Gilfach Goch’s story
Old homes in Gilfach Goch: 59% built before 1919
59% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
Gilfach GochMid Glamorgan
1,531 residents make their home in this village in Mid Glamorgan, Wales.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Jaggery · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,531
Census 2021 · Bridgend council
Median home
£129K
42 sales in 3 years
Median age
38.9
18% are 65+ · Mid Glamorgan 20%
Degree level
17%
of residents 16+ · Wales 31%
Walk, cycle, bus
8%
of commuters · Wales 16%
Is Gilfach Goch a good place to live?
Housing is within reach: homes sell for a median £129,497, about 2.9 times local household income. Health outcomes fall short of most towns (D−): 11.8% in bad or very bad health, 26.2% disabled. The local economy is weaker than most: households earn a mean £39,167 a year, and 3.5% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits. Most journeys need a car: on the way to work, 8% walk, cycle or take a bus or train.
Figures: prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · health, Census 2021 (the grade adjusts for age) · income, ONS · claimants, DWP · commuting, Census 2021. With fewer than 2,500 residents, Gilfach Goch 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 Gilfach Goch stand out
The 3 things Gilfach Goch 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
53% below the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
8% leave the car
How Gilfach Goch grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within Wales), ordered by how far Gilfach Goch is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
HealthHealth outcomes are among the weakest comparedD−Open →Jobs & incomeAmong the weakest of the towns comparedD−Open →WalkabilityGraded on how easily people get around without a carDOpen →Cost of livingHomes are very affordable for local incomesA−Open →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaB+Open →SafetyAbout average among the towns comparedC+Open →
SchoolsNot published in Wales–
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History0 listed buildingsCOpen →Outdoors100% live within 400 m of a park; 2.9 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsC+Open →Civic life0.7 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 Gilfach Goch.
Health
People in Gilfach Goch live shorter lives than in 97% of UK towns
26% of residents have a disability, above Mid Glamorgan’s towns (23%) and Wales’s towns (22%) alike. Gilfach Goch’s share in bad or very bad health, 12%, is the second highest of the 46 towns in Mid Glamorgan. Self-reported good health: 73% of the town’s residents. There is no GP practice in the town: the nearest is 0.2 miles off.
73%good or very good healthD−Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 73%Fair 15%Bad or very bad 12%
| Census 2021 | Gilfach Goch | Mid Glamorgan | Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 73% | 77% | 78% |
| Bad or very bad health | 12% | 8.2% | 7.1% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 26% | 23% | 22% |
74.9
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
78.8
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 · Because the census answers ignore age, a younger population lifts them; that is why the Health Grade is built on age-adjusted measures like life expectancy.
Schools
1 state school in Gilfach Goch
It is listed below. The town’s primary school has 144 pupils.
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abercerdin Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 144 | – |
Welsh Government · schools list · Wales publishes no school-level results, so its schools have no letters.The Schools page →
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D−
Long commutes are the norm in Gilfach Goch: just 16% travel under 5 km, below Mid Glamorgan’s towns and Wales’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 13% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
Work in town: 4% of resident commuters. By car: that was how 90% of commuters travelled at the census. Working mainly from home: 13% of workers, below Mid Glamorgan’s towns (21%) and Wales’s towns (24%) alike. There are 0.2 jobs in Gilfach Goch for each resident in work.
8%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving90%
On foot4%
Bus3%
Train1%
16%
of commuters travel under 5 km · Wales 41%
13%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£39K
mean household income, before tax
3.5%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
D
Walkability: more walkable than 10% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
HousingCost of living grade A−
For cost of living grade, Gilfach Goch gets an A−
Private rents average £760 a month across the Bridgend council area. Owners make up 63% of households, below Mid Glamorgan’s towns (68%) and close to Wales’s towns (65%). Half of the 42 standard sales inside Gilfach Goch’s built-up area from September 2023 to August 2026 went for more than £129,497.
£129Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Gilfach Goch£129K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Semi-detached | £144,500 | 6 |
| Terraced | £114,997 | 32 |
63%
of households own their home · Wales 65%
18%
rent privately · Wales 17%
£760
average private rent a month, Bridgend council area
£2,409
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
Gilfach Goch keeps more of its old housing than Mid Glamorgan’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.
Cadw’s list has no building inside Gilfach Goch’s built-up area.
0listed buildingsCHistory Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Cadw
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II0
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
59%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
0
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Cadw list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Safety
Homes in Gilfach Goch see less burglary and damage than in Mid Glamorgan’s towns or Wales’s towns: 6.8 per 1,000 a year
Among the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people, Gilfach Goch has more crime per resident than three quarters of them. Violent crime ran at 28.3 per 1,000 residents a year, below both Mid Glamorgan’s towns (36.7) and Wales’s towns (33.8). Reported offences in the town came to 56 over twelve months to August 2026; nuisance and anti-social incidents added 9. Of all the crimes, 64% were violence and sexual offences.
28.3violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearC+Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 25% 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 & sexual36
Public order7
Damage & arson4
Vehicle crime4
Other crime3
Other theft1
Drugs1
Shoplifting0
Anti-social9
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.
28.3
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
6.8
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)
56
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.
Who lives here
Fewer people in Gilfach Goch hold a degree than in Mid Glamorgan’s towns or Wales’s towns: 17%
The middle age in Gilfach Goch is 38.9. 19% are under 15, higher than both Mid Glamorgan’s towns (17%) and Wales’s towns (17%). People 65 and over make up 18% of the town.
38.9median age
Gilfach GochMid GlamorganWales
Ages · share of residents
12%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications34%
Apprenticeship5%
A levels or similar17%
Degree level17%
Women and men · all residents
53% women, 47% men
About 89 men for every 100 women. Across Wales, 51% of residents are women.
| Gilfach Goch | Mid Glamorgan | Wales | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 19% | 17% | 17% |
| 15–24 | 12% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 26% | 25% | 25% |
| 45–64 | 25% | 27% | 26% |
| 65+ | 18% | 20% | 21% |
| No qualifications | 34% | 24% | 20% |
| Apprenticeship | 4.7% | 5.3% | 5.6% |
| A levels or similar | 17% | 16% | 17% |
| Degree level | 17% | 28% | 31% |
ONS Census 2021 · Mid Glamorgan and Wales: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Gilfach Goch
13pages on Gilfach Goch
The big questions
SafetyC+28.3 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingA−Median home £129K · rent £760 a monthHousing17 sold in 12 months · busiest street High StreetSchools1 state school (no results published in Wales)HealthD−Work & commuteD−32% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsB+0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Gilfach Goch’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
HendreforganTonypandyTonyrefailOgmore ValePorthNant-y-moelRhonddaGilfach Goch
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gilfach Goch | 1,531 | — | — | A− | C+ | D− |
| Hendreforgan | 2,445 | 0.7 | — | B+ | C− | D− |
| Tonypandy | 17,209 | 1.8 | C− | B+ | C− | D− |
| Tonyrefail | 11,443 | 2.1 | D | B | C− | D |
| Ogmore Vale | 3,098 | 3 | D | A− | C | D− |
| Porth | 13,352 | 3.2 | D | B+ | D | D− |
| Nant-y-moel | 2,378 | 3.3 | — | A− | B− | D− |
| Rhondda | 13,271 | 3.5 | D | B+ | C− | D− |
Hendreforgan and Nant-y-moel have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Gilfach Goch
Is Gilfach Goch expensive to live in?
Homes cost less than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £129,497, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: terraced houses £114,997 and semi-detached houses £144,500.
Is Gilfach Goch safe?
Burglary was rare, with 0 reports in the year.
Does Gilfach Goch flood?
Surface water isn’t included. Check a specific address on Natural Resources Wales’s flood risk service.
About Gilfach Goch
Village in Mid Glamorgan, Wales
Gilfach Goch is a built-up area of 1,531 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
- 1,531 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Bridgend (mostly)
- County
- Mid Glamorgan
- Region
- Wales
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.4 km²)
- ONS code
- W45000539
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.