Best places to live in Powys

Knighton ranks first of 7 Powys towns of 2,500+ residents, and #1,440 of 2,138 UK towns. None grade A− or better; scores run from 39.4 down to 24.8.

The overall score, sorted within Powys; the letter compares each town with every UK town, and its rank among UK towns sits beside it. How grades work

Knighton

Powys · 2,911 people

Score 39.4·#1,440 of 2,138 UK towns

Strongest: walkability A⁻, cost of living B·lowest: jobs & income D⁻

Brecon

Powys · 8,257 people

Score 38.6·#1,471 of 2,138 UK towns

Strongest: walkability A⁺, cost of living B⁻·lowest: safety D

Builth Wells

Powys · 2,620 people

Score 37.8·#1,522 of 2,138 UK towns

Strongest: walkability A⁻, cost of living B⁻·lowest: jobs & income D

All 7 towns, ranked

By overall score against UK towns; ranks are within Powys, and each UK rank links to the national list. The score (0–100) blends the seven livability grades and sets the order; the letter places that score among UK towns of 2,500+, and A+ is the top 5%, so neighbours on the list often share a letter.

Every town in Powys →

#TownScoreGrade · UK rankWhat drives it

1Knighton2,911 people39.4bottom 32.3%C#1,440 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: walkability A⁻, cost of living B·lowest: jobs & income D⁻

2Brecon8,257 people38.6bottom 30.9%C#1,471 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: walkability A⁺, cost of living B⁻·lowest: safety D

3Builth Wells2,620 people37.8bottom 28.5%C#1,522 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: walkability A⁻, cost of living B⁻·lowest: jobs & income D

4Newtown10,882 people35.7bottom 22.6%C⁻#1,651 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: walkability A, cost of living A⁻·lowest: safety D⁻

5Welshpool5,460 people34.5bottom 19.3%C⁻#1,722 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: walkability A, cost of living A⁻·lowest: safety D⁻

6Llandrindod Wells5,429 people33.8bottom 17.7%C⁻#1,755 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: walkability A, cost of living B⁺·lowest: jobs & income D⁻

7Ystradgynlais4,032 people24.8bottom 3.9%D⁻#2,054 of 2,138 nationallyStrongest: cost of living B⁺, hazard risk C·lowest: jobs & income D⁻

Quick answers

Questions people ask

What is the best place to live in Powys?

Knighton ranks first of 7 graded towns of 2,500+: walkability (A−) and cost of living (B) are its strongest grades; jobs & income (D−) is its lowest. Brecon and Builth Wells follow.

How are these towns ranked?

By the overall grade, which blends seven livability grades (cost of living, safety, schools, health, jobs & income, walkability, hazard risk) from public data, each comparing a town with every UK town. The rank is within Powys. How grades work.

Why isn’t my town on this list?

The list covers places of 2,500+ residents with an overall grade. Smaller places, and towns missing figures the overall grade needs, show their subject grades on their own pages; every town in Powys is listed on the county page.

Sources: 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.