Place CheckerOfficial local evidence

Census 2021 neighbourhood · W02000288

Merthyr Vale, Troed-y-rhiw & Bedlinog

Merthyr Vale, Troed-y-rhiw & Bedlinog is a Census neighbourhood of about 8,083 residents in Merthyr Tydfil. This is a statistical area, not an administrative boundary or a postcode district.

Area evidence brief for Merthyr Tydfil
8,083

Usual residents

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

3,603

Households

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

196.1

Residents per km²

ONS Census 2021 · MSOA

64.7%

Households owning their home

ONS Census 2021 · tenure

25.8%

Households with no car or van

ONS Census 2021 · car availability

22.0%

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.

New Tredegar & Darren Valley, Caerphilly7,087 residents · 62.9% owned · 27.2% no carBlaengarw, Pontycymer & Bettws, Bridgend7,688 residents · 65.5% owned · 22.4% no carMountain Ash, Rhondda Cynon Taf7,249 residents · 66.4% owned · 26.6% no carPontypool, Torfaen8,870 residents · 63.1% owned · 20.7% no carAbertillery North & Cwmtillery, Blaenau Gwent8,611 residents · 60.1% owned · 25.8% no carYstrad & Llwynypia, Rhondda Cynon Taf9,192 residents · 64.6% owned · 26.8% no car

Census 2021 · Census neighbourhood (MSOA)

Life in Merthyr Vale, Troed-y-rhiw & Bedlinog

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

Tenure

Owned64.7%
2,332 households
Social rented18.4%
662 households
Private rented16.7%
601 households
Shared ownership0.2%
6 households
Lives rent free0.1%
2 households
Merthyr Vale, Troed-y-rhiw & Bedlinog · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Accommodation type

Terraced62.1%
2,236 households
Semi-detached21.9%
789 households
Detached10.3%
371 households
In a purpose-built block of flats or tenement4.3%
156 households
In a commercial building, for example, in an office building, hotel or over a shop0.7%
24 households
Part of a converted or shared house, including bedsits0.5%
18 households
A caravan or other mobile or temporary structure0.1%
4 households
Part of another converted building, for example, former school, church or warehouse0%
1 households
Merthyr Vale, Troed-y-rhiw & Bedlinog · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Car or van availability

1 car or van in household43.4%
1,563 households
No cars or vans in household25.8%
930 households
2 cars or vans in household22.9%
826 households
3 or more cars or vans in household7.9%
284 households
Merthyr Vale, Troed-y-rhiw & Bedlinog · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Number of bedrooms

3 bedrooms58%
2,090 households
2 bedrooms25.3%
913 households
4 or more bedrooms9.9%
357 households
1 bedroom6.7%
242 households
Merthyr Vale, Troed-y-rhiw & Bedlinog · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household composition

Single family household61.6%
2,221 households
One-person household34.6%
1,245 households
Other household types3.8%
137 households
Merthyr Vale, Troed-y-rhiw & Bedlinog · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household size

1 person in household34.6%
1,245 households
2 people in household32.5%
1,172 households
3 people in household16.8%
606 households
4 people in household11.3%
408 households
5 people in household3.3%
119 households
6 people in household1.1%
40 households
7 people in household0.2%
8 households
8 or more people in household0.1%
5 households
0 people in household0%
0 households
Merthyr Vale, Troed-y-rhiw & Bedlinog · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Age

Under 1516.8%
1,355 residents
15–2917.3%
1,397 residents
30–4418.8%
1,521 residents
45–6426.9%
2,176 residents
65 and over20.2%
1,630 residents
Merthyr Vale, Troed-y-rhiw & Bedlinog · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Ethnic group

White97.8%
7,908 residents
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups1%
79 residents
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh0.9%
75 residents
Other ethnic group0.2%
13 residents
Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African0.1%
7 residents
Merthyr Vale, Troed-y-rhiw & Bedlinog · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Highest qualification

No qualifications27.8%
1,843 residents aged 16 and over
Level 4 qualifications or above22%
1,460 residents aged 16 and over
Level 3 qualifications15.8%
1,052 residents aged 16 and over
Level 2 qualifications15.2%
1,009 residents aged 16 and over
Level 1 and entry level qualifications10.5%
694 residents aged 16 and over
Apprenticeship5.6%
375 residents aged 16 and over
Other qualifications3.1%
207 residents aged 16 and over
Merthyr Vale, Troed-y-rhiw & Bedlinog · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Economic activity

Economically active (excluding full-time students)53.7%
3,565 residents aged 16 and over
Economically inactive44.9%
2,982 residents aged 16 and over
Economically active and a full-time student1.4%
94 residents aged 16 and over
Merthyr Vale, Troed-y-rhiw & Bedlinog · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Occupational class (NS-SeC)

L13 Routine occupations18.1%
1,204 residents aged 16 and over
L12 Semi-routine occupations16.1%
1,069 residents aged 16 and over
L4, L5 and L6 Lower managerial, administrative and professional occupations14.5%
961 residents aged 16 and over
L7 Intermediate occupations12.1%
806 residents aged 16 and over
L14.1 and L14.2 Never worked and long-term unemployed11.7%
778 residents aged 16 and over
L10 and L11 Lower supervisory and technical occupations8.9%
593 residents aged 16 and over
L8 and L9 Small employers and own account workers8.1%
536 residents aged 16 and over
L1, L2 and L3 Higher managerial, administrative and professional occupations5.9%
391 residents aged 16 and over
L15 Full-time students4.6%
303 residents aged 16 and over
Merthyr Vale, Troed-y-rhiw & Bedlinog · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

General health

Very good health42.3%
3,422 residents
Good health30.9%
2,496 residents
Fair health16.3%
1,321 residents
Bad health7.9%
636 residents
Very bad health2.6%
209 residents
Merthyr Vale, Troed-y-rhiw & Bedlinog · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Disability

Not disabled under the Equality Act74%
5,984 residents
Disabled under the Equality Act26%
2,100 residents
Merthyr Vale, Troed-y-rhiw & Bedlinog · Census neighbourhood (MSOA) · ONS Census 2021

Household deprivation

Household is not deprived in any dimension37.9%
1,363 households
Household is deprived in one dimension33.5%
1,205 households
Household is deprived in two dimensions20.4%
735 households
Household is deprived in three dimensions7.6%
272 households
Household is deprived in four dimensions0.7%
26 households
Merthyr Vale, Troed-y-rhiw & Bedlinog · 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.