Ynysybwl’s story
1 listed building
Cadw lists them inside Ynysybwl’s built-up area.
43% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
YnysybwlMid Glamorgan
4,580 people call this town in Mid Glamorgan, Wales home.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Jaggery · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
4,580
Census 2021 · Rhondda Cynon Taf council
Median home
£132K
136 sales in 3 years
Median age
42
19% are 65+ · Mid Glamorgan 20%
Degree level
26%
of residents 16+ · Wales 31%
Walk, cycle, bus
10%
of commuters · Wales 16%
TownGrade
C−
#10 of 32 in Mid Glamorgan
Is Ynysybwl a good place to live?
Homes are affordable here, though not without reasons. Its weakest subject is health — 7.3% of residents report bad or very bad health, and 23% are disabled. Cost of living is its strong suit (B+) — a typical home costs £131,500 and rent runs £754 a month. Put together, the subjects come to a C− overall, ranking #10 of 32 in Mid Glamorgan. That leaves it better than just over a fifth of UK towns. Work and incomes lag: mean household income £40,927; 2.7% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits.
Figures: prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · health, Census 2021 (the grade adjusts for age) · income, ONS · claimants, DWP.
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 Ynysybwl stand out
The 3 things Ynysybwl 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
53% 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 92% of UK towns
ONS small-area income estimates.
How Ynysybwl grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within Wales), ordered by how far Ynysybwl is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
HealthAmong the weakest of the towns comparedDOpen →Jobs & incomeGraded on incomes, poverty and employmentDOpen →Walkability10% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transportCOpen →Cost of livingMedian sale £131,500, 3.1 years of area incomeB+Open →Hazard risk1.1% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaCOpen →SafetyBased on crimes reported per residentC+Open →
SchoolsNot published in Wales–
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History1 listed buildingCOpen →Outdoors60% live within 400 m of a park; 2.3 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsDOpen →Civic life0.9 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 Ynysybwl.
Health
Ynysybwl’s life expectancy trails 87% of UK towns
One GP practice serves the town. The nearest A&E to Ynysybwl is The Royal Glamorgan Hospital, 6.2 miles away. 77% of people in Ynysybwl rate their own health good or very good.
77%good or very good healthDHealth Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 77%Fair 16%Bad or very bad 7%
| Census 2021 | Ynysybwl | Mid Glamorgan | Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 77% | 77% | 78% |
| Bad or very bad health | 7.3% | 8.2% | 7.1% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 23% | 23% | 22% |
76.3
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
81.4
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 · Self-reported health favours young towns, since these answers ignore age; the Health Grade leans on age-adjusted measures such as life expectancy.
Schools
1 state school in Ynysybwl
It is listed below. The town’s primary school has 155 pupils.
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trerobart Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 155 | – |
Welsh Government · schools list · Wales publishes no school-level results, so its schools have no letters.The Schools page →
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
Commuters in Ynysybwl travel far: only 21% 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 21% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
4% of commuters who live in Ynysybwl also work there. By car: that was how 88% of commuters travelled at the census. Jobs per working resident: 0.2.
10%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving88%
On foot5%
Bus4%
Train1%
21%
of commuters travel under 5 km · Wales 41%
21%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£41K
mean household income, before tax
2.7%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
C
Walkability: more walkable than 27% 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+
Most households in Ynysybwl own their home: 73%, more than in Mid Glamorgan’s towns or across Wales’s towns
Social renters account for one in ten households. Behind the median of £131,500: 136 standard sales inside Ynysybwl’s built-up area, September 2023 to August 2026. It is the 19th most expensive of 32 towns of 2,500+ in Mid Glamorgan.
£132Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Ynysybwl£132K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £320,000 | 13 |
| Semi-detached | £205,000 | 26 |
| Terraced | £120,000 | 97 |
73%
of households own their home · Wales 65%
£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
Ynysybwl’s one listed building is Grade II
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
43% of its homes were built before 1919, below Mid Glamorgan’s towns (47%) but above Wales’s towns (27%). Per 10,000 residents, Ynysybwl counts 2 listed buildings, 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
43%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
2
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Cadw list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Safety
Violent crime runs low in Ynysybwl: 28.1 per 1,000 residents a year, under Mid Glamorgan’s towns and Wales’s towns
54% of the crimes fell under violence and sexual offences. Ynysybwl logged 210 reported offences in a year (to August 2026), plus 32 complaints of anti-social conduct. Burglary and damage add up to 8.7 per 1,000 residents each year.
28.1violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearC+Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 40% of the 1,308 UK towns of 2,500 to 10,000 people: about the middle for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual114
Public order28
Damage & arson16
Vehicle crime13
Other crime9
Other theft8
Burglary7
Drugs7
Anti-social32
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.
28.1
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
8.7
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
9.5
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
210
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
A typical mix of ages for Wales
The age that splits Ynysybwl in two is 42. People 65 and over make up 19% of the town, lower than both Mid Glamorgan’s towns (20%) and Wales’s towns (21%). Graduates make up just over a quarter of adults.
42median age
YnysybwlMid GlamorganWales
Ages · share of residents
12%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications23%
Apprenticeship6%
A levels or similar18%
Degree level26%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About 95 men for every 100 women. Across Wales, 51% of residents are women.
| Ynysybwl | Mid Glamorgan | Wales | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 18% | 17% | 17% |
| 15–24 | 12% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 24% | 25% | 25% |
| 45–64 | 28% | 27% | 26% |
| 65+ | 19% | 20% | 21% |
| No qualifications | 23% | 24% | 20% |
| Apprenticeship | 5.6% | 5.3% | 5.6% |
| A levels or similar | 18% | 16% | 17% |
| Degree level | 26% | 28% | 31% |
ONS Census 2021 · Mid Glamorgan and Wales: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Rhondda Heritage Park and 6 more in and around Ynysybwl
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Ynysybwl. Best known first.
MuseumRhondda Heritage Park2.9 km outside town, to the southwest
CastleLlancaiach-fawr4.7 km outside town, to the northeast
MuseumPontypridd Museum2.2 km outside town, to the southMuseumMuseumUniversity of South Wales Art Collection Museum4.1 km outside town, to the southMuseumMuseumPaul Kirner's Music Palace3.2 km outside town, to the westZooZooColliers Adventure Farm4.8 km outside town, to the eastPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (3)
- Rhondda Heritage Park: Chris Allen, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Llancaiach-fawr: Rose Cottage, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Pontypridd Museum: Duncan and Gareth Alderson, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Ynysybwl
14pages on Ynysybwl
The big questions
SafetyC+28.1 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingB+Median home £132K · rent £754 a monthHousing40 sold in 12 months · busiest street Robert StreetSchools1 state school (no results published in Wales)HealthDWork & commuteD40% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsC1.1% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Ynysybwl’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
AbercynonPorthWattstownPontypriddTreharrisMountain AshNelsonYnysybwl
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ynysybwl | 4,580 | — | C− | B+ | C+ | D |
| Abercynon | 6,376 | 1.6 | D | B+ | C− | D− |
| Porth | 13,352 | 2.6 | D | B+ | D | D− |
| Wattstown | 1,105 | 2.7 | — | B+ | D | D− |
| Pontypridd | 31,895 | 2.8 | C− | B+ | D | D |
| Treharris | 5,042 | 2.9 | D | B− | C+ | D |
| Mountain Ash | 13,002 | 3.2 | D | B+ | D | D− |
| Nelson | 4,235 | 3.2 | C | B+ | C | 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 Ynysybwl
How many listed buildings are there in Ynysybwl?
1 on Cadw’s list.
Is Ynysybwl expensive to live in?
Homes cost less than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £131,500, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: terraced houses £120,000, semi-detached houses £205,000 and detached houses £320,000.
Does Ynysybwl flood?
Surface water isn’t included. Check a specific address on Natural Resources Wales’s flood risk service.
Is Ynysybwl safe?
About the middle for its size: 60% of the 1,308 UK towns of 2,500 to 10,000 people report less crime per resident. Against all UK towns, it grades C+.
About Ynysybwl
Town in Mid Glamorgan, Wales
Ynysybwl is a built-up area of 4,580 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
- 4,580 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Rhondda Cynon Taf
- County
- Mid Glamorgan
- Region
- Wales
- Area
- 0.4 sq mi (1.1 km²)
- ONS code
- W45000510
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.