Place CheckerOfficial local evidence

Census 2021 neighbourhood · W02000284

Dowlais

Dowlais is a Census neighbourhood of about 9,358 residents in Merthyr Tydfil. This is a statistical area, not an administrative boundary or a postcode district.

Area evidence brief for Merthyr Tydfil
9,358

Usual residents

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

4,233

Households

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

819.7

Residents per km²

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

59.1%

Households owning their home

ONS Census 2021 · tenure

25.3%

Households with no car or van

ONS Census 2021 · car availability

22.9%

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.

Aberaman, Rhondda Cynon Taf10,012 residents · 64.3% owned · 26.6% no carMountain Ash, Rhondda Cynon Taf7,249 residents · 66.4% owned · 26.6% no carEbbw Vale North & Glyncoed, Blaenau Gwent7,786 residents · 60.2% owned · 20.7% no carTreorchy, Rhondda Cynon Taf7,648 residents · 72.5% owned · 24.1% no carAbertillery North & Cwmtillery, Blaenau Gwent8,611 residents · 60.1% owned · 25.8% no carTredegar & Georgetown, Blaenau Gwent8,078 residents · 59.7% owned · 24.7% no car

Census 2021 · Census neighbourhood (MSOA)

Life in Dowlais

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

Tenure

Owned59.1%
2,502 households
Social rented22.7%
962 households
Private rented17.8%
755 households
Lives rent free0.2%
10 households
Shared ownership0.1%
4 households
Dowlais · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Accommodation type

Terraced62.9%
2,663 households
Semi-detached18.6%
786 households
Detached13.2%
557 households
In a purpose-built block of flats or tenement3.2%
136 households
Part of another converted building, for example, former school, church or warehouse0.9%
39 households
Part of a converted or shared house, including bedsits0.7%
31 households
In a commercial building, for example, in an office building, hotel or over a shop0.4%
18 households
A caravan or other mobile or temporary structure0%
2 households
Dowlais · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Car or van availability

1 car or van in household43.8%
1,853 households
No cars or vans in household25.3%
1,069 households
2 cars or vans in household23.5%
995 households
3 or more cars or vans in household7.4%
315 households
Dowlais · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Number of bedrooms

3 bedrooms53.7%
2,272 households
2 bedrooms29.1%
1,231 households
4 or more bedrooms10.2%
433 households
1 bedroom7%
295 households
Dowlais · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household composition

Single family household63.7%
2,694 households
One-person household32.5%
1,377 households
Other household types3.8%
161 households
Dowlais · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household size

2 people in household34.2%
1,448 households
1 person in household32.5%
1,377 households
3 people in household18.1%
768 households
4 people in household11.2%
473 households
5 people in household3%
129 households
6 people in household0.6%
26 households
7 people in household0.2%
8 households
8 or more people in household0.1%
3 households
0 people in household0%
0 households
Dowlais · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Age

Under 1517.5%
1,641 residents
15–2917.5%
1,637 residents
30–4419.8%
1,848 residents
45–6427%
2,523 residents
65 and over18.2%
1,704 residents
Dowlais · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Ethnic group

White97.6%
9,129 residents
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh1.4%
132 residents
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups0.6%
56 residents
Other ethnic group0.2%
23 residents
Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African0.2%
16 residents
Dowlais · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Highest qualification

No qualifications28.8%
2,198 residents aged 16 and over
Level 4 qualifications or above22.9%
1,745 residents aged 16 and over
Level 3 qualifications15.7%
1,198 residents aged 16 and over
Level 2 qualifications14.5%
1,106 residents aged 16 and over
Level 1 and entry level qualifications9.5%
728 residents aged 16 and over
Apprenticeship5.8%
439 residents aged 16 and over
Other qualifications2.8%
210 residents aged 16 and over
Dowlais · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Economic activity

Economically active (excluding full-time students)56.7%
4,324 residents aged 16 and over
Economically inactive41.2%
3,142 residents aged 16 and over
Economically active and a full-time student2.1%
160 residents aged 16 and over
Dowlais · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Occupational class (NS-SeC)

L13 Routine occupations19.3%
1,469 residents aged 16 and over
L4, L5 and L6 Lower managerial, administrative and professional occupations16.4%
1,253 residents aged 16 and over
L12 Semi-routine occupations16.4%
1,250 residents aged 16 and over
L7 Intermediate occupations11.4%
869 residents aged 16 and over
L14.1 and L14.2 Never worked and long-term unemployed9.9%
756 residents aged 16 and over
L8 and L9 Small employers and own account workers8%
613 residents aged 16 and over
L10 and L11 Lower supervisory and technical occupations7.3%
554 residents aged 16 and over
L15 Full-time students5.9%
446 residents aged 16 and over
L1, L2 and L3 Higher managerial, administrative and professional occupations5.4%
413 residents aged 16 and over
Dowlais · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

General health

Very good health45.6%
4,265 residents
Good health30.2%
2,823 residents
Fair health14.7%
1,379 residents
Bad health7%
659 residents
Very bad health2.5%
230 residents
Dowlais · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Disability

Not disabled under the Equality Act77.2%
7,222 residents
Disabled under the Equality Act22.8%
2,134 residents
Dowlais · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household deprivation

Household is not deprived in any dimension39.6%
1,674 households
Household is deprived in one dimension33.8%
1,432 households
Household is deprived in two dimensions19.2%
813 households
Household is deprived in three dimensions7%
298 households
Household is deprived in four dimensions0.4%
15 households
Dowlais · 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 Merthyr Tydfil

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.