Pontycymer’s story
6 listed buildings
Cadw lists them inside Pontycymer’s built-up area.
93% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
PontycymerMid Glamorgan
Some 2,421 people live in this village, in Mid Glamorgan, Wales.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Kev Griffin · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
2,421
Census 2021 · Bridgend council
Median home
£115K
84 sales in 3 years
Median age
41.7
17% are 65+ · Mid Glamorgan 20%
Degree level
20%
of residents 16+ · Wales 31%
Walk, cycle, bus
11%
of commuters · Wales 16%
Is Pontycymer a good place to live?
Prices are modest for what you get: homes sell for a median £115,250, about 2.6 times local household income. Jobs & income is its weak spot — mean household income £37,185; 3.7% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits. Health lags (D): 7.7% of residents report bad or very bad health, and 23.8% are disabled. Safety is weaker too (C+): police record 33 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, and 7.2 home and vehicle crimes. Only 17% of UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people have more crime per resident.
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. An overall grade needs 2,500 residents, so Pontycymer 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.
How Pontycymer grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within Wales), ordered by how far Pontycymer is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Jobs & incomeIncomes and work are among the weakest comparedD−Open →Health7.7% in bad or very bad health, 24% disabled (adjusted for age in the grade)DOpen →Cost of livingAhead of most towns comparedA−Open →WalkabilityGraded on how easily people get around without a carCOpen →SafetyMore crime than in most townsC+Open →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.
HistoryBased on listed places, the town’s age and notable peopleBOpen →Outdoors100% live within 400 m of a park; 2.2 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsCOpen →Civic life2.5 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryCOpen →
How TownRatings grades towns →
What makes Pontycymer stand out
The 3 things Pontycymer does most differently from other towns.
Homes built before 1919
History
93% of homes built before 1919
Against 15% in the typical UK town
Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period.
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
58% 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.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Pontycymer.
Health
People in Pontycymer live shorter lives than in 81% of UK towns
76%good or very good healthDHealth Grade
One GP practice serves the town. The nearest A&E to Pontycymer is Princess of Wales Hospital, 6.4 miles away. Just over three quarters of the town’s residents described their health as good or very good at the census, near Mid Glamorgan’s towns (77%) and lower than Wales’s towns (78%).
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 76%Fair 16%Bad or very bad 8%
| Census 2021 | Pontycymer | Mid Glamorgan | Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 76% | 77% | 78% |
| Bad or very bad health | 7.7% | 8.2% | 7.1% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 24% | 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 · No age adjustment applies to these census answers, which flatter younger towns; the Health Grade’s measures, life expectancy among them, do allow for age.
Schools
1 state school in Pontycymer
It is listed below. Its one primary school teaches 133 pupils.
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ffaldau Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 133 | – |
Welsh Government · schools list · Wales publishes no school-level results, so its schools have no letters.The Schools page →
HousingCost of living grade A−
Pontycymer is a renters’ town: 24% of households rent privately, more than in Mid Glamorgan’s towns and across Wales’s towns
£115Kmedian sale
Social housing holds 3% of households, below Mid Glamorgan’s towns (15%) and Wales’s towns (18%) alike. 73% of households own their home. Private rents average £763 a month across the Bridgend council area.
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Pontycymer£115K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Semi-detached | £132,500 | 11 |
| Terraced | £110,500 | 70 |
73%
of households own their home · Wales 65%
24%
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
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D−
Fewer commuters in Pontycymer work nearby than in Mid Glamorgan’s towns or Wales’s towns: 11% travel under 5 km
11%walk, cycle or ride
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.
87% of commuters drove, higher than both Mid Glamorgan’s towns (85%) and Wales’s towns (81%). The census counted 17% of workers working mainly from home. Work in town: 6% of resident commuters. Pontycymer counts 0.2 jobs per working resident.
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving87%
On foot6%
Bus4%
11%
of commuters travel under 5 km · Wales 41%
17%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£37K
mean household income, before tax
3.7%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
C
Walkability: more walkable than 32% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Safety
For a town of its size, Pontycymer records a lot of crime: more per resident than 83% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people
33violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearC+Safety Grade
55% of the crimes fell under violence and sexual offences. Police recorded 105 crimes inside Pontycymer’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, plus 18 reports of anti-social behaviour. Anti-social behaviour, shown but not graded, came to 8.3 reports per 1,000, below Mid Glamorgan’s towns (9.5) and Wales’s towns (10.4) alike.
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 17% 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 & sexual58
Public order17
Other theft9
Damage & arson6
Shoplifting4
Drugs3
Vehicle crime3
Other crime3
Anti-social18
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.
33
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
7.2
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
8.3
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
105
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.
History
Pontycymer keeps more of its old housing than Mid Glamorgan’s towns or Wales’s towns: 93% built before 1919
6listed buildingsBHistory Grade
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
None of the 6 listed buildings reaches Grade II* or Grade I; all are Grade II. For its size, Pontycymer has 25 listed buildings per 10,000 residents, above both Mid Glamorgan’s towns (8) and Wales’s towns (18).
Listed buildings by grade · Cadw
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II6
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
93%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
25
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
Fewer people in Pontycymer hold a degree than in Mid Glamorgan’s towns or Wales’s towns: 20%
41.7median age
16% are under 15, lower than Mid Glamorgan’s towns (17%) and near Wales’s towns (17%). Retirement age and beyond: 17% of residents are 65 or older. Half of Pontycymer is older than 41.7, half younger.
PontycymerMid GlamorganWales
Ages · share of residents
12%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications27%
Apprenticeship6%
A levels or similar18%
Degree level20%
Women and men · all residents
50% women, 50% men
About an even split. Across Wales, 51% of residents are women.
| Pontycymer | Mid Glamorgan | Wales | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 16% | 17% | 17% |
| 15–24 | 12% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 26% | 25% | 25% |
| 45–64 | 28% | 27% | 26% |
| 65+ | 17% | 20% | 21% |
| No qualifications | 27% | 24% | 20% |
| Apprenticeship | 5.7% | 5.3% | 5.6% |
| A levels or similar | 18% | 16% | 17% |
| Degree level | 20% | 28% | 31% |
ONS Census 2021 · Mid Glamorgan and Wales: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Pontycymer
13pages on Pontycymer
The big questions
SafetyC+33 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingA−Median home £115K · rent £763 a monthHousing27 sold in 12 months · busiest street Oxford StreetSchools1 state school (no results published in Wales)HealthDWork & commuteD−34% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsB0.1% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
About Pontycymer
Village in Mid Glamorgan, Wales
Pontycymer is a built-up area of 2,421 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
- 2,421 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Bridgend
- County
- Mid Glamorgan
- Region
- Wales
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.5 km²)
- ONS code
- W45000526
Pontycymer’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
BlaengarwOgmore ValeNant-y-moelLlangeinorBettwsPont Rhyd-y-cyffMaestegPontycymer
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pontycymer | 2,421 | — | — | A− | C+ | D |
| Blaengarw | 1,779 | 1 | — | A− | C+ | D |
| Ogmore Vale | 3,098 | 1.8 | D | A− | C | D− |
| Nant-y-moel | 2,378 | 2.1 | — | A− | B− | D− |
| Llangeinor | 1,016 | 2.5 | — | B+ | B− | D |
| Bettws | 2,237 | 2.6 | — | B+ | C− | D |
| Pont Rhyd-y-cyff | 1,481 | 2.7 | — | B+ | B | D |
| Maesteg | 18,342 | 3.2 | D | A− | C− | D− |
Blaengarw, Nant-y-moel, Llangeinor, Bettws and Pont Rhyd-y-cyff have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Pontycymer
Is Pontycymer expensive to live in?
Homes cost less than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £115,250, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: terraced houses £110,500 and semi-detached houses £132,500.
How many listed buildings are there in Pontycymer?
6 on Cadw’s list.
Is Pontycymer safe?
Burglary was rare, with 0 reports in the year.
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.