Penygroes’s story
8 listed buildings
Cadw lists them inside Penygroes’ built-up area.
59% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
PenygroesGwynedd
A village in Gwynedd, Wales, home to 1,793 people.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Jaggery · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,793
Census 2021 · Gwynedd council
Median home
£135K
47 sales in 3 years
Median age
45.2
24% are 65+ · Gwynedd 23%
Degree level
31%
of residents 16+ · Wales 31%
Walk, cycle, bus
18%
of commuters · Wales 16%
Is Penygroes a good place to live?
Penygroes’s strongest is cost of living — a typical home costs £135,000 and rent runs £724 a month. Work and incomes lag: the mean household earns £43,746 a year. It lags on safety as well: 54.8 violent or sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, plus 13.9 home and vehicle crimes. Set beside UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people, its crime per resident is higher than in 97%.
Figures: prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · income, ONS · claimants, DWP · crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026. An overall grade needs 2,500 residents, so Penygroes is graded subject by subject only.
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 Penygroes stand out
The 3 things Penygroes does most differently from other towns.
Homes built before 1919
History
59% of homes built before 1919
Against 15% in the typical UK town
Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period.
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
51% below the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
Claimant rate, against UK towns
Work
of 16 to 64s in 2026: more than in 89% of UK towns
DWP claimant count, January to August 2026.
How Penygroes grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within Wales), ordered by how far Penygroes is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Jobs & incomeIncomes and work are among the weakest comparedD−Open →SafetyNear the bottom of the towns comparedDOpen →Cost of livingGraded on home prices against local incomesA−Open →WalkabilityEasier than most to get around on footB+Open →Health6.4% in bad or very bad health, 22% disabled (adjusted for age in the grade)COpen →Hazard risk0.1% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaBOpen →
SchoolsNot published in Wales–
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryBetter than most of the towns comparedBOpen →Outdoors66% live within 400 m of a park; 26% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeC−Open →Civic life4.5 local charities per 1,000 residents; 100% live within 1 km of a libraryA+Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Penygroes.
Safety
More crimes per resident in Penygroes than in 93% of UK towns
Violence and sexual offences made up 68% of the total. 122 crimes and 33 reports of anti-social behaviour: that is what police recorded inside Penygroes’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026. Anti-social behaviour, shown but not graded, came to 35 reports per 1,000, above Gwynedd’s towns (15) and Wales’s towns (10.4) alike.
54.8violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearDSafety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 3% 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 & sexual83
Damage & arson15
Public order10
Shoplifting7
Other theft3
Other crime3
Burglary1
Drugs0
Anti-social33
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.
54.8
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
13.9
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
35
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
122
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.
Schools
2 state schools in Penygroes
Every one of them is shown below. Some 587 pupils attend Penygroes’s one primary and one secondary.
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ysgol Bro LleuLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 190 | – |
| Ysgol Dyffryn NantlleLargest secondary schoolSecondary | Secondary | 397 | – |
Welsh Government · schools list · Wales publishes no school-level results, so its schools have no letters.See all 2 schools →
HousingCost of living grade A−
Penygroes earns an A− for cost of living grade
Behind the median of £135,000: 47 standard sales inside Penygroes’s built-up area, September 2023 to August 2026. 22% live in social housing, above both Gwynedd’s towns (19%) and Wales’s towns (18%). Private renters make up 16% of households.
£135Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Penygroes£135K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Terraced | £126,000 | 39 |
62%
of households own their home · Wales 65%
16%
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
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D−
Only 18% of Penygroes’ commuters work within 5 km, fewer than in both Gwynedd’s towns and Wales’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 17% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
4% of 16 to 64s claimed unemployment benefits in 2026, higher than both Gwynedd’s towns (3.1%) and Wales’s towns (3%). The census counted 17% of workers working mainly from home. After the car, walking came next, for 10% of commuters.
18%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving81%
On foot10%
Bus7%
Bicycle1%
18%
of commuters travel under 5 km · Wales 41%
17%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£44K
mean household income, before tax
4%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
B+
Walkability: more walkable than 72% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Health
Good or very good health: 79% of Penygroes’s residents
One GP practice serves the town. The nearest A&E to Penygroes is Ysbyty Gwynedd, 11.9 miles away. At the census, 22% of people here had a disability, about level with Wales’s towns (22%) and above Gwynedd’s towns (20%).
79%good or very good healthCHealth Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 79%Fair 15%Bad or very bad 6%
| Census 2021 | Penygroes | Gwynedd | Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 79% | 80% | 78% |
| Bad or very bad health | 6.4% | 5.5% | 7.1% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 22% | 20% | 22% |
80
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
83.5
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 · Census health answers are raw, so younger towns score better on them; for the Health Grade we use age-adjusted figures like life expectancy.
History
Penygroes keeps more of its old housing than Gwynedd’s towns or Wales’s towns: 59% built before 1919
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
None of the 8 listed buildings reaches Grade II* or Grade I; all are Grade II. Scaled to its population, that is 45 listed buildings for every 10,000 people in Penygroes.
8listed buildingsBHistory Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Cadw
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II8
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
59%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
45
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Cadw list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Who lives here
Penygroes has fewer young adults than Gwynedd’s towns or Wales’s towns: 11% are 15 to 24
Children under 15 make up 17%, higher than Gwynedd’s towns (16%) and near Wales’s towns (17%). Nearly a quarter of residents have reached 65. Residents of Penygroes have a median age of 45.2.
45.2median age
PenygroesGwyneddWales
Ages · share of residents
24%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications21%
Apprenticeship7%
A levels or similar16%
Degree level31%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About an even split. Across Wales, 51% of residents are women.
| Penygroes | Gwynedd | Wales | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 17% | 16% | 17% |
| 15–24 | 11% | 13% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 22% | 22% | 25% |
| 45–64 | 27% | 26% | 26% |
| 65+ | 24% | 23% | 21% |
| No qualifications | 21% | 18% | 20% |
| Apprenticeship | 7.1% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| A levels or similar | 16% | 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 →Pant Du Vineyard and Orchard and 2 more in and around Penygroes
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Penygroes. Best known first.
GardenGardenPant Du Vineyard and Orchard100 m outside town, to the eastCastleCastleCaer Williamsburg1.7 km outside town, to the northwestMuseumMuseumCae’r Gors4.9 km outside town, to the northeast
Places: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Penygroes
15pages on Penygroes
The big questions
SafetyD54.8 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingA−Median home £135K · rent £724 a monthHousing8 sold in 12 months · busiest street High StreetSchools2 state schools (no results published in Wales)HealthCWork & commuteD−41% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsB0.1% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Famous people from Penygroes
3 notable people were born in Penygroes.
B
Bill PendergastAssociation football player (1915-2001)Photo credits
Owain Fôn Williams: Steindy 16:18, 10 November 2016 (UTC), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Gareth Thomas: Llywelyn2000, CC BY-SA 4.0
Penygroes’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
CaernarfonLlanrugLlanberisBethelClwt-y-bontY FelinheliCricciethPenygroes
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penygroes | 1,793 | — | — | A− | D | C |
| Caernarfon | 9,831 | 6 | C | B+ | D− | C− |
| Llanrug | 1,537 | 7.6 | — | B | B | B− |
| Llanberis | 1,838 | 7.9 | — | B | C | C |
| Bethel | 1,091 | 8.4 | — | B | A | B− |
| Clwt-y-bont | 1,385 | 9.1 | — | A | C | C− |
| Y Felinheli | 2,333 | 9.5 | — | B+ | B− | B− |
| Criccieth | 1,737 | 9.5 | — | C | B | C+ |
Llanrug, Llanberis, Bethel, Clwt-y-bont, Y Felinheli 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 Penygroes
Is Penygroes safe?
Burglary was rare, with 1 report in the year.
How many listed buildings are there in Penygroes?
8 on Cadw’s list. That is 1.8 times the typical UK town for its size.
Is Penygroes expensive to live in?
Homes cost less than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £135,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town.
About Penygroes
Village in Gwynedd, Wales
Penygroes is a built-up area of 1,793 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
- 1,793 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Gwynedd
- County
- Gwynedd
- Region
- Wales
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.6 km²)
- ONS code
- W45000143
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.