Cilfrew’s story
6 listed buildings
Cadw lists them inside Cilfrew’s built-up area, along with 1 scheduled monument.
22% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
CilfrewWest Glamorgan
The village has 2,178 residents and lies in West Glamorgan, Wales.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Alan Hughes · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
2,178
Census 2021 · Neath Port Talbot council
Median home
£170K
72 sales in 3 years
Median age
40.2
16% are 65+ · West Glamorgan 21%
Degree level
33%
of residents 16+ · Wales 31%
Walk, cycle, bus
7%
of commuters · Wales 16%
Is Cilfrew a good place to live?
Buying a home costs less than in most towns: the median home sold for £170,000, 4 years of area income. The weak point is health: 7.2% in bad or very bad health, 21.6% disabled. Jobs and pay trail most towns: households earn a mean £39,410 a year, and 3.3% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits. Getting around depends on the car (D): 7% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport.
Figures: prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · health, Census 2021 (the grade adjusts for age) · income, ONS · claimants, DWP · commuting, Census 2021. Cilfrew has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
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 Cilfrew stand out
The 3 things Cilfrew does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
7% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (Wales’s towns 16%)
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
39% 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 95% of UK towns
ONS small-area income estimates.
How Cilfrew grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within Wales), ordered by how far Cilfrew is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Health7.2% in bad or very bad health, 22% disabled (adjusted for age in the grade)D−Open →Jobs & incomeIncomes and work are among the weakest comparedD−Open →WalkabilityNear the bottom of the towns comparedDOpen →Hazard risk2.8% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaC−Open →Cost of livingBased on what homes cost against what households earnBOpen →SafetyAbout average among the towns comparedC+Open →
SchoolsNot published in Wales–
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryGraded on historic places and the town’s ageB−Open →Outdoors44% live within 400 m of a park; 0.8 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsD−Open →Civic life0.5 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 Cilfrew.
Health
People in Cilfrew live shorter lives than in 97% of UK towns
The nearest A&E to Cilfrew is Morriston Hospital, 6.6 miles away. At the census, 80% of people in Cilfrew called their health good or very good, above West Glamorgan’s towns (78%) and Wales’s towns (78%) alike. Seeing a GP means leaving Cilfrew: the nearest practice is 1.6 miles away.
80%good or very good healthD−Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 80%Fair 13%Bad or very bad 7%
| Census 2021 | Cilfrew | West Glamorgan | Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 80% | 78% | 78% |
| Bad or very bad health | 7.2% | 7.9% | 7.1% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 22% | 23% | 22% |
74.1
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
79.7
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 · A young population flatters these answers, which are not age-adjusted; the Health Grade instead uses measures that allow for age, such as life expectancy.
Schools
1 state school in Cilfrew
It is listed below. 146 pupils attend Cilfrew’s one primary school.
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cilffriw Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 146 | – |
Welsh Government · schools list · Wales publishes no school-level results, so its schools have no letters.The Schools page →
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D−
Only 27% of Cilfrew’s commuters work within 5 km, fewer than in West Glamorgan’s towns and across 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.
The car took 91% of commuters, above both West Glamorgan’s towns (83%) and Wales’s towns (81%). There are 0.2 jobs in Cilfrew for each resident in work. 3% of commuters who live in Cilfrew also work there.
7%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving91%
On foot3%
Bus2%
Train1%
Bicycle1%
27%
of commuters travel under 5 km · Wales 41%
21%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£39K
mean household income, before tax
3.3%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
D
Walkability: more walkable than 7% 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
Private renting is less common in Cilfrew than in West Glamorgan’s towns or across Wales’s towns: 10%
Owners make up 70% of households, higher than both West Glamorgan’s towns (63%) and Wales’s towns (65%). From September 2023 to August 2026, 72 homes sold inside Cilfrew’s built-up area at standard prices; the middle one went for £170,000. Private rents average £690 a month across the Neath Port Talbot council area.
£170Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Cilfrew£170K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £301,000 | 24 |
| Semi-detached | £154,000 | 31 |
| Terraced | £140,000 | 17 |
70%
of households own their home · Wales 65%
10%
rent privately · Wales 17%
£690
average private rent a month, Neath Port Talbot council area
£2,541
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Safety
Burglary and damage are rarer in Cilfrew than in West Glamorgan’s towns or across Wales’s towns: 4.6 per 1,000 residents a year
Nearly two thirds of the crimes fell under violence and sexual offences. The 12 months to August 2026 brought 91 recorded crimes inside Cilfrew’s built-up area, and 8 reports of anti-social behaviour. Among the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people, Cilfrew has more crime per resident than 78% of them.
32.3violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearC+Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 22% 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 & sexual59
Damage & arson14
Public order11
Other crime4
Burglary2
Vehicle crime1
Shoplifting0
Other theft0
Anti-social8
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.
32.3
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
4.6
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
7
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
91
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
All 6 of Cilfrew’s listed buildings are Grade II
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Just over a fifth of its homes were built before 1919, below West Glamorgan’s towns (27%) and Wales’s towns (27%) alike. The national list protects one ancient monument in Cilfrew.
6listed buildingsB−History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Cadw
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II6
1
scheduled monument
0
registered parks and gardens
22%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
28
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
Children make up 20% of Cilfrew, above West Glamorgan’s towns and Wales’s towns
Graduates make up 33% of adults. People 65 and over make up 16% of the town, below West Glamorgan’s towns (21%) and Wales’s towns (21%) alike. Young adults of 15 to 24 account for just over a tenth of the town. Typical age in Cilfrew: 40.2, the median.
40.2median age
CilfrewWest GlamorganWales
Ages · share of residents
11%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications18%
Apprenticeship6%
A levels or similar17%
Degree level33%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About 96 men for every 100 women. Across Wales, 51% of residents are women.
| Cilfrew | West Glamorgan | Wales | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 20% | 16% | 17% |
| 15–24 | 11% | 13% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 27% | 24% | 25% |
| 45–64 | 26% | 26% | 26% |
| 65+ | 16% | 21% | 21% |
| No qualifications | 18% | 21% | 20% |
| Apprenticeship | 6.5% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| A levels or similar | 17% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 33% | 30% | 31% |
ONS Census 2021 · West Glamorgan and Wales: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Aberdulais Tin Works and Waterfall and 7 more in and around Cilfrew
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Cilfrew. Best known first.
AttractionAttraction · National TrustAberdulais Tin Works and Waterfallin town
CastleNeath Castle2.1 km outside town, to the southwest
Abbey or priory · CadwNeath Abbey3.6 km outside town, to the southwest
MuseumCefn Coed Colliery Museum2.7 km outside town, to the northeastMuseumMuseumAberdulais Falls Visitor Centrein townGardenGardenGnoll Estate Country Park1.8 km outside town, to the south
CastleNeath Castle2.1 km outside town, to the southwestAbbey or priory · CadwNeath Abbey3.6 km outside town, to the southwestMuseumCefn Coed Colliery Museum2.7 km outside town, to the northeastMuseumMuseumAberdulais Falls Visitor Centrein townGardenGardenGnoll Estate Country Park1.8 km outside town, to the southPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (3)
- Neath Castle: Darren Wyn Rees at Aberdare Blog, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Neath Abbey: Gareth Lovering Photography from Swansea, Wales UK, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Cefn Coed Colliery Museum: Cedwyn Davies, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Cilfrew
15pages on Cilfrew
The big questions
SafetyC+32.3 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingBMedian home £170K · rent £690 a monthHousing27 sold in 12 months · busiest street Ffynnon DawelSchools1 state school (no results published in Wales)HealthD−Work & commuteD−33% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsC−2.8% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Famous people from Cilfrew
3 notable people were born in Cilfrew.
A
Alwyn HarrisEnglish cricketer (1936-2018)W
Willie LlewelynWelsh cricketer (1868-1893)Photo credits
Gethin Davies: anhysbys, Public domain
Cilfrew’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
TonnaNeathRhosCreunantAlltwenResolvenPontardaweCilfrew
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cilfrew | 2,178 | — | — | B | C+ | D− |
| Tonna | 2,665 | 0.7 | C | B− | B | C− |
| Neath | 40,738 | 2 | D | B | C− | D |
| Rhos | 2,560 | 2.9 | C | C | A− | C− |
| Creunant | 1,664 | 3.4 | — | B | B− | D |
| Alltwen | 2,721 | 3.4 | C+ | C+ | A− | C− |
| Resolven | 2,162 | 4 | — | B+ | B− | D− |
| Pontardawe | 5,539 | 4 | D | B | C− | D |
Creunant and Resolven have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Cilfrew
Does Cilfrew flood?
Surface water isn’t included. Check a specific address on Natural Resources Wales’s flood risk service.
Is Cilfrew expensive to live in?
Homes cost less than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £170,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: terraced houses £140,000, semi-detached houses £154,000 and detached houses £301,000.
Is Cilfrew safe?
Burglary was rare, with 2 reports in the year.
About Cilfrew
Village in West Glamorgan, Wales
Cilfrew is a built-up area of 2,178 people, in the Neath Port Talbot 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
- 2,178 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Neath Port Talbot
- County
- West Glamorgan
- Region
- Wales
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.6 km²)
- ONS code
- W45000458
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.