Maerdy’s story
Old homes in Maerdy: 64% built before 1919
64% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
MaerdyMid Glamorgan
A town of 2,843 in Mid Glamorgan, Wales.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Peter Goodwin · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
2,843
Census 2021 · Rhondda Cynon Taf council
Median home
£90K
69 sales in 3 years
Median age
41.7
21% are 65+ · Mid Glamorgan 20%
Degree level
16%
of residents 16+ · Wales 31%
Walk, cycle, bus
20%
of commuters · Wales 16%
TownGrade
D
#18 of 32 in Mid Glamorgan
Is Maerdy a good place to live?
A tough set of grades. Health outcomes fall short of most towns: 12.1% of residents report bad or very bad health, and 31.6% are disabled. At D overall, Maerdy ranks #18 of 32 in Mid Glamorgan. Set against the rest, it does better than 12% of UK towns. It lags on jobs & income as well (D−) — the mean household earns £38,100 a year. Its standout strength is cost of living: homes sell for a median £90,000, about 2.1 times local household income. Walking, cycling and public transport work well here: 20% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport. Crime is the sore point: 62.4 violent or sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, plus 15.6 home and vehicle crimes. Set beside UK towns of 2,500 to 10,000 people, its crime per resident is higher than in 97%.
Figures: prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · commuting, Census 2021 · health, Census 2021 (the grade adjusts for age) · income, ONS · claimants, DWP · crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026.
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 Maerdy stand out
The 3 things Maerdy 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
68% below the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
Degree level, 16+
Education
Degree-level qualifications, residents 16+ (Wales’s towns 31%)
Mid Glamorgan 28%.
How Maerdy grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within Wales), ordered by how far Maerdy is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Jobs & incomeBased on what households earn, poverty and workD−Open →HealthHealth outcomes are among the weakest comparedD−Open →SafetyIn the bottom fifth of the towns comparedD−Open →WalkabilityBased on walking, cycling and transit to everyday placesA−Open →Cost of livingRent £754 a monthB+Open →Hazard risk0% 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.
History0 listed buildingsCOpen →Outdoors100% live within 400 m of a park; 1.1 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsC−Open →Civic life1.4 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryDOpen →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Maerdy.
Who lives here
Fewer people in Maerdy hold a degree than in Mid Glamorgan’s towns or Wales’s towns: 16%
Half of Maerdy is older than 41.7, half younger. Children under 15 make up 18%, higher than both Mid Glamorgan’s towns (17%) and Wales’s towns (17%). 21% of residents are 65 or over.
41.7median age
MaerdyMid GlamorganWales
Ages · share of residents
21%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications36%
Apprenticeship4%
A levels or similar14%
Degree level16%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About 94 men for every 100 women. Across Wales, 51% of residents are women.
| Maerdy | Mid Glamorgan | Wales | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 18% | 17% | 17% |
| 15–24 | 12% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 24% | 25% | 25% |
| 45–64 | 25% | 27% | 26% |
| 65+ | 21% | 20% | 21% |
| No qualifications | 36% | 24% | 20% |
| Apprenticeship | 4.4% | 5.3% | 5.6% |
| A levels or similar | 14% | 16% | 17% |
| Degree level | 16% | 28% | 31% |
ONS Census 2021 · Mid Glamorgan and Wales: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Schools
3 state schools in Maerdy
Every one of them is shown below. Between them, two primaries and one secondary teach 1,099 pupils in Maerdy.
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maerdy Community Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 293 | – |
| Ferndale Community SchoolLargest secondary schoolSecondary | Secondary | 636 | – |
| Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Llyn Y ForwynLargest Welsh-medium schoolPrimary | Primary | 170 | – |
Welsh Government · schools list · Wales publishes no school-level results, so its schools have no letters.See all 3 schools →
Health
Disability is more common in Maerdy than in Mid Glamorgan’s towns or across Wales’s towns: 32% of residents
At the census, just over one in ten residents said their health was bad or very bad, higher than both Mid Glamorgan’s towns (8.2%) and Wales’s towns (7.1%). Self-reported good health: two thirds of Maerdy’s residents. Men in Maerdy can expect to live to 74.2, women to 80.4 (2019–23). The nearest A&E to Maerdy is Prince Charles Hospital, 7.5 miles away.
67%good or very good healthD−Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 67%Fair 21%Bad or very bad 12%
| Census 2021 | Maerdy | Mid Glamorgan | Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 67% | 77% | 78% |
| Bad or very bad health | 12% | 8.2% | 7.1% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 32% | 23% | 22% |
74.2
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
80.4
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 · These answers aren’t adjusted for age, so young towns look healthier; the Health Grade uses age-adjusted measures, including life expectancy.
Safety
Maerdy has more crime per resident than 96% of UK towns
Police recorded 292 crimes inside Maerdy’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, plus 28 reports of anti-social behaviour. There were 16.4 anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 residents (not graded), above both Mid Glamorgan’s towns (9.3) and Wales’s towns (10.4). 52% of the crimes fell under violence and sexual offences.
62.4violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearD−Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 3% of the 1,308 UK towns of 2,500 to 10,000 people: more crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual151
Public order43
Shoplifting29
Damage & arson24
Other crime14
Other theft9
Drugs7
Vehicle crime6
Anti-social28
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.
62.4
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
15.6
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
16.4
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
292
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−
5.7% of 16 to 64s in Maerdy claim unemployment benefits, more than in both Mid Glamorgan’s towns and Wales’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 10% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
About just over a tenth of its commuters stay in Maerdy for work. There are 0.4 jobs in Maerdy for each resident in work. Short trips to work, under 5 km: 28%, below both Mid Glamorgan’s towns (35%) and Wales’s towns (41%). What’s more, at the census, 10% of workers worked mainly from home.
20%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving79%
On foot10%
Bus9%
Train1%
28%
of commuters travel under 5 km · Wales 41%
10%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£38K
mean household income, before tax
5.7%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
A−
Walkability: more walkable than 77% 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 B+
Social housing is more common in Maerdy than in Mid Glamorgan’s towns or across Wales’s towns, at 29% of households
Private renters make up a fifth of households, higher than both Mid Glamorgan’s towns (17%) and Wales’s towns (17%). Owners make up half of households. Only one of the 32 towns in Mid Glamorgan costs less to buy into than Maerdy, whose median sale is £90,000.
£90Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Maerdy£90K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Semi-detached | £86,500 | 6 |
| Terraced | £90,000 | 62 |
50%
of households own their home · Wales 65%
20%
rent privately · Wales 17%
£754
average private rent a month, Rhondda Cynon Taf council area
£2,289
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
Old homes shape Maerdy: 64% were built before 1919, more than in both Mid Glamorgan’s towns and Wales’s towns
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 Maerdy’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
64%
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
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Maerdy
14pages on Maerdy
The big questions
SafetyD−62.4 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingB+Median home £90K · rent £754 a monthHousing24 sold in 12 months · busiest street Griffith StreetSchools3 state schools (no results published in Wales)HealthD−Work & commuteD−36% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsB0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Famous people from Maerdy
8 notable people were born in Maerdy.
G
George BakerWelsh footballer (1936–2024)H
Haydn PriceWelsh footballer (1883-1964)J
Jon Owen JonesBritish politician (born 1954)J
John Darwin HindsPolitician; first Black and Muslim counciller on Wales (192…K
Ken RowlandsBritish Boxer · 1927–2011Photo credits
Lynn Howells: AGERPRES, cropped by Gabinho, CC BY 3.0
Maerdy’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
TreorchyFerndaleRhonddaTreherbertTylorstown and PontygwaithAberdareWattstownMaerdy
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maerdy | 2,843 | — | D | B+ | D− | D− |
| Treorchy | 7,645 | 1.5 | C− | B+ | C | D |
| Ferndale | 4,301 | 1.7 | C | B+ | C | D− |
| Rhondda | 13,271 | 2 | D | B+ | C− | D− |
| Treherbert | 5,427 | 2.5 | D | B+ | C− | D− |
| Tylorstown and Pontygwaith | 3,551 | 3 | D | A− | D | D− |
| Aberdare | 37,675 | 3.1 | D | B+ | D | D |
| Wattstown | 1,105 | 3.8 | — | B+ | D | D− |
Wattstown has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Maerdy
Is Maerdy expensive to live in?
Homes cost less than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £90,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: terraced houses £90,000 and semi-detached houses £86,500.
About Maerdy
Town in Mid Glamorgan, Wales
Maerdy is a built-up area of 2,843 people, in the Rhondda Cynon Taf 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
- 2,843 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Rhondda Cynon Taf
- County
- Mid Glamorgan
- Region
- Wales
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.5 km²)
- ONS code
- W45000471
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.