Rhos’s story
1 listed building
Cadw lists them inside Rhos’ built-up area.
16% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
RhosWest Glamorgan
54% of households own their home with no mortgage. 2,560 people call this town in West Glamorgan, Wales home.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Jaggery · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
2,560
Census 2021 · Neath Port Talbot council
Median home
£250K
98 sales in 3 years
Median age
50.8
29% are 65+ · West Glamorgan 21%
Degree level
35%
of residents 16+ · Wales 31%
Walk, cycle, bus
7%
of commuters · Wales 16%
TownGrade
C
#5 of 19 in West Glamorgan
Is Rhos a good place to live?
A town of contrasts. Most journeys need a car: on the way to work, 7% walk, cycle or take a bus or train. Rhos grades C overall, better than 35% of UK towns. That places it #5 of 19 in West Glamorgan. It also trails on health: 6.5% of residents report bad or very bad health, and 22% are disabled. Crime is low (A−): 16.1 violent and sexual offences and 3.3 home and vehicle crimes per 1,000 residents a year. At a median £250,000, a home costs 6 times the yearly income of households in the Neath Port Talbot council area.
Figures: crime, police.uk, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026 · commuting, Census 2021 · health, Census 2021 (the grade adjusts for age) · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years · incomes, ONS.
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 Rhos stand out
The 3 things Rhos 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%)
90%of UK towns of 2,500 to 10,000 people
Safety
of UK towns of 2,500 to 10,000 people
Per resident, police.uk, 3 years.
Own outright
Housing
54% own outright
of households own their home with no mortgage (Wales’s towns 36%)
How Rhos grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within Wales), ordered by how far Rhos is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
WalkabilityBased on walking, cycling and transit to everyday placesD−Open →SafetyVery little crime by comparisonA−Open →HealthBehind most towns comparedC−Open →Jobs & incomeBased on what households earn, poverty and workCOpen →Cost of livingRent £690 a monthCOpen →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.
History1 listed buildingDOpen →Outdoors58% live within 400 m of a park; 1 ha of public green space per 1,000 residentsD−Open →Civic life1.6 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryC−Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Rhos.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C
Commuters in Rhos travel far: only 13% go under 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 29% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
92% of commuters drove, higher than both West Glamorgan’s towns (83%) and Wales’s towns (81%). In 2026, 2% of 16 to 64s were claiming unemployment benefits. Average household income comes to £47K a year before tax.
7%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving92%
On foot4%
Bus1%
Train1%
13%
of commuters travel under 5 km · Wales 41%
29%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£47K
mean household income, before tax
2%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
D−
Walkability: more walkable than 5% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Schools
1 state school in Rhos
It is listed below. The town’s primary school has 147 pupils.
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhos Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 147 | – |
Welsh Government · schools list · Wales publishes no school-level results, so its schools have no letters.The Schools page →
History
Rhos’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.
Homes from before 1919 make up 16% of the total, below both West Glamorgan’s towns (27%) and Wales’s towns (27%). Rhos has 4 listed buildings for every 10,000 residents, below West Glamorgan’s towns (10) and Wales’s towns (18) alike.
1listed buildingsDHistory Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Cadw
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II1
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
16%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
4
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Cadw list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Safety
Among the 1,308 UK towns of 2,500 to 10,000 people, Rhos records less crime per resident than 90% of them
72 crimes and 2 reports of anti-social behaviour: that is what police recorded inside Rhos’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026. There were 2.9 anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 residents (not graded), below West Glamorgan’s towns (8.5) and Wales’s towns (10.4) alike. Violence and sexual offences accounted for 56% of recorded crime.
16.1violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearA−Safety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 90% of the 1,308 UK towns of 2,500 to 10,000 people: less crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual40
Public order18
Damage & arson6
Other theft2
Burglary2
Other crime2
Vehicle crime1
Weapons1
Anti-social2
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.
16.1
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
3.3
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
2.9
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
72
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.
Health
Lifespans in Rhos run shorter than in 79% of UK towns
80% of Rhos’ residents described their health as good or very good at the census, above both West Glamorgan’s towns (78%) and Wales’s towns (78%). There is no GP practice in the town: the nearest is 0.9 miles off. The nearest A&E to Rhos is Morriston Hospital, 5 miles away.
80%good or very good healthC−Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 80%Fair 14%Bad or very bad 7%
| Census 2021 | Rhos | West Glamorgan | Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 80% | 78% | 78% |
| Bad or very bad health | 6.5% | 7.9% | 7.1% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 22% | 23% | 22% |
78.8
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
80.9
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 · Because the census answers ignore age, a younger population lifts them; that is why the Health Grade is built on age-adjusted measures like life expectancy.
HousingCost of living grade C
More households own their home in Rhos than in West Glamorgan’s towns or across Wales’s towns: 84%
Council and housing-body homes hold 7% of households. 9% rent privately, below West Glamorgan’s towns (17%) and Wales’s towns (17%) alike. From September 2023 to August 2026, 98 homes sold inside Rhos’s built-up area at standard prices; the middle one went for £250,000.
£250Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Rhos£250K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £258,000 | 67 |
| Semi-detached | £207,500 | 27 |
84%
of households own their home · Wales 65%
9%
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
Who lives here
Rhos has fewer young adults than West Glamorgan’s towns or Wales’s towns: 8.8% are 15 to 24
Children under 15 make up 14%, below West Glamorgan’s towns (16%) and Wales’s towns (17%) alike. 29% of residents have reached 65. Ages in Rhos split evenly at 50.8: half are older, half younger. Among adults, 35% have a degree.
50.8median age
RhosWest GlamorganWales
Ages · share of residents
29%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications16%
Apprenticeship7%
A levels or similar16%
Degree level35%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About an even split. Across Wales, 51% of residents are women.
| Rhos | West Glamorgan | Wales | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 14% | 16% | 17% |
| 15–24 | 8.8% | 13% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 20% | 24% | 25% |
| 45–64 | 28% | 26% | 26% |
| 65+ | 29% | 21% | 21% |
| No qualifications | 16% | 21% | 20% |
| Apprenticeship | 7.5% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| A levels or similar | 16% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 35% | 30% | 31% |
ONS Census 2021 · West Glamorgan and Wales: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Neath Castle and 3 more in and around Rhos
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Rhos. Best known first.
CastleNeath Castle5 km outside town, to the south
MuseumCefn Coed Colliery Museum4.2 km outside town, to the eastAttractionAttraction · National TrustAberdulais Tin Works and Waterfall4.5 km outside town, to the southeastMuseumMuseumAberdulais Falls Visitor Centre4.5 km outside town, to the southeastPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (2)
- Neath Castle: Darren Wyn Rees at Aberdare Blog, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Cefn Coed Colliery Museum: Cedwyn Davies, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Rhos
15pages on Rhos
The big questions
SafetyA−16.1 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingCMedian home £250K · rent £690 a monthHousing29 sold in 12 months · busiest street DelfforddSchools1 state school (no results published in Wales)HealthC−Work & commuteC41% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsB0.1% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Rhos’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
AlltwenPontardaweClydachCilfrewTonnaCreunantNeathRhos
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rhos | 2,560 | — | C | C | A− | C− |
| Alltwen | 2,721 | 0.7 | C+ | C+ | A− | C− |
| Pontardawe | 5,539 | 1.1 | D | B | C− | D |
| Clydach | 8,445 | 2.8 | C− | B+ | C | D |
| Cilfrew | 2,178 | 2.9 | — | B | C+ | D− |
| Tonna | 2,665 | 3.5 | C | B− | B | C− |
| Creunant | 1,664 | 3.5 | — | B | B− | D |
| Neath | 40,738 | 3.6 | D | B | C− | D |
Cilfrew and Creunant have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Rhos
How much is council tax in Rhos?
Band D council tax in Rhos is £2,541 for 2026–27, more than in 74% of UK towns (the Neath Port Talbot council average, with police and community councils). Your own bill depends on your home’s band; check it on GOV.UK.
Does Rhos flood?
Surface water isn’t included. Check a specific address on Natural Resources Wales’s flood risk service.
About Rhos
Town in West Glamorgan, Wales
Rhos is a built-up area of 2,560 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
- 2,560 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Neath Port Talbot
- County
- West Glamorgan
- Region
- Wales
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi (0.9 km²)
- ONS code
- W45000419
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.