Place CheckerOfficial local evidence

Census 2021 neighbourhood · W02000221

Blaengarw, Pontycymer & Bettws

Blaengarw, Pontycymer & Bettws is a Census neighbourhood of about 7,688 residents in Bridgend. This is a statistical area, not an administrative boundary or a postcode district.

Area evidence brief for Bridgend
7,688

Usual residents

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

3,248

Households

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

248.8

Residents per km²

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

65.5%

Households owning their home

ONS Census 2021 · tenure

22.4%

Households with no car or van

ONS Census 2021 · car availability

21.0%

Adults with a degree or above

ONS Census 2021 · qualifications

Neighbourhoods most like this one

Closest matches elsewhere in England and Wales, across 14 Census themes. Similarity is statistical, not a recommendation, and says nothing about how anywhere feels to live in.

Glyn-coch & Ynys-y-bwl, Rhondda Cynon Taf7,495 residents · 66.3% owned · 22.8% no carTonyrefail East, Rhondda Cynon Taf6,053 residents · 68.0% owned · 21.5% no carBlaina & Nantyglo, Blaenau Gwent9,097 residents · 59.2% owned · 21.4% no carAberaman, Rhondda Cynon Taf10,012 residents · 64.3% owned · 26.6% no carAber Valley, Caerphilly6,508 residents · 61.9% owned · 24.8% no carAbercynon, Rhondda Cynon Taf6,375 residents · 66.5% owned · 22.9% no car

Most similar within Bridgend

The closest matches in the same local authority.

Nant-y-moel, Ogmore Vale & Blackmill, Bridgend7,981 residents · 67.5% owned · 21.2% no carPyle, Kenfig Hill & Cefncribwr, Bridgend8,880 residents · 64.6% owned · 20.0% no car

Census 2021 · Census neighbourhood (MSOA)

Life in Blaengarw, Pontycymer & Bettws

People, households and homes at the stated Census geography. These describe the 2021 population, not the occupants of a particular home.

Tenure

Owned65.5%
2,126 households
Private rented17.9%
580 households
Social rented16.3%
530 households
Shared ownership0.2%
8 households
Lives rent free0.1%
4 households
Blaengarw, Pontycymer & Bettws · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Accommodation type

Terraced51.5%
1,673 households
Semi-detached31.8%
1,034 households
Detached10.1%
327 households
In a purpose-built block of flats or tenement4.2%
135 households
Part of another converted building, for example, former school, church or warehouse0.9%
29 households
In a commercial building, for example, in an office building, hotel or over a shop0.8%
26 households
Part of a converted or shared house, including bedsits0.7%
24 households
A caravan or other mobile or temporary structure0%
0 households
Blaengarw, Pontycymer & Bettws · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Car or van availability

1 car or van in household43%
1,398 households
2 cars or vans in household25.7%
835 households
No cars or vans in household22.4%
727 households
3 or more cars or vans in household8.9%
288 households
Blaengarw, Pontycymer & Bettws · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Number of bedrooms

3 bedrooms57.9%
1,880 households
2 bedrooms25.2%
819 households
4 or more bedrooms12%
391 households
1 bedroom4.8%
156 households
Blaengarw, Pontycymer & Bettws · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household composition

Single family household65.6%
2,133 households
One-person household29%
943 households
Other household types5.4%
176 households
Blaengarw, Pontycymer & Bettws · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household size

2 people in household34.7%
1,128 households
1 person in household29%
943 households
3 people in household17.6%
570 households
4 people in household11.9%
386 households
5 people in household4.3%
138 households
6 people in household1.8%
57 households
8 or more people in household0.4%
14 households
7 people in household0.3%
11 households
0 people in household0%
0 households
Blaengarw, Pontycymer & Bettws · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Age

Under 1518.4%
1,415 residents
15–2918.2%
1,396 residents
30–4419%
1,459 residents
45–6427.2%
2,091 residents
65 and over17.3%
1,327 residents
Blaengarw, Pontycymer & Bettws · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Ethnic group

White98.3%
7,559 residents
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups0.9%
68 residents
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh0.5%
37 residents
Other ethnic group0.2%
14 residents
Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African0.2%
13 residents
Blaengarw, Pontycymer & Bettws · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Highest qualification

No qualifications29.2%
1,807 residents aged 16 and over
Level 4 qualifications or above21%
1,298 residents aged 16 and over
Level 3 qualifications15.9%
985 residents aged 16 and over
Level 2 qualifications15.6%
964 residents aged 16 and over
Level 1 and entry level qualifications10.7%
662 residents aged 16 and over
Apprenticeship4.8%
298 residents aged 16 and over
Other qualifications2.7%
170 residents aged 16 and over
Blaengarw, Pontycymer & Bettws · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Economic activity

Economically active (excluding full-time students)55.7%
3,446 residents aged 16 and over
Economically inactive42.9%
2,657 residents aged 16 and over
Economically active and a full-time student1.4%
84 residents aged 16 and over
Blaengarw, Pontycymer & Bettws · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Occupational class (NS-SeC)

L13 Routine occupations20.2%
1,247 residents aged 16 and over
L12 Semi-routine occupations17.6%
1,089 residents aged 16 and over
L4, L5 and L6 Lower managerial, administrative and professional occupations14%
865 residents aged 16 and over
L14.1 and L14.2 Never worked and long-term unemployed11.6%
715 residents aged 16 and over
L7 Intermediate occupations10.7%
661 residents aged 16 and over
L10 and L11 Lower supervisory and technical occupations8.2%
505 residents aged 16 and over
L8 and L9 Small employers and own account workers7.8%
482 residents aged 16 and over
L15 Full-time students5.4%
333 residents aged 16 and over
L1, L2 and L3 Higher managerial, administrative and professional occupations4.6%
287 residents aged 16 and over
Blaengarw, Pontycymer & Bettws · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

General health

Very good health43.7%
3,363 residents
Good health30.3%
2,333 residents
Fair health17.1%
1,314 residents
Bad health6.9%
532 residents
Very bad health1.9%
146 residents
Blaengarw, Pontycymer & Bettws · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Disability

Not disabled under the Equality Act74.2%
5,703 residents
Disabled under the Equality Act25.8%
1,984 residents
Blaengarw, Pontycymer & Bettws · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household deprivation

Household is not deprived in any dimension36.9%
1,199 households
Household is deprived in one dimension33.7%
1,096 households
Household is deprived in two dimensions21.5%
699 households
Household is deprived in three dimensions7.5%
243 households
Household is deprived in four dimensions0.3%
11 households
Blaengarw, Pontycymer & Bettws · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Each percentage uses its Census table’s own total. Rounding and source categories can affect totals. ONS Census data · OGL v3.0.

How the similarity is worked out

Alike on the Census, which is not the same as alike to live in.

Every neighbourhood is described by its shares across the Census themes above — tenure, housing, cars, household make-up, age, ethnic group, qualifications, work, health and deprivation — each theme weighted equally, which is the approach ONS takes in its own Output Area Classification. The neighbourhoods listed are the closest on those numbers, published in full rather than folded into a score. Nothing here measures schools, crime, prices or what a place is like to be in, and a close match is a statistical fact rather than a suggestion to move.

Browse every neighbourhood in Bridgend

Evidence ledger

Source and date are part of the record.

Shared catalogue checked 2026-08-28: 88 candidate data layers listed. Catalogue presence is not publication approval; only separately approved public projections may be shown.