Blaengarw’s story
1 listed building
Cadw lists them inside Blaengarw’s built-up area.
86% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
BlaengarwMid Glamorgan
With 1,779 residents, it is a village in Mid Glamorgan, Wales.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Colin Pyle · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,779
Census 2021 · Bridgend council
Median home
£108K
53 sales in 3 years
Median age
41.7
18% are 65+ · Mid Glamorgan 20%
Degree level
23%
of residents 16+ · Wales 31%
Walk, cycle, bus
14%
of commuters · Wales 16%
Is Blaengarw a good place to live?
Homes are affordable: the median home sold for £107,500, 2.4 years of area income. Its lowest grade is for jobs & income: the mean household earns £37,185 a year. Health is weaker too: 10% in bad or very bad health, 26.5% disabled. Its other grades sit near the middle: C+ for safety, B− for walkability and B for hazard risk.
Figures: prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · income, ONS · claimants, DWP · health, Census 2021 (the grade adjusts for age) · crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 · commuting, Census 2021 · flood risk, Natural Resources Wales. Blaengarw is graded on each subject, but towns under 2,500 get no overall grade.
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 Blaengarw stand out
The 3 things Blaengarw does most differently from other towns.
Homes built before 1919
History
86% of homes built before 1919
Against 15% in the typical UK town
Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period.
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
61% 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 98% of UK towns
ONS small-area income estimates.
How Blaengarw grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within Wales), ordered by how far Blaengarw is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Blaengarw is graded on each subject, but towns under 2,500 get no overall grade.
Jobs & incomeIncomes and work are among the weakest comparedD−Open →HealthIn the bottom fifth of the towns comparedDOpen →Cost of livingBased on what homes cost against what households earnA−Open →SafetyClose to the middle of the towns comparedC+Open →Hazard risk0.1% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaBOpen →WalkabilityBased on walking, cycling and transit to everyday placesB−Open →
SchoolsNot published in Wales–
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History1 listed buildingCOpen →Outdoors100% live within 400 m of a park; 5 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsB−Open →Civic life0.6 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryD−Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Blaengarw.
Health
Disability is more common in Blaengarw than in Mid Glamorgan’s towns or across Wales’s towns: 26% of residents
At the census, 73% of people in Blaengarw called their health good or very good, below Mid Glamorgan’s towns (77%) and Wales’s towns (78%) alike. Seeing a GP means leaving Blaengarw: the nearest practice is 0.6 miles away. Women here live to 82.2 on average and men to 77.2 (2019–23). The nearest A&E to Blaengarw is Princess of Wales Hospital, 7.4 miles away.
73%good or very good healthDHealth Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 73%Fair 17%Bad or very bad 10%
| Census 2021 | Blaengarw | Mid Glamorgan | Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 73% | 77% | 78% |
| Bad or very bad health | 10% | 8.2% | 7.1% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 26% | 23% | 22% |
77.2
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
82.2
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.
Schools
1 state school in Blaengarw
It is listed below. Its one primary school teaches 157 pupils.
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blaengarw Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 157 | – |
Welsh Government · schools list · Wales publishes no school-level results, so its schools have no letters.The Schools page →
HousingCost of living grade A−
More households rent privately in Blaengarw than in Mid Glamorgan’s towns or across Wales’s towns: 20%
10% live in social housing, lower than both Mid Glamorgan’s towns (15%) and Wales’s towns (18%). Private rents average £763 a month across the Bridgend council area. Home ownership stands at 69% of households.
£108Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Blaengarw£108K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Semi-detached | £92,000 | 5 |
| Terraced | £107,500 | 47 |
69%
of households own their home · Wales 65%
20%
rent privately · Wales 17%
£763
average private rent a month, Bridgend council area
£2,478
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
Blaengarw keeps more of its old housing than Mid Glamorgan’s towns or Wales’s towns: 86% built before 1919
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Grade II covers all 1 listed building that Cadw records here. Blaengarw has 6 listed buildings for every 10,000 residents, below both Mid Glamorgan’s towns (9) and Wales’s towns (18).
1listed buildingsCHistory Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Cadw
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II1
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
86%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
6
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Cadw list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Safety
Blaengarw records less burglary and damage per resident than Mid Glamorgan’s towns or Wales’s towns, at 7.3 per 1,000 a year
Violence came to 29.4 per 1,000 residents a year, lower than both Mid Glamorgan’s towns (36.7) and Wales’s towns (33.8). Reported offences in Blaengarw came to 81 over twelve months to August 2026; nuisance and anti-social incidents added 8. Also worth knowing: among the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people, Blaengarw has more crime per resident than 78% of them. Nearly three fifths of the crimes fell under violence and sexual offences.
29.4violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearC+Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 22% 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 & sexual48
Public order13
Damage & arson6
Other theft5
Other crime3
Burglary2
Drugs2
Weapons1
Anti-social8
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.
29.4
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
7.3
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
5.4
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
81
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.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D−
Commuters in Blaengarw travel far: only 11% go under 5 km, fewer than in Mid Glamorgan’s towns or Wales’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 14% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
Working mainly from home: 14% of workers, below Mid Glamorgan’s towns (21%) and Wales’s towns (24%) alike. Blaengarw counts 0.1 jobs per working resident. Of the commuters living locally, 3% work in the town itself.
14%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving84%
On foot7%
Bus5%
Train1%
Bicycle1%
11%
of commuters travel under 5 km · Wales 41%
14%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£37K
mean household income, before tax
3%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
B−
Walkability: more walkable than 51% 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 Blaengarw hold a degree than in Mid Glamorgan’s towns or Wales’s towns: 23%
People 65 and over make up 18% of the town. Line up the people of Blaengarw by age and the one in the middle is 41.7. Children under 15 count for 18% of the people here.
41.7median age
BlaengarwMid GlamorganWales
Ages · share of residents
11%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications27%
Apprenticeship4%
A levels or similar16%
Degree level23%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About an even split. Across Wales, 51% of residents are women.
| Blaengarw | Mid Glamorgan | Wales | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 18% | 17% | 17% |
| 15–24 | 11% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 25% | 25% | 25% |
| 45–64 | 28% | 27% | 26% |
| 65+ | 18% | 20% | 21% |
| No qualifications | 27% | 24% | 20% |
| Apprenticeship | 4.4% | 5.3% | 5.6% |
| A levels or similar | 16% | 16% | 17% |
| Degree level | 23% | 28% | 31% |
ONS Census 2021 · Mid Glamorgan and Wales: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Blaengarw
14pages on Blaengarw
The big questions
SafetyC+29.4 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingA−Median home £108K · rent £763 a monthHousing13 sold in 12 months · busiest street King Edward StreetSchools1 state school (no results published in Wales)HealthDWork & commuteD−32% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsB0.1% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Blaengarw’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
PontycymerNant-y-moelOgmore ValeCroeserwMaestegPont Rhyd-y-cyffLlangeinorBlaengarw
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blaengarw | 1,779 | — | — | A− | C+ | D |
| Pontycymer | 2,421 | 1 | — | A− | C+ | D |
| Nant-y-moel | 2,378 | 2.1 | — | A− | B− | D− |
| Ogmore Vale | 3,098 | 2.4 | D | A− | C | D− |
| Croeserw | 1,294 | 2.5 | — | B+ | D− | D− |
| Maesteg | 18,342 | 3.2 | D | A− | C− | D− |
| Pont Rhyd-y-cyff | 1,481 | 3.3 | — | B+ | B | D |
| Llangeinor | 1,016 | 3.5 | — | B+ | B− | D |
Pontycymer, Nant-y-moel, Croeserw, Pont Rhyd-y-cyff and Llangeinor have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Blaengarw
Is Blaengarw expensive to live in?
Homes cost less than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £107,500, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: terraced houses £107,500 and semi-detached houses £92,000.
How many listed buildings are there in Blaengarw?
1 on Cadw’s list.
Is Blaengarw safe?
Burglary was rare, with 2 reports in the year.
About Blaengarw
Village in Mid Glamorgan, Wales
Blaengarw is a built-up area of 1,779 people, in the Bridgend 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
- 1,779 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Bridgend
- County
- Mid Glamorgan
- Region
- Wales
- Area
- 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km²)
- ONS code
- W45000515
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.