Place CheckerOfficial local evidence

Census 2021 neighbourhood · W02000260

Ferndale & Maerdy

Ferndale & Maerdy is a Census neighbourhood of about 5,695 residents in Rhondda Cynon Taf. This is a statistical area, not an administrative boundary or a postcode district.

5,695

Usual residents

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

2,599

Households

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

425.2

Residents per km²

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

61.8%

Households owning their home

ONS Census 2021 · tenure

31.2%

Households with no car or van

ONS Census 2021 · car availability

19.4%

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.

Rhymney, Pontlottyn & Abertysswg, Caerphilly8,545 residents · 56.6% owned · 28.8% no carNew Tredegar & Darren Valley, Caerphilly7,087 residents · 62.9% owned · 27.2% no carAbertillery South & Llanhilleth, Blaenau Gwent6,665 residents · 59.0% owned · 23.6% no carCaerau, Bridgend6,665 residents · 64.5% owned · 28.5% no carAbertillery North & Cwmtillery, Blaenau Gwent8,611 residents · 60.1% owned · 25.8% no carCoundon North, County Durham7,235 residents · 52.3% owned · 28.3% no car

Most similar within Rhondda Cynon Taf

The closest matches in the same local authority.

Treherbert, Rhondda Cynon Taf5,705 residents · 65.2% owned · 31.4% no carTylorstown, Rhondda Cynon Taf5,728 residents · 59.0% owned · 29.9% no carPorth West, Rhondda Cynon Taf5,450 residents · 61.2% owned · 29.2% no carTonypandy East, Rhondda Cynon Taf8,197 residents · 67.0% owned · 25.3% no car

Census 2021 · Census neighbourhood (MSOA)

Life in Ferndale & Maerdy

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

Tenure

Owned61.8%
1,606 households
Private rented20.4%
530 households
Social rented17.5%
456 households
Shared ownership0.2%
4 households
Lives rent free0.1%
3 households
Ferndale & Maerdy · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Accommodation type

Terraced73.5%
1,910 households
Semi-detached13.4%
348 households
In a purpose-built block of flats or tenement6.9%
180 households
Detached4.7%
121 households
Part of a converted or shared house, including bedsits1%
26 households
In a commercial building, for example, in an office building, hotel or over a shop0.3%
9 households
Part of another converted building, for example, former school, church or warehouse0.1%
3 households
A caravan or other mobile or temporary structure0%
1 households
Ferndale & Maerdy · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Car or van availability

1 car or van in household42.4%
1,102 households
No cars or vans in household31.2%
811 households
2 cars or vans in household19%
494 households
3 or more cars or vans in household7.4%
193 households
Ferndale & Maerdy · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Number of bedrooms

3 bedrooms57.4%
1,491 households
2 bedrooms27.7%
720 households
4 or more bedrooms9.9%
258 households
1 bedroom5%
130 households
Ferndale & Maerdy · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household composition

Single family household60.5%
1,572 households
One-person household35.8%
929 households
Other household types3.7%
97 households
Ferndale & Maerdy · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household size

1 person in household35.8%
929 households
2 people in household32.1%
834 households
3 people in household15.7%
407 households
4 people in household12.2%
318 households
5 people in household3.5%
92 households
6 people in household0.5%
14 households
8 or more people in household0.2%
4 households
0 people in household0%
0 households
7 people in household0%
0 households
Ferndale & Maerdy · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Age

Under 1516.3%
930 residents
15–2916.8%
954 residents
30–4417.2%
978 residents
45–6426.5%
1,507 residents
65 and over23.3%
1,325 residents
Ferndale & Maerdy · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Ethnic group

White99%
5,635 residents
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups0.5%
27 residents
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh0.4%
20 residents
Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African0.1%
8 residents
Other ethnic group0.1%
4 residents
Ferndale & Maerdy · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Highest qualification

No qualifications31.1%
1,463 residents aged 16 and over
Level 4 qualifications or above19.4%
911 residents aged 16 and over
Level 2 qualifications15.8%
745 residents aged 16 and over
Level 3 qualifications15.1%
709 residents aged 16 and over
Level 1 and entry level qualifications9.7%
457 residents aged 16 and over
Apprenticeship5.2%
245 residents aged 16 and over
Other qualifications3.7%
172 residents aged 16 and over
Ferndale & Maerdy · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Economic activity

Economically inactive51.4%
2,417 residents aged 16 and over
Economically active (excluding full-time students)47.1%
2,215 residents aged 16 and over
Economically active and a full-time student1.5%
71 residents aged 16 and over
Ferndale & Maerdy · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Occupational class (NS-SeC)

L13 Routine occupations19.2%
905 residents aged 16 and over
L12 Semi-routine occupations17.4%
820 residents aged 16 and over
L4, L5 and L6 Lower managerial, administrative and professional occupations13.8%
650 residents aged 16 and over
L14.1 and L14.2 Never worked and long-term unemployed13.3%
625 residents aged 16 and over
L7 Intermediate occupations10.6%
498 residents aged 16 and over
L10 and L11 Lower supervisory and technical occupations7.9%
371 residents aged 16 and over
L8 and L9 Small employers and own account workers7.8%
368 residents aged 16 and over
L15 Full-time students5.4%
256 residents aged 16 and over
L1, L2 and L3 Higher managerial, administrative and professional occupations4.5%
213 residents aged 16 and over
Ferndale & Maerdy · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

General health

Very good health39%
2,223 residents
Good health30.8%
1,753 residents
Fair health19.1%
1,085 residents
Bad health8.5%
486 residents
Very bad health2.6%
146 residents
Ferndale & Maerdy · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Disability

Not disabled under the Equality Act71.1%
4,051 residents
Disabled under the Equality Act28.9%
1,644 residents
Ferndale & Maerdy · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household deprivation

Household is deprived in one dimension34%
884 households
Household is not deprived in any dimension32.6%
848 households
Household is deprived in two dimensions24.1%
626 households
Household is deprived in three dimensions9.1%
237 households
Household is deprived in four dimensions0.2%
5 households
Ferndale & Maerdy · 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 Rhondda Cynon Taf

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.