railwayWelsh Highland Heritage Railway2.6 km outside town, to the west
Historic housePlas Brondanw2.4 km outside town, to the northMuseumMuseumPorthmadog Maritime Museum2.7 km outside town, to the westWildlife parkWildlife parkBywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn Wildlife2.5 km outside town, to the northwestMuseumMuseumHeritage Centre2.7 km outside town, to the westPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (2)
- Welsh Highland Heritage Railway: Nigel Cliff, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Plas Brondanw: Original uploader was Oosoom at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Penrhyndeudraeth
15pages on Penrhyndeudraeth
The big questions
SafetyC34.7 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingA−Median home £144K · rent £724 a monthHousing23 sold in 12 months · busiest street School StreetSchools2 state schools (no results published in Wales)HealthC+Work & commuteC−40% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsB−0.2% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Famous people from Penrhyndeudraeth
4 notable people were born in Penrhyndeudraeth.
A
Alice WilliamsVoluntary welfare worker (1863–1957), editorF
Fanny Winifred EdwardsSchoolteacher, children's writer and dramatist (1876-1959)P
Pedr Ap LlwydWelsh librarian · born 1957Photo credits
Humphrey Humphreys: Unidentified painter, Public domain
Penrhyndeudraeth’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
PorthmadogHarlechBlaenau FfestiniogCricciethPenrhyndeudraeth
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penrhyndeudraeth | 1,463 | — | — | A− | C | C+ |
| Porthmadog | 2,579 | 2.8 | C+ | A− | C− | C+ |
| Harlech | 1,261 | 5 | — | B+ | C+ | B− |
| Blaenau Ffestiniog | 3,449 | 6.9 | C | A | D | C− |
| Criccieth | 1,737 | 7 | — | C | B | C+ |
Harlech and Criccieth have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Penrhyndeudraeth
How many listed buildings are there in Penrhyndeudraeth?
12 on Cadw’s list. That is 3.4 times the typical UK town for its size.
Is Penrhyndeudraeth expensive to live in?
Homes cost less than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £143,500, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: terraced houses £137,250 and detached houses £174,750.
About Penrhyndeudraeth
Village in Gwynedd, Wales
Penrhyndeudraeth is a built-up area of 1,463 people, in the Gwynedd 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
- 1,463 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Gwynedd
- County
- Gwynedd
- Region
- Wales
- Area
- 0.4 sq mi (0.9 km²)
- ONS code
- W45000174
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.